Sincerity

Sincerity, or self-honesty, is the life-blood of the spirit. Where sincerity flows, the spirit is refreshed and nourished. Where sincerity does not flow, the spirit must wither.

The spiritual life is the one side of life where truth to yourself is paramount. In our social lives, appearances rule - we are judged and estimated by what we appear to be. In our spiritual lives, we can be nothing other than what we are. We see ourselves naked, without cover.

Every person when they look inside sees a microcosm of the entire universe. Love and hate, anger and forebearance, fear and courage, and all the other kinds of struggles lie within. This muddle within turns out to be of great value. First, it connects us with every other living creature - their struggles, their paths, we identify with even if we never experience that path first hand. Second, the muddle within indicates that our true selves are hidden, that we must seek to find the hidden unity underneath.

The key to sincerity, self-honesty, is to accept the reality of what is within you. Embracing the truth of ourselves is itself an act of courage and a path towards spiritual life.

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