Realizing Your True Nature

“Truth is not something outside to be discovered, it is something inside to be realized.” ~Osho

​This week’s quote from Osho is a reminder that the spiritual path leads ever inward. You can travel the Earth in search of the truth, but, ultimately, what you are seeking is not something that can be found in the external world, it can only be found by turning inward and exploring the depths of your own being. At this point in your spiritual journey, you have no doubt come across the claim that the truth lies within. But what does that even mean? What exactly is this great truth that resides within us, and how do we go about realizing it?

Deep down inside, we all want to be happy. However, for many of us, our happiness is reliant on external factors. We believe, for example, that our possessions make us happy- that the more possessions we own, the happier we will become. But relying on material goods for happiness only creates dependency and attachment in the long run. Being attached to your possessions leads to fear and anxiety about losing them. You also run the risk of identifying with the things you own, thinking of them as an integral part of who you are. By doing this, you tie your self-worth to your possessions, leading you to constantly seek out validation from others just to feel good about yourself.
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So, where does lasting contentment come from? The answer lies in the realization of your true nature. Who are you really, beyond the illusion of your ego? Of course, this is a question that you must answer for yourself. If you take someone else’s word for it, then the truth won’t feel as genuine. Instead, we’ll end with a quote from Alan Watts who once explained that, “You don't look out there for God, something in the sky, you look in you.”