Spirituality in the City is a beautifully reflective section of our magazine, in which six of our readers talk about an aspect of spirituality that holds great resonance for them. In our Autumn 2021 issue, we asked them, ‘what does Truth mean to you?’ Read their thoughts below!
Spirituality in The City: Autumn 2021 Edition
Our readers share what truth means to them
Karolina Banaszkiewicz
By strengthening my connection to my intuition and allowing myself to recognise, and journal about, what blocks my personal growth, i.e. dysfunctional dynamics, outdated scripts, societal conditioning (what is socially accepted and normalised throughout generations) and its impact on my existence: womanhood and motherhood – I am experiencing the power of TRUTH.
The essence of my existence means, to me, exploring my creative potential and consciously igniting my ‘inner fire’. This is intrinsically linked to my love for literature, drama and theatre, which give voice to our emotions, showing us the TRUTH of experience and rescuing beauty and meaning from it.
When I was in college, I felt deeply inspired to write my thesis dissertation – The Truth Behind The Door – about the connection between August Strindberg’s drama and Existential philosophy. It was my way of telling the truth. The process of writing and my interest in Existentialism and Existential therapy have profoundly influenced my life and career. The father of Existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard, believed that one can only attain authentic truth through ‘‘passionate inwardness.”
Rob Hough
For the best part of a decade, you might say, I was unconsciously Soul Searching. After many a mind-altering, meditative adventure – from cold breathwork journeys in Iceland, to the sweltering heat of the Amazon, working with plant medicines – and everything in between – I was swimming deeper and deeper.
Each journey, to its merit, had varying degrees of success, but there was still an eluding void within which left me feeling spiritually disconnected and immersed in the rational mind.
It wasn’t until late 2018 when I had my most significant breakthrough. After a close friend of mine sadly passed away, a series of profound synchronicities ignited a new life force within me which has had paradigm- shifting consequences.
I experienced this creative flow-like energy I had never witnessed before. It resulted in the production of a healing song called ‘Sempervivum’in homage to my friend – fusing music, spoken word, video and art – which was the real catalyst for breaking through the noise to find my truth.
Tommaso Sguanci
There are several moments in which we get a hint of the Truth during our entire lifespan. However, in some specific moments you might see the Truth all together, as a whole. I have twice experienced huge revelations. The first time was when I came into contact with a spiritual community. I felt this inner desire to join them and become a monk. I made the decision very suddenly, in just three days. I was a monk for seven years and it changed my life forever.
The second time was just a month ago. I met a wonderful girl in Japan. We started dating but, differently from other dates, there was something special that I couldn’t really explain. Then suddenly, I felt the desire to marry her. The mere idea gave me so much excitement. So, after only one month of dating, I asked her to marry me and she said yes!
Maria Jesus Marin Lopez
By the age of thirty, I had had three major relationships – and they were just a disaster. I was heartbroken and I gave up.
One day, I found a bunch of journals that I used to write. I was shocked at what I read: in every single relationship, what I wrote was the same. I felt the same.
I realised that I had been blaming these men. They were making me feel this, that and the other, and I was ‘poor me’ – a victim. I was a good person. I realised that I already had the feelings in me of being controlled, being rejected, being put down.
These feelings had started many years ago in my relationship with my father, and in the relationship between my father and mother. So this was a big moment of TRUTH.
I decided to have one more relationship and to do everything that I could to make it work. So, with that intention in place, the Universe brought me someone new. Now, twelve years later, I’m in a healthy relationship with my husband and we have created a wonderful family.
Darragh Stewart PhD
Truth is the only way your soul wants to exist. If it isn’t in this authentic place, challenge after challenge will arise. Your spirit will grate up against life, wave after wave. We must speak our truth in every moment.
It can take great clarity and contemplation to find our own inner truth. If we don’t go inward, we might just be living another’s. We are at home when we embody our truths and accept others’ truths too.
What is true for you, may not be true for me. Many truths can co-exist with beauty. Co-creation of truth leads to a peaceful and harmonious existence.
Now more than ever, we must speak our truth with conviction and passion. It must come from a place of love, understanding and compassion. If not, the fear, aggression and depression of life will take over and leave us salvaging the bones of life for some sort of meaning.
Ellen Meade
Before, I could be described as painfully shy. In a group of four or more 1 people, I would be filled with dread, hoping that no one would ask me a question so I didn’t have to speak.
Underneath it all, I just wanted to be comfortable enough to have my voice heard, to partake, to be seen and not fade into the background. Alcohol became a great solution to my problem … until it became my problem.
Thankfully, the truth cut through the noise. I parted ways with alcohol. It wasn’t pretty in the beginning. I was pushed so far outside my comfort zone it hurt, but I knew there was no going back. Major change was called for. The only way out was through. Slowly but surely my confidence grew. My self-belief came back. No more shy girl, no more horrific hangovers and no more being someone I was not. The truth really will set you free.
