Who Are You?

Jade's Venetian View Painting, by me 2008

In an effort to figure out how I survived this life, (odds stacked against me) I write, in search of keys. Today's key is about being authentic. This key unlocks easily when we practice honesty. If you are true to yourself, you are practicing being authentic. Honesty is most difficult  with ourselves;as many things are just easier to tolerate than face. To walk in honesty is far from easy, equally painful as it is profound.When we begin experiencing our authentic self we become liberated. Liberated of the many split selves, selves on a shelf or selves in a box. These are just a facade like a multiple personality we use it to get by; conservative, clown, professional, democrat, Christian. Until we begin to pay true attention to ourselves, intent to know and release the creation called you~   no time to remain a clone. Who we think we are is usually wrong. Born out of various ideas we have adopted, or adapted to. Now it is time to begin on a course to finding who you really are, right now!  We tend to misinterpret "who we are" for the "what we are."  Two small words based around the same principals conditional to life. We confuse who we are,it is not what we own, or our station nor  status. In reality this could not be further from the truth.What we are is always changing, shifting, growing and just when you begin to think you understand it BLAMMO! God, nature, or both smack you upside the head; stunned, awake and  more aware  you will never learn everything stop acting like it . If you are a Catholic, is it because it exalts  your very heart and soul? Do you feel humbled by  gratitude,graced by faith so lucky to perceive its truth and beauty or because you where baptized at birth? Do you study your faith passionately, or is it just a motion-like routine? Knowledge of oneself empowers us with new tools for opportunities at freedom of choice. An example is  how females & males are brought up, Women are to be polite and to respond in an appropriate manner,while  men are taught to be brave strong and never cry. Play the field ect. These ways can be deceptive. In reality we only hold ourselves back by continuing to behave in contrived ways, long outgrown. We are raised to be polite, to respond in appropriate ways, ways which are  deceptive. In reality we  hold ourselves back  in behaving  only in  contrived ways. To be authentic is to begin to know yourself. If you feel angry to be authentic would require that you  be honest to yourself and others.Perhaps you worry that your parents won't like if if you are angry, friends may even find your problems cumbersome; not wanting to hear anything "negative." These thoughts are not unusual, but they do not serve a higher purpose. It is one thing to bitch  regularly; that gets old.It is another thing to speak your truth and use your voice, you are allowed to speak up and be heard.A true relationship requires true intimacy; in such intimacy we can trust and be trusted, unconditional of exception. We know we will always be accepted & loved, not abandoned.  Be true to your emotions and  qualify them. Once we let it flow freely (our feelings) we then need to release our inner turmoil by learning to let go of the mind.