Hello,

Today, I want to spend a few moments exploring what it means to be "authentic."

First, it is important that you be authentic to your "True Self," the highest & deepest sense of your identity. I believe that is a divine identity, or God AS you.

This concept is based upon a definition of God, or Spirit, as an Infinite Intelligence that is inclusive of and also beyond all physical reality. In other words, God is both Creator and Creation. God is not a separate being with a personality, but the Intelligence in back of the Universe (not unlike The Force described in Star Wars). That portion of the Intelligence of God that is the energy of the Universe is, essentially, our playground and through it we have everything we need to survive and thrive.

This is the Perennial Philosophy (described by Aldous Huxley in the book of that name in 1948), which forms the basis for many of the world's great religions, including the American New Thought Movement, which includes Religious Science, Divine Science, and Unity, among others. This is my faith tradition.

Second, you must do the internal work necessary to discover that level of identity. This is normally accomplished through what are called Spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, contemplation, spiritual education, etc.

Third, once you have discovered your deepest identity, you must then decide to live from that identity all the time, and do whatever is necessary to follow though on that decision. This would involve more spiritual practices, and clear ACTION that is consistent with your authentic self.

This whole process is essentially what Joseph Campbell describes in his concept of The Hero's Journey. He spoke about "following your bliss," which is the combination of the discovery of your authentic self and then the choice to live from that center.

Living from your true authentic self means that you are the same person at home, at work, with friends and strangers. You do not feel the need to project some image that, deep inside, you know is not who you are. With the realization and actualization of the true authentic self, you develop a strongly positive self-concept, and you easily relate to others and are never threatened by any differences between others and yourself.

Ernest Holmes, in THE SCIENCE OF MIND, also wrote about the discovery of the authentic self, what he called the "imprisoned splendor" of the true self. He taught the use of affirmative thinking and prayer as the primary means to achieve the realization. Rather than looking to a power outside the self for "salvation," Holmes looked to the Power Within for the transformation that is brought about by true self-realization.

Do you see the value of finding and living from your Authentic Self?

What do you think?

Love and Light,
RevLockard