The theme of truth and truthtelling has been on my mind (and blog) for weeks. My students and I are reading the book Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death, by Joan Halifax. It is a beautifully written book by an extraordinary Buddhist teacher. I've had to take breathing breaks regularly as I've been reading it, because her writing goes directly to the heart of things without any sugarcoating or fluff. It is a book of brave truths about dying, compassion, and presence.
There is something about the brave truth that is both disarming and inspiring.
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
I've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
–Don Henley, lyrics from "The Heart of the Matter"