The Sacred Difference Between Reaction and Inner Knowing
The word "truth" has been coming up for me a lot lately. I keep hearing my truth, your truth, speaking truth, or living truth, so naturally, I became curious.
It comes from the Old English word trēowþ, which means loyalty, faithfulness, or a pledge. These words trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root, deru, which signifies firmness, solidness, and stability. Originally, it was about how steadfast someone was, and later, the concept of factual accuracy and correctness developed.
The context I want to apply it to, since I’m writing about connecting to our true selves, is authenticity or honest recognition of what is real inside us.
So, aside from factual truths like “this happened” or “that didn’t happen,” I see authenticity as the deeper truth of our inner life: what we feel, what we know, what we value, what we need, what we can no longer pretend, and what we are finally willing to admit to ourselves.
What it asks us to do is examine what is true for us beneath the roles, expectations, fears, conditioning, and need to be accepted. Why this matters is that authenticity can't exist without truth. We can’t live as our real selves while denying what we know inside.
We might be caring, responsible, successful people, but if we're constantly editing ourselves to stay safe, pleasing others to avoid rejection, or pretending everything is fine when it isn't, we're living from a place of protection instead of truth.
When we talk about living our truth, we're really referring to reconnecting with what feels stable and trustworthy inside us. It means no longer bending ourselves excessively to meet expectations, which causes us to lose touch with our inner knowing.
So even though one philosophical theory states that truth is what aligns with reality, in the human, personal, and spiritual context, truth also means alignment. It’s where our words, choices, values, body, and inner knowing begin to match.
We toss the word around so casually, acting as if every feeling, reaction, or opinion is the same. But I believe that truth demands more from us than that. It’s not about what I prefer or what protects me. It’s not the story I tell myself to feel comfortable or safe. It’s what remains when I am willing to sit still long enough with myself to recognize what is real beneath the fear, the armor I’ve built, and the need to be accepted.
I see this as profoundly sacred work. Why? Because in the process of becoming authentic, it’s not just about going through the motions. It’s something we are called to remember: who we have always been.
Cathy J. Yuhas, International Bestselling Author/ RN /Death Doula
Walking Each Other Home: Guiding Caregivers and Community Through the Sacred Passage of Death
Amazon: https://a.co/d/0bdiAvx5
Coming September 9! Life Beneath the Layers: The Courage to Meet Yourself
Amazon: https://a.co/d/0a5zHaG9
