Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.
Leo Tolstoy
Contrary to what certain scriptures or books may lead us to believe, we aren’t born ignorant. We are already as enlightened as we could be. All that needs to be done is get rid of everything that keeps us from realizing that true potential of ours.
This obviously doesn’t mean that there is no such thing as growth or an upward curve. We do need to set goals and work hard to achieve them. Life would be rather pointless with nothing to aim for. However, figuring ourselves out is just as important as working our way up in life. After all, what use are all the treasures in the world if one is yet to come face-to-face with their true self?
Right from the time we are born, our psyche is crowded by a myriad of layers, ranging from religious or political dogma, a limited world view, a set of acceptable and unacceptable behavioral expectations, and a rigid sense of the right and wrong. While some of these layers may actually be helpful, in most cases they do more harm than good. By programming our brains to perceive everything as either black or white, we keep getting farther from what we truly are.
It takes a really objective outlook to unravel these layers and rediscover our enlightened self. It is by no means an easy task, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Meditation may be one of the ways to get there; being conscious of ourselves is another. Regardless of the path we choose, the journey is totally worth it.
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, more commonly known as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian author. Regarded as one of the greatest writers in history, Tolstoy once said: “Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.”