What is Truth? Can We Ever Really Know It?
Maya—the great illusion—shapes the way we see reality, but if illusion exists, then what about truth? Can we ever truly know it? Or are we just grasping at shifting perceptions, conditioned beliefs, and fleeting glimpses of something beyond our comprehension?
Truth is one of the most elusive and debated concepts in human history. Philosophers, mystics, and scientists alike have dedicated lifetimes to defining it, yet it remains slippery—always just beyond absolute certainty. In a world where deception is woven into the very fabric of existence, the question isn’t just what is truth, but how do we discern it?
Absolute Truth vs. Relative Truth
Truth exists on different levels, and understanding the distinction between absolute and relative truth is key to navigating this reality.
🔹 Absolute Truth: Unchanging, eternal, and independent of human perception. It exists beyond belief systems, beyond time, beyond the constructs of the mind. Some call it Source, Consciousness, or Divine Awareness. Absolute truth is not something we construct—it simply is. It transcends all perspectives and does not shift based on personal experiences or societal conditioning. It is the fundamental reality behind the illusion, often described as pure awareness or the interconnected essence of all existence.
However, what one person believes to be absolute truth may differ from another's perception of it. Many people claim to hold absolute truth, yet their perspectives often conflict. This is where the paradox arises: while absolute truth exists, human perception of it is inherently limited. Each individual's understanding is filtered through their conditioning, beliefs, and level of consciousness. As a result, what one considers an ultimate truth, another may dismiss as illusion or misunderstanding.
Some examples of how different perspectives interpret absolute truth:
A materialist scientist may argue that absolute truth is only what can be measured, observed, and empirically verified.
A mystic might say absolute truth transcends the physical world and can only be known through direct experience beyond the mind.
A religious devotee may claim absolute truth is contained in sacred texts or divine revelation.
A philosopher may debate whether absolute truth can exist at all or if all truth is, in some way, relative to perception.
A quantum physicist might assert that even reality itself is dependent on the observer, challenging conventional ideas of fixed truth.
🔹 Relative Truth: The ever-shifting, perception-based version of truth shaped by our experiences, emotions, and cultural conditioning. This is the truth most people interact with daily—it’s subjective, fluid, and deeply personal. Relative truth can vary from one person to another, influenced by upbringing, environment, and personal bias. What is “true” for one individual may not hold the same weight for another.
Most of us live in relative truth, mistaking it for the absolute. But here’s the trap: if all we know is shaped by perception, conditioning, and personal experience, then how do we ever find what’s real?
The Role of Perception: Can We Ever See Clearly?
Our understanding of truth is filtered through layers of programming—from childhood conditioning to media narratives to societal expectations. If you've ever had a moment where something you believed to be true was later proven false, you’ve experienced this firsthand.
💡 Think about it: What were you taught as a child that you later realized wasn’t true?
That success looks a certain way?
That authority figures always tell the truth?
That history happened exactly as written?
Our minds are wired to create meaning from the information we take in, but that meaning isn’t necessarily truth—it’s just our current understanding of reality. The mind is a storyteller, and those stories shape our perception of what’s real. But perception can be hacked, manipulated, and shaped by forces beyond our awareness.
Maya and the Illusion of Truth
The very nature of Maya—the illusion—means that truth, as we understand it, is often a mirage. If you’ve ever felt like something wasn’t quite right in the world, like there was more going on beneath the surface, you were glimpsing beyond the illusion.
Many spiritual traditions teach that truth isn’t something we “figure out” with the mind—it’s something we experience directly. It’s not in a book, a lecture, or a philosophy—it’s in the stillness beyond thought, the deep knowing that arises when the mind quiets and the illusion begins to dissolve.
This is why truth-seeking is often a path of unlearning rather than acquiring knowledge. It’s about stripping away conditioning, questioning narratives, and ultimately recognizing that reality is not what we were led to believe.
How Do We Discern Truth in a World of Illusion?
If the world is full of deception and shifting realities, how do we begin to align with something real?
🔹 1. Cultivate Awareness – Start by questioning everything. The moment you assume something is absolute, challenge it. Truth withstands questioning—illusion does not.
🔹 2. Observe Your Reactions – If a truth makes you uncomfortable, ask why. Is it because it’s false, or because it threatens a belief you’ve held onto?
🔹 3. Connect to Direct Experience – Move beyond theories and beliefs. Meditate. Sit in silence. Feel truth in your body, not just in your mind.
🔹 4. Watch for Cognitive Dissonance – When two conflicting “truths” exist within you, one is likely an illusion. Which one serves expansion? Which one is rooted in fear or control?
🔹 5. Seek Inner Stillness – The deeper you go into stillness, the more truth reveals itself—not as an idea, but as direct knowing.
The Truth Beyond Words
At its core, truth is not something we can confine to language. Words are symbols, and symbols point to something beyond themselves. The moment we define truth, we limit it.
But we can feel it. We can align with it. We can let it strip away the layers of illusion until all that remains is clarity.
So, can we ever really know truth? Maybe not in the way we expect. But we can move toward it, surrender to it, and experience it when the illusion begins to crack.
And once you see beyond the illusion, you can never unsee it.
🔗 Explore More at The Maya Files
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