This month I’ve just started sharing the spiritual truth of authenticity with the children of Nithyananda Weekend Gurukul program which I teach every Sunday from 2-4.30 pm. I am beginning to see the power of this tattva (spiritual truth) when we drill our mind with this ONE tattva. Just last weekend, there was one exercise where the kids were asked to make a list of things they felt they were forced to do or things they found it difficult to do. When each child shared their list, every inauthenticity simply melted down in front of the fire of authenticity, the kids were able to cognise their inauthenticity at their conscious level such that alignment happened effortlessly. It was so beautiful and fulfilling just to hear the parents’ sharing of their child’s transformation from not doing homework, dreading to go to school, spending too much time on video games or TV, throwing tantrums to even procrastination.
So what exactly is authenticity?
According to a living incarnation, Paramahamsa Nithyananda (fondly known as Swamiji), authenticity means establishing yourself as you are without the need to look good or how you are perceived. Shradha Vivacha is the Sanskrit word for authenticity.
Authenticity has 3 layers • How you believe as yourself for yourself i.e. inner image (mamakara) • How you project yourself to others as yourself i.e. outer image (ahankara) • How others may perceive you which may be different what you project i.e. others’ image (annyakara).
In another words, authenticity means stretching yourself to your peak capacity without fear and without giving up on you. Only when you stretch, you will be able to liberate yourself from the identity that you are carrying about you. You can liberate yourself from your inner image only when you fulfil others’ image of you. Life moves only when we are authentic in expressing our maximum capacity as per our understanding and others’ understanding of our peak capacity. When we don’t take responsibility of others’ image of us, that’s how life brings suffering to us. The moment we take responsibility for the 3 images, we will feel empowered. The inner space becomes so integrated with authenticity. Authenticity is a great spiritual strength which not only solves many problems we face in life, it also leads us to greater expansion in life.
He also declared that it is authenticity that is going to take humanity to the next level and his role as a living master, is to push humanity to the next level through authenticity. He gave an analogy – if all his teachings are lost in a tsunami or calamity, just this one truth – Authenticity, is kept alive, this one teaching is enough for him to produce millions of enlightened beings! Authenticity is intelligent and brilliant enough to give enlightenment to millions! That is the power!
Another expression of authenticity is having the innocence to stay with the simple truth till the end. Most people think innocence is ignorance. NO! Innocence is not ignorance because ignorance means learning to manipulate the truth as per your vested interests. The ability to stay with the truth and establish oneself in the truth – that is the real thing which needs to be achieved.
In Vedic Puranas of Kato Upanishad, there is one great child prodigy named Nachiketa who is the perfect embodiment of simple authenticity and ferocious innocence which is the innocence which is not ready to compromise and become ignorant. Innocence, whenever it is ready to get bullied for vested interests, becomes ignorance. If innocence stands on its strength, it becomes authenticity. Nachiketa was able to face the inauthenticity of his father, Vajashravas. His father, out of his greed, was doing the mistake of not being responsible as a king in doing charity, instead of giving something that is useful or good, he was throwing unnecessary things in the name of charity. Nachiketa posssessed by authenticity, didn’t keep quiet and went to question his father with his ferocious innocence in a non-violent manner. His father, agitated by his son’s authenticity, his first response to authenticity is non-listening. He shut Nachiketa down with his anger and gave him away to Lord Yama, God of death. The Kato Upanishad is the most thorough scripture on the subject on death and the authenticity of the revered hero, Nachiketa!
The next important truth about authenticity is you develop the Power of Thinking when you start living it. The Power of Thinking can make or break your life itself because your logic can play any side. It is like a fire, you can either use it or it can even destroy you. The way you think is a power for you and people around you and everything comes to you when you are authentic. But if you don’t know the right way of thinking and how to harness the Power of Thinking, even if everything comes, you will lose it very quickly. Aligning your thinking to the three images above in its peak possibility is Power of Thinking.
I was reminded of the deeper insight of Authenticity from the Akashic Records, channelled by Swamiji:
“The mind which takes over as an agent to live through your body and mind and consciousness, the mind which comes inside as a security guard or posing himself as an efficient servant, slowly puts you in unconsciousness and takes over charge of your life. The mind which takes charge of your life, constantly gives you the experiences to make you believe it is required to be part of your life if your life has to go smooth. “Authenticity” is understanding that mind is not needed as in-charge of your life for your life to run smoothly.
Allowing the mind to do its allocated job for which he came inside, not letting him to take charge of your whole life is “Authenticity”. The inner identity which you carry does not exist when you have or when you realize you don’t have. The outer identity you have exists as long as others think you have. The Anyakaara of others towards you exists as long as others have their inner identity. And aligning your life within all these three with the clarity and the truth and responsibility for all these three is “Authenticity”.
Authenticity lives and leads your life to pure consciousness. The more and more you become authentic, the more and more your presence becomes intense. An authentic being does not need to use the word to enrich others, influence others. His presence is so powerful, that itself enriches everyone.”
Catch it!
In December 2012 Inner Awakening which I attended with Swamiji, I had a profound realisation that my inauthenticity is the ONE thing which made me miss the Master and my ultimate flowering for many births. This time I will not allow it to happen again! I can say that the process of becoming authentic is nothing short of incredible. You have to live it to know its power! When more human beings become authentic, simply a lot of the sufferings we see today will just disappear and in its place, only celebration of truth and bliss. Namaste 😀