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Took a picture of the truth and tried to develop it.
Had proof, it was only recognized by the intelligent.
- Common
Let's say for a minute that Common could take a picture of the truth. What would it look like? He's talking about THE Truth not A truth.
Many people claim to possess or know the truth but how do we know that we know? Common even says he "tries to develop it", not that he was successful doing so. Truth is one of those things that I think is recognized on an individual basis. When we share our truths with each other the only real validity test is if we all engaged in the same process (the development of the picture) and came up with the same answer and even then the truth may still be recognized differently based on our individual conditioning and circumstances.
For me the power of Common's verse is his attempt at developing his truth picture because it is only in the dark room of our minds and bodies that we can truly experience what is most real about us, each other and our world. We can also use our everyday experiences with our families, friends and coworkers as the petri dish for our truth experiments. Is it true that people are fundamentally evil and selfish? Is it true that some people are better than others? Is it true that people don't change? When we run our truth test on a daily basis we collect evidence to support or deny our claims. But how do we develop a greater understanding of what is true or not true? One could look at the sky and say that the sky is blue, that is until dusk and then the sky is orange, yellow, pink, purple and then in the absence of sunlight is black. Is the sky then blue? I remember learning that the sky is azure, a shade of blue. I question if I even know what the sky is. The key is looking, and looking again and again. Maybe we never stop looking. Any short sighted, half ass attempt at self or other discovery is closer to ignorance or to the truth.
I wonder how Common knew he found what was true? He says he had proof. Often times truths are temporary arisings that hold space in our lives for a little while, only to be replaced when our experience provides us with a different outlook. So I come back to what would a picture of the truth look like? Would it be more worthwhile to take a picture of the development process? I wonder if that's why according to Common the truth was only recognized by the intelligent. That for someone to see the truth one would have to go through the process of breaking down the truth for themselves, develop the picture and then through using their own natural intelligence, see the truth. It is quite possible that our intelligence may inform us that our intelligence is not enough. True intelligence may be in letting go of trying to develop hard truths that do not contain other truths.
I encourage all of us to sit still today, watch your mind, body and environment wordlessly. Just watch and see what your felt experience is like. When I don't judge or label my thoughts and feelings what is the result? How do they exist? When I don't label others what is the result? When i've applied all the labels I can to an object and instead of a single thing, the object has become a hundred things, is it still that object? Allow your raw intelligence to contact your world and see what picture it develops.
Hiphop Alive
Justin F. Miles is a the founder of Hiphop Alive and pioneering practitioner, theorist and educator at the intersection of Hiphop culture, mindfulness and contemplative studies. He is the leading voice championing the use of Hiphop infused contemplative modalities to foster resilience, emotional intelligence, and community empowerment.