The word 'authentic' means 'based on truth, genuine, true to its origin.' When we talk about authenticity, I think the most beautiful explanation is this state of being 'true to its essence, to its core.'
What do we find authentic? Isn't it the one that reflects its own essence, its true self?
Authenticity is defined as "the individual's unhindered realization of their true self.” I would add this definition:
Authenticity is the individual’s commitment to their essence.
So how do we become authentic?
When we are aware of our true self,
When we can be honest with ourselves,
When we are able to act in accordance with our values and truth and present ourselves from this place,
When we live our own life, not someone else’s,
And when we learn to listen to our inner authority.
Instead of learning to listen to our body, mind, and spirit, we might have learned to trust an external authority to tell us how to live, what to do, and how to appear. These learnings may be deeply embedded in our being. What we can do is to let go of dependence on external authorities and discover our inner authority. Allow ourselves to be the authority of our own being.
Revealing our authentic self primarily requires a process of working with ourselves in an awake manner.
And it aligns with what all valuable teachings suggest:
To know oneself.
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