Positively Real
Spirituality and positivity are not synonymous. Spirituality and reality are.
I have encountered some people who are on a journey of awakening and have saddled themselves with the responsibility of trying to always remain positive. Being calm, enlightened and positive are common traits of someone who is awakening spiritually. However, sometimes the darkness of negativity in this world must be pointed out and contrasted with the light of love. Trying to remain positive at all times is at best, naive and at worst, denial. Shedding light on the darkness is keeping it real.
Let’s face it, there are a lot of negative people in this world. They tend to hide their dark actions beneath words that seem positive on the surface. A true seeker of light will recognize the hypocrisy and have a desire to illuminate the darkness. Perhaps this concept is best expressed with a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”
Dr. King was the king of keeping it real. While his words were generally positive, he often used those words to shed light on the darkness in society. I believe Dr. king was a highly spiritual being, who demonstrated that being conscious and aware are a necessary part of living a positive, spiritual lifestyle.
Positivity and negativity both contribute to authenticity. I therefore submit that to achieve the highest state of awakening, one should strive not to be exclusively positive but to be compassionate and positively real.
