In his poem from Paracelsus, Robert Browning says in no uncertain terms that pure Truth and pure beauty lie within us.  It is not something we acquire or could even lack for.  It’s inherent in our very being.

“Truth is within ourselves; it takes no rise
From outward things, whate’er you may believe.
There is an inmost center in us all,
Where truth abides in fullness; and around,
Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in,
This perfect, clear perception which is truth.
A baffling and perverting carnal mesh
Binds it, and makes all error: and to KNOW,
Rather consists of opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendor may escape,
Than in effecting entry for a light
Supposed to be without.”

He also makes it clear that our physical human self does a good job of obscuring this truth and we must find a way to open up an avenue through which it can express.  We must find an opening for this truth so that we may have an expanded experience of life.

What is this “truth” Browning is talking about?  Who’s truth?  Universal truth?  We can all take something different from this poem, and please share your thoughts on this by commenting on this blog. 

For me, the truth he’s mentioning here is another word for the Divine…or the awareness of our divinity with all the divine qualities present in their fullness.  The synonyms he uses such as “light” “perfect, pure” and “splendor” are keys for my interpretation.     

So assuming this is correct, how do we open out a way whence this imprisoned splendor may escape, and realize our divinity?  He doesn’t give us a clue for that.  I think the method is different for each of us, but there are common techniques that have worked for so many of us.

Number one is meditation.   Meditation creates an opening within us with which to experience a part of ourselves that is not perceived by our five senses, or analyzed by our rational thinking.   In fact, when we close off our five senses and transcend this “baffling and perverting carnal mesh” for a time, we are, in effect, welcoming the invisible, the unformed, the spiritual. 

Another way to “open out a way” (and this should come as no surprise to readers of this blog) is by practicing proactive gratitude.  When we focus our attention on the good, the beautiful, the abundant, and the blessings in our lives, we place ourselves in alignment with truth.  We (perhaps unconsciously) unify with the good all around us and it resonates with that place within us where the divine resides.

Both of these methods awaken that “imprisoned splendor” within us.  Then, by shining this light into our world and sharing our love, we effectively release the divine into our lives and into our world.