When we believe in lies, we cannot see the truth, so we make

"When we believe in lies, we cannot see the truth, so we make thousands of assumptions and we take them as truth. One of the biggest assumptions we make is that the lies we believe are the truth!" These words from Don Miguel Ruiz speak to the profound distortion of our perception that comes when we allow ourselves to be swayed by falsehoods. The human mind, in its search for certainty, often accepts lies as truths, building entire worldviews upon them. These assumptions—rooted in ignorance or deception—become the very lenses through which we see the world. What Ruiz reveals is not merely an observation of the human condition, but a call to awaken to the reality that truth cannot be perceived while we are blinded by the lies we choose to believe.

The ancient philosophers, from Plato to Socrates, recognized the perils of being led astray by the illusions of the world. Plato, in his allegory of the cave, illustrated how people can be imprisoned by their own perceptions, mistaking shadows on the wall for truth. In this allegory, prisoners are shackled and can only see the reflections of objects passing behind them. These distorted shadows become their truth, as they have never seen the world as it truly is. Similarly, Ruiz points to the self-imposed prisons we create when we believe in lies, thinking them to be the reality. The lies we cling to, whether personal, societal, or cultural, shape our understanding of the world, and unless we break free from these chains, we remain in the darkness, unable to see the light of truth.

Consider the story of Galileo Galilei, who faced great resistance for his revolutionary discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun. The prevailing belief of his time was the geocentric model, where the Earth was believed to be the center of the universe. This lie, deeply rooted in religious and scientific thought, blinded people to the truth. Galileo’s observations and discoveries were dismissed as falsehoods by the authorities, yet, despite the overwhelming evidence he provided, the world continued to believe in a lie for centuries. Galileo’s fight for the truth is a powerful example of how easy it is to believe in lies and to assume that these lies are the truth. His courage in challenging these false assumptions was not just a battle for scientific progress, but a battle for clarity—for a deeper understanding of reality itself.

Similarly, in the political realm, the history of war provides countless examples of how nations often believe in and propagate lies to justify their actions. World War I was built on a web of deceit, from the assumptions about alliances to the distorted ideas of national superiority. Leaders believed in lies that they told themselves and their people, assuming that victory would come with their truths. But the horrific realities of the war shattered these assumptions, revealing the truth that war brings only suffering and destruction. The falsehoods that led nations to conflict became the very chains that bound them to unnecessary suffering. Here too, truth was obscured by beliefs in lies, and it took great loss and suffering to finally see the truth behind the deceit.

Ruiz’s wisdom teaches us that our lives are often shaped by the lies we believe about ourselves, others, and the world. The assumptions we make based on these lies cloud our judgment and prevent us from living in alignment with truth. We make assumptions about our worth, our capabilities, and our limitations—many of which are rooted in the false stories we have been told, or those we have told ourselves. We often believe that we are not worthy of love, success, or happiness, all because we have internalized lies and accepted them as truth. But the truth is that we are capable of greatness, and the stories we tell ourselves can be rewritten. The journey toward self-awareness and truth is not about acquiring knowledge, but about unlearning the lies that limit us.

The lesson we can take from Ruiz’s statement is that we must actively question the beliefs and assumptions that shape our understanding of the world. To truly see the truth, we must be willing to confront the lies that we hold to be self-evident. This is not an easy task, as it requires us to face the uncomfortable and sometimes painful truths about ourselves and the world around us. But in doing so, we open the door to personal freedom and growth. Truth can only emerge when we are willing to look beyond the surface of things, to recognize the falsehoods that have shaped our perception, and to seek the deeper truths that lie beneath them.

In our daily lives, we can take practical steps to begin this journey of uncovering the truth. We must question the narratives that we have accepted without thought, whether they are personal beliefs or societal norms. We must examine the assumptions that guide our actions, asking whether they are based on truth or on falsehood. We must be brave enough to confront the lies that hold us back, and in doing so, create space for the truth to reveal itself. Ruiz calls us to break free from the prison of falsehoods and embrace the liberating power of truth—for it is only through understanding what is false that we can finally see what is true.

Let us remember, then, that the path to truth is not just about acquiring knowledge, but about shedding the lies that obscure our vision. Just as Galileo shattered the false assumptions of his time, or Socrates questioned the accepted norms, so too must we strive to break free from the chains of falsehoods that bind us. The truth is waiting to be discovered, but we must first be willing to confront the lies we believe and to challenge the assumptions we hold as truth. In doing so, we will find clarity, freedom, and a deeper understanding of the world and our place in it.