Truthful Speech

The fourth Grave Precept, “Do not speak dishonestly—communicate truthfully,” is endlessly subtle. Often, we get drawn into small untruths and social niceties as a way of fitting into a group. Conversely, we sometimes insist on aggressively “speaking my truth” regardless of its effect on others. Can we be truthful, even with ourselves? Can we cultivate deep listening and loving speech in service of our interconnectedness?