In the spring of 2024, I was reading Mahatma Gandhi’s The Story of My Experiments with Truth. As he neared the last chapters of his life to write upon, he wrote that there was nothing to share. It was all already known by the public. For the last 13 years, every action he had taken, every thought he had, was in public view. This embodiment of truth, transparency and integrity struck me deep into my heart. Gandhi’s Truth Experiments have been with me for over a decade and every time I return to him, I am inspired and motivated to embody truth to the utmost of my capabilities.

In the summer of 2024, I set out on a walk from Canada to Los Angeles, with inner truth being the central focus of this walk. As one means to enter into the depth of truth, I committed to sharing everything inside of me that I had been holding as secret. Anything I was guarding or hiding. Everything that I was embarrassed or held any shame over. I committed to shedding what no longer serves me.

One of my tools for sharing my truth was a series of nine videos that I published on YouTube. These are all viewable below for anyone who would like to have access to this information and embark on this journey with me. I’ve also published transcripts of each video.

As of January 2025, I am without a single secret. I am holding nothing from you. I exist in a state of utter transparency. There is still much work to do on this journey of integrity, but the chapter of withholding the truth has closed.

In January 2025, I made my 2024-2028 vows, which I take every four years. As part of these vows, I have committed to existing in a state of complete transparency. I will not tell a lie. I will only tell the truth. There is nothing that I will hide or guard. I will have nothing in my mind that is not accessible. My mind is Creative Commons and it will remain this way for at least the next four years. I am wading into the waters to see if I can make a lifetime commitment to this level of transparency and truth.

Some would ask why this level of truth is necessary. Some would see it as a sort of self-inflicted suffering or burden. I understand this perspective. Our perspective of truth is shaped by what we’ve experienced in our society and we are not a society founded upon truth. (Think slavery of Africans, genocide of indigenous people, women being considered less than, systems of mass exploitation and destruction.) To put it simply, this level of truth I’m pursuing is not necessary, but certainly we need far more truth than we have now to create a humanity in harmony. My pursuit of truth is not out of duty or obligation or “should.” It is not rooted in guilt or shame. It is not about what is right or wrong, nor is it about what is good or bad.

The pinnacle of my drive is for truth and integrity. Not outside of me, but inside of me. I am operating from a place of bounding joy and contentment to practice this level of truth. Self-observation and deeply authentic and genuine sharing are inherent to my personal journey of truth.

For me, truth is a foundation for building a life of integrity. Truth is at the heart of inner peace. Truth is the way to living in full authenticity and being a genuine human. Truth is essential to our healing – as individuals, with those close to us, as a humanity and in our relationships with Earth and all life upon this home.

I have come into a place of deep truth, because I believe this inner state will aid in me being the most effective and impactful member of society in service that I can be. In this space you will find no judgment of you (unless you create it inside of yourself). You will find no analysis of what is wrong/right or good/bad with the world. You will find no shame, blame or guilt placed upon you. This state of truth helps me to be a safe and comfortable space for others to explore and expand their inner selves.

I believe in the power of transparency and honesty. I believe in this for all humans, and I especially believe in the power of these traits for our leaders. We so deeply need leaders who are operating from deep integrity, with truth and transparency at their core. My example is designed to inspire other leaders and to give an example that can be used by others to hold our leaders accountable in their positions of service.

I am no longer attached to being anything except myself. Not what others want me to be, not what others who I respect are, just me, as I am. And so the truth flows out of me in a natural state.

I have come to love myself just the way I am. I do. I take full responsibility for who I am. And I want to be here to support others in loving and accepting themselves, and growing together.

Without this inner work together, I don’t see us ever creating harmonious relationships with our next door neighbors, our global neighbors, our Earth or the plants and animals we share this Earth with. I do not see us solving the great societal and environmental struggles of our time.

I am breaking down all the barriers of separation. I think that having nothing to protect, nothing to guard, will deepen my connection with others; will deepen my universal love; will dissolve the illusion of separateness, meld me into an interconnectedness with all; and bring me into a higher state of alignment and flow.

A Public Journey

Yes, this is a journey and a practice for me. Gandhi shows that our deeply intimate personal journeys can also be a public journey. So I am following in this experiment, putting my faith in him and the many leaders who lead in this manner.

This is a public journey, inviting you to explore the mind — mine and your own.

As I dissect my mind to the deepest extent possible, I welcome you to dissect your own minds as well. As I practice self-observation, I welcome you to practice self-observation. I have observed that when we go to the depths of our mind, that others follow suit. So this is what I am doing.

An Island of Truth

I am practicing truth in a manner of depth that purifies my being and allows me to walk among society in a way that truth and integrity are what becomes around me. My deepest aspiration is to be able to simply exist — to walk, to sit, to speak, to be — in a manner where my presence is my message. Where my energy soaks into those around me.

When I observe Thich Nhat Hanh, I become Thich Nhat Hanh. When I watch violence on TV, I become violence inside. To a large extent, we become our surroundings. I will be an island of truth, and I welcome all to my island.

On the Holes to Wholeness …

Every hole in me that can be poked, I have already poked. I am that hole.

And by embracing all of those holes, I have become more whole.

Certainly holes will be found in the future. Some of them, I will be able to say “Yes, exactly that is a hole. There it is and here I am. Write me off as a human, or see that I am simply a human.”

Some will find holes in me that I am yet unaware of. If they are brought to me, I can say, “Let us sit down together and dissect that hole. Let’s get to the bottom of it. Let’s understand it.”

This is how together, we become whole. Full wholeness is enlightenment.

I Release All Control…

Anything I’ve ever said — recorded, in passing moment or with requested privacy … anything I’ve ever done — in public or with intimacy …
anything I have ever written — published today or deleted:

I release all control. I release all ownership.

By that I mean, for anyone who has been involved in my words and actions:

You have my full consent to share, discuss or do nothing, just as you desire.

I will not stand in your way.

To Integrity and Beyond …

In the future, I hope this practice of release will serve as a tool in my integrity.

When untruths are spoken of my words or deeds, I will say so. When truths of my words or deeds are spoken, even if not to my liking, I will confirm them to be true. If I do not have authority to call something a truth or untruth due to my lack of recollection, I will simply say so. With integrity in mind and heart, I will share clarification where it is pertinent and relevant.

This is what I seek in our leadership and this is my formula for my decades ahead.