Satya (Truthfulness)
Satya is the Sanskrit word for truth and also the second ethical discipline of the Yamas, following Ahisma. in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
On a day to day level…
Ok, so we don’t go around lying all day but, a little white lie won’t hurt anyone, right? A white lie is a small, harmless lie told to avoid hurting the feelings of another. It can be as simple as not wanting to go to a friends house and you say that you are ill. In reality, you are listening to music and eating chips in your underwear on the couch! If you think about it, the little white lie has the potential to continue the next day when your friend calls you to ask if you are feeling better. Most of us begin feeling worse about lying again but ultimately convince ourselves that we lied to avoid hurting their feelings and in the end, it was for a good cause. But was it? Most of the time, those being lied to feel it and next time, they may begin to question it, which runs the risk of a severed friendship or a possible confrontation that will be awkward.
Being truthful in all aspects can be challenging at first. But when you start spreading that truth it’s like dealing a deck of cards to hundreds of people. “You get a truth! And you get a truth!” as you fling each card (truth) one by one into the air out of your energy field. Poof, you are free.
Conversely, I’m not saying to go tell everyone the truth via your opinion, especially without being asked. One important thing to remember is there is a fine line when you link Ahisma and Satya because you want the truth to prevail but without hurting someone at the same time. We just need to recognize the power of our own speech. Whether it be to others or ourselves, there is a time and a place along with a proper way to convey the truth, always.
On a personal level and relationships…
Satya goes deeper than simply not lying to others. To live your truth is also a way of not lying to yourself. Seeing the essence behind someone or a situation that isn’t reflected truthfully holds power. It liberates you from maintaining a vibration that isn’t serving you. For example, you may meet someone that seems to be hurting. Being a compassionate soul, you recognize the hurt and want to be there for them. If you are blind to the truth, you may not recognize that they are not only hurting, yes, but they are also playing the victim. The victim is an energy-sucking entity that prohibits you from holding your own vibration at the highest level, therefore leaving you empty and drained. If you are able to identify the truth, you will save yourself from this robbery!
There is an enormous freedom of being who we really are rather than hiding behind the mask of what we want others to believe we are or what we think they expect us to be. Once we live that truth, the freedom is unprecedented. It all starts with you. Look in the mirror and acknowledge the beautiful truths and the dark truths. Set the dark truths free and make more room for pure beautiful ones. Anxiety and heaviness will be lifted and you will begin to feel lighter.
On a yoga level…
When you are on your mat, there is nothing else but you, the mat, and the truth. How many times have you tried to practice a pose and pushed your body to do it because someone else can or because you think you should? Being honest with yourself at that moment is imperative not only to your soul but also to your physical body. When we are unwilling to accept the truth, an injury is caused.
A great way of observing truth in our practice is by noticing the breath. If your breath is shallow or pinched during your practice, it’s the bodies way of telling you to back down. This is also a great example of how Ahisma and Satya are linked. If you acknowledge the truth in your breath and practice, you will save your body from physical harm. Undeniably, noticing your breath translates into our day to day life.
Satya, as well as all the other Yamas, take practice and consciousness. Allow time to acknowledge the changes felt when truth prevails. Once Satya becomes part of your daily life, you can simply move along to the next part of the Yamas: Asteya, non-stealing. More to come… 🙂