Satya, translating to truthfulness or actively becoming the truth of the universe, not only means speaking the truth (nonviolently as in ahimsa), but more importantly means living your truth. Be authentic.
Finding your truth means stripping away all the lies and
judgments you tell yourself and replacing them with your needs, desires and
observances. Are you becoming the person
you want to become? From The Yamas
and Niyamas:
“Living the life that cries to be lived from the depth of our being
frees up a lot of energy and vitality.”
Strip yourself naked to become more alive and only cover
yourself up with the truth of you. Seek
to find your truth and when you find it, live in it kindly. When satya is practiced with ahimsa, the rest
of the yamas and niyamas become much easier.
If our thoughts, words and/or deeds are harmful, we are not practicing
yoga, even if those thoughts, words and/or deeds are true. When our thoughts, words and actions align,
our intentions are more likely to come true.
If not aligned, they carry much less power. The truth liberates!
You may think negatively and make judgments about your job,
status, appearance, etc. This negative
thinking is harmful and not in harmony with ahimsa. Notice and make a habit of turning judgments into
observances. I may think, “I am fat,” but
I could easily switch this to an observance like, “I am not comfortable at this
weight.” Following that up, I might
think, “I need to lose weight,” but to align my observances with my desires, I
need to create an action on which to follow, like, “I will start being more
active and making healthier eating choices.”
Notice the judgments you make regarding all things and
persons. Make a habit of turning them
into observances. Judgment vs.
Observation: Instead of "This room
is a mess," use, "This room does not meet my 'need' for order."
The first sentence is a judgment; the second one is an observation. Judging others and/or ourselves puts us in a
box and labels us bad. Instead say, “I am
having trouble with this right now,” or, “I can’t do it yet.”
What are some lies you have told yourself? Why?
What did you protect by telling this lie? Was it necessary? What would you risk by telling the truth?
Practice satya when communicating with others and
communicate only what you believe to be true.
Do so in a way that is non-harming (in compliance with ahimsa). Use clear, honest, appropriate and helpful communication
that considers both short and long term consequences. Before even saying anything, ask
yourself: Is it necessary? Is it true?
Is it non-harming? If you can
answer yes to all three, proceed. If
not, stop and evaluate what the right way to proceed would be. You might have on the ugliest shirt I have
ever seen and ask me if I like it. Telling
you that I think it is ugly would not serve anything and would create
harm. Instead I might say “It is
completely your style” or “It fits you well”.
Surely you can find something true to say that won’t hurt. Do not speak unpleasant truths and do not
lie. It’s like mother’s voice in the
back of your head saying, “if you don’t have nothing nice to say, don’t say it
at all.”
Ask a loved one to tell you a truth about themself that they
haven’t shared before. Take a risk and
share a truth about yourself. Take an
even bigger risk and go first.
Be wary of gossip.
Seek out the truth from all sides, cultivate it. When necessary, notice and learn from misperceptions. Spreading gossip is like breathing negative energy into the world. There are enough people in the world spitting out this type of energy. Use your words and breathe to spread positivity.
Practice living in harmony with satya and ahimsa for a week
(or even longer) keep a journal of your observances and experiences.
The practice of satya is about restraint: about slowing
down, filtering, carefully considering our words so that when we choose them,
they are in harmony with ahimsa. It creates
an atmosphere that allows us and others to find our truths and to learning and growing
in them.
