Be Honest- Satya

Let's be HONEST with ourselves this month. As we begin to move into Spring, this is a great time to look at our habits and see which are serving us and which are NOT! So let’s talk about the concept of Satya, being truthful in our lives. Satya is the second Yama (social control) that is outlined in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali. This yama is SO important for our health and healing journey. When we are honestly looking at our lives and holding a sense of integrity in our relationships with others, the yoga practice becomes so much more than just the physical postures. Satya, being more honest (with yourself and others), can transform your life!

When I learned about the Yamas (social controls) of yoga, I remember being taught that it always has to be practiced with the first Yama, Ahimsa (not causing pain). The root word of Satya, Sat is translated to ‘true essence’ or ‘true nature’ or TRUTH. It also translates to: ‘unchangeable’, ‘that which has no distortion’, ‘that which is beyond distinctions of time, space and person’, and ‘reality’. So, something that is unchanged and pure.  

Ok great, this sounds delightful, but how do we practice Satya? The first thing that comes to mind is to remind ourselves that we are NOT our thoughts! Once we know we are not our thoughts, there’s a little sigh of relief as a bigger gap is created between who we think we are at times (the ego), and who we truly are (soul self).

To have complete honesty with ourselves requires us to create a little bit of space, stillness or at least some slowing-down of the mind. Reacting instantly to situations on a purely primitive and emotional level, we can’t see the “truth” of a situation and are acting from a place of fear and conditioning.

So let’s try to be the watcher of our thoughts during practice and be truthful with ourselves. It’s said that expert meditators such as the Dalai Llama have actually been able to slow down the response to stimuli within our primitive brain, and create a fraction more time to process situations. This has allowed the more evolved part of the brain – the cerebral cortex – actually consider things before the emotional brain takes over, so there is more time to see situations clearly and truthfully than reacting blindly to the stimulus. 

We can take this intension off the mat as well. When we are in our community, let’s take moments of pause when talking with someone to really listen to what they’re saying, understand that you’re hearing it through your own lens, and then respond in a way that’s utilizing Ahimsa (not causing pain) and Satya (honesty). This is how we can grow deeper into loving connection with our loved ones and community. 

Let’s all weave in a little more Satya into our lives this month.