Yoga and Satya (Truthfulness)

‘Yamas’ are ethical values that involve self-restraint, self-control and discipline. They are the foundation of yoga practice. In my last blog  I talked about Ahimsa (non-harming) the first yama.

The second yama is Satya or truthfulness; lack of falsehood; to others and to oneself. You might first think of the obvious…outright lying. You are right. When you tell a lie you are robbing another of the truth. When you lie you also rob yourself of the opportunity to express your truth. This may feel like the easiest route but in the long run will cause problems for you and the other person involved. If you cannot tell the truth then you will never feel the freedom to be you…unedited. If you cannot tell the truth to another; the other will never have the opportunity to learn and grow from your insights and your truths. A no win situation.

If the truth it is offered in a hurtful manner or if we purposely mean to hurt someone with the truth then we should stop and consider what we are doing and how we are doing it. Also, discretion is needed if the person is not in a stable mental state. Do you have the skills to pick-up the pieces of a destroyed ego? At times it might take some deep soul searching as to what is the right thing to do. Maybe even professional advice will be needed.
Another form of non-truthfulness is omission. Even though we are not stating a falsehood we are still robbing another of the true facts.

Ultimately, we want to be as truthful as we can be. This takes constant self inquiry and courage. Analyze any ‘excuses’ for not telling the truth. A lack of courage on your part could be disguised as “it might hurt their feelings” or “I don’t want to rock the boat”.

Truth liberates. How many people have suffered in silence about past abuses? When they find the courage to speak their truth they feel liberated from the events that damaged and controlled them for many years…even a lifetime.
The gay population that finds their courage/truth to ‘come out’ find liberation and freedom to be the beautiful people that they are.

Telling and receiving the truth helps us to be the best we can be.

SEE YOU ON THE MAT!
DOROTHY
*Join me for a free ‘sample’ yoga class on Salt Spring Island (just mention this blog post) or better yet join in one of my yoga retreats on Salt Spring Island BC, in the Tofino area and at new locations in Tulum, Mexico and Tuscany,  Italy!