We continue through the Yamas. The five external observances that make up the first limb of Yoga, as laid out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra.
The Yamas are the roots of our Yoga practice.
In the mysterious world of flora, a strong and healthy root system is the lifeline of a plant, taking air, water, and nutrients from the soil up the plant where they eat delicious sunlight, creating energy for the plant to do whatever its particular talent happens to be. Roots even allow plants to communicate with microorganisms in the soil and other plants further along in the ground.
People are plants.
Not just in that we need water and delicious sunlight, but we also benefit from strong, healthy roots. When we’re deeply rooted in the Yamas in our everyday lives, we increase our capacity to grow and pass on those nutrients to others.
Ahimsa is the taproot of our root system, and the rest of the Yamas stem from there. They are the refinements of non-harming.
Satya means True, Truth, Real, Truthfulness.
Patanjali says: For those grounded in truthfulness, every action and its consequences are imbued with truth.
Satya is not a walk in the park. it's an advanced practice that demands we make a choice, and rarely is the truth the easy choice. In her book, The Yamas & Niyamas Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice, Deborah Adele says: "Truth demands integrity to life and to our own self that is more than not telling a simple lie".
Speaking and acting in alignment with your heart can be a challenge. We've evolved to fear judgment, ridicule, and being abandoned by those whose opinions we hold dear. It's in our nature to crave belonging. And, like other plants, growth is also our nature, which means having to choose: stunt our growth or let the roots burst through the pot and grow unconfined. That choice isn’t always easy.
Committing to deep honesty doesn’t give you a self-righteous green light to be cruel. “The compassion of nonviolence keeps truthfulness from being used as a weapon”. (Deborah Adele)
You won't love everything all the time but don't wander around opining about things you think suck. I am not advocating for sacrificing realness for being nice. Speak, and act with the truth that lies in your heart. Be honest about who you are and what you stand for without being a bully. I am advocating for being wise about timing and context. The moment someone comes off-stage isn't the time to tell them they missed some cues or that you thought it was boring. Save it for after their after-glow. Remember that silence is always a choice.
Another way we can think of Satya is how truthfulness translates into our perceived reality. Many of us occasionally define our reality by our feelings instead of seeing things as they truly are. We think someone is talking smack about us, laughing at our mistakes, or secretly hating us. We react based on the reality our ego created, only to discover no one was talking about us or laughing at us, and they USED to think we were pretty cool - until we lashed out at about nothing just now.
Satya is making space between an action and our reaction. There's an outside stimulus, and we pause. That pause - one second, a minute, gives us time to see things as they are. Instead of reacting blindly, we can now respond appropriately.
But what does Satya look like on the mat?
There is no competition in the Asanas. We don't compete with other people in a class, and we don't compete with ourselves. There aren't any medals or ribbons at the end. No one wins Yoga. When you step onto your mat, be honest about your body’s strengths and limitations, and remember that all bodies change over time - so practice with the body you have today.
PRACTICE WITH THE BODY YOU ARE IN - TODAY.
Practical ways to practice Satya in Asana:
~ Be mindful of the sensations in your body and the qualities of your breath.
~ Back off when you’re moving too deep. If you aren't sure if you've gone too deep, check on your breath. Are you holding your breath, or is it strained? If yes to either or both - you've gone too far. Back it up.
~ Use props. They exist for a reason. Why resist your ability to support yourself? It’s not cheating to use props, because (say it out loud) No one wins Yoga.
Take time this month to do some self inquiry with these prompts. Take, and leave what resonates with you. Spend the month exploring one or two, or work your way through them all. This is your practice, I’m just a guide.
Journalling Prompts:
What is something about yourself you believe to be true?
What untruths do you frequently tell yourself?
From whom do you seek approval?
Does this affect whether you act with niceness or realness?
How often do you find yourself being 'nice' vs 'real'?
In the situations when you were 'nice' what did that experience bring up for you? What was the result?