Satya: Truthfulness

Today's theme is Satya, or truthfulness. Satya extends beyond what we in the West might consider merely telling the truth, and into the realm of telling the truth in a non-harmful manner. If we are in a situation in which telling our truth might harm another, Satya asks us to think before we speak and consider practicing the art of silence, instead.

All efforts to living a conscious, aware Life involve Satya, whether it be in the realm of yoga, work, friends or family.

For example there are days in which our body is begging us to take it easy, and if we listen to our body, we are rewarded with health and more energy. Sometimes, the opposite holds true. There are days when I wake up and think that I need to take it easy today. But, after my first down dog, my body is going, "AHHH, YES!, Fo for it! Go for it!" And the deeper I push, the more barriers I break through and the more grateful my body is that I didn't just take it easy. Taking it deeper than I might have initially thought is an example of Satya-- living a truthful life, living in truth to what my body needs.

The same applies to being available (energetically) to others. Oftentimes, we look at energy as something that we hoard or blindly give away.

Hoarding our energy is not living in awareness of Satya because it implies that there is a lack of energy to go around. We know from science that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, there is no such thing as lack. There is only the art of transformation, opening ourselves up to the current of energy all around us.

The reverse action also holds true. Sometimes, we give too much of our energy away and never replenish it.

Oftentimes, this occurs under the guise of responsibility: a promise to a friend, family member, or co-worker. In order to fulfill our responsibility in the face of no energy, we jack ourselves up with caffeine (or some other quick energy fix) so that we can do that which we said we would do. After we finish, we crash and eventually, feel worse. This is absolutely the opposite of Satya, because in "being responsible," we weren't being fully truthful. Not only do we deplete our precious energy levels, but we often feel resentful that we "had to do" this thing that we promised.

I invite you today to seek out your truth in your practice.

See you soon!

Blessings,
Aria

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

The Five Yamas (Attitudes towards others and the world around us)
SATYA is #2 of #5.
The Five Niyamas (Attitudes towards ourself)
Asana (Physical Postures)
Pranayama (Breath Exercises)
Prathayara (Withdrawl of the Senses)
Dharana (Concentration)
Dhyana (Meditation)
Samadhi (Enlightenment)