As we've entered the last quarter of 2022, the leaves start falling, the daylight reduces, and I notice my energy shifting. Change is at every corner of life, and suddenly I felt it was time to write about Satya, the second Yama from Patanjali's Yoga sutras.
So what is Satya ?
In Buddhism, Satya is used to refer to an "empirical" truth, a truth based on what is generally accepted in everyday life. In Yoga philosophy and practice, Satya is seen as the practice of truthfulness.
Satya is a Sanskrit word which refers to what "comes from" (ya) "truth" (sat). In Yoga philosophy and practice, this is to choose to live life being true to oneself and to others; to think, speak, and behave with integrity.
So what can I do to make a difference?
Practising Satya is walking through life with the intent to be truthful to yourself, in the sense of what you believe in, your values, morals, ethics;
It may be about avoiding lies and miscommunications, being reliable when you commit to an action or else. Truth might be subjective and depends on how one sees a situation. Maybe a different way to see it is, Satya is about living life with as much authenticity as you can in each given moment.
Don't put too much pressure on yourself
Living truthfully has its own range of challenges and by starting to add more responsibility towards being honest, you may start noticing routines and regular situations which you have been thinking, speaking, or behaving in a way you wouldn't defined as authentic.
It's ok.
This is not about being perfect. This is not about punishing yourself or others. It's about adding a little more good into your day to day life. For you. For others. For us all.
Start gently, start slowly. Take the time you need. Maybe start by adapting, tweaking, changing one habit or create a new routine where you would feel like you are heading towards being truer to you than you are today. No step is too small when adding goodness into your life. Smile to the progress. Hug the hard moments. And embrace. Embrace the journey for what it is. You got this!
