Satya
The second yama is “Satya” which translates to “non-lying” or more simply “truthfulness”.
Consider the following commentary on satya, paraphrased from the Lifestyles manual at the Ayurvedic Institute:
“Understanding the truth of who you are and living from that truth in every moment. Having complete present moment awareness of your consciousness. Being totally aware of your thoughts, words and actions in each moment. Acting with integrity. Having the courage to live your truth without allowing obstructions from the environment to sway you. Understanding your dharma, the truth of that and being steady in that. To be established in truthfulness is to be anchored in awareness of the Universal Consciousness. Thus being anchored in pure faith and doubt free, our thoughts are not in conflict. The Universe is responsive to and supports our clear intentions and our legitimate needs and desires are always fulfilled.”
Yoga Sutra 2:37 has this to say:
“When you are firmly established in truthfulness (honesty), which is the basic foundation of success in all actions and transformations, you obtain the fruit of actions without effort.”
As the holidays approach, we urge you to stay true to yourself, maintain awareness of the present moment, and practice courage by making choices and performing actions that are in line with your true self and what you need. It is a time of giving, but never forget to give yourself love and attention as well.
How can you integrate these principles into your daily life? What small steps can you take to honor Satya? Let us know what you’re already doing or what you strive to do in the comments. We love to hear from and support our community. ♡