Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Satya

After spending a week tying Ahimsa (non-violence) into my classes (see "The Journey") I decided to move on to another of the Yamas (the first limb in the 8 limbed path of yoga), Satya (truthfulness).
While truthfulness is a moral principle most of our parents instill in us at an early age, there is more to it than honesty. The thing is, who knows what is really true and what is not? Truth changes all the time. What is truth (really opinion) for one person will not hold true for another.
I came across a quote on pinterest the other day "Everybody is Somebody Else's Weirdo" (Scott Adams). When you think about that quote for a second, it is so true. We all have our own various things that interest us and those with similar interests will eventually come together to share their passions. What I think is weird (a guy I barely met quoting bible verses to me) makes another person fall in love with that person. That person thought I was weird (I believe his words were "black sheep") because I have traveled the world alone (making many similarly weird friends along the way of course!).
Finally, when dealing with Satya, if bending the truth will save someone's feelings, by all means DO IT! What comes out of your mouth is only your truth, your belief, things we say to another person stick with them, whether they just met us or have known us our entire lives. I'll leave you with a quote that I used in my classes this past week, that many of my students have been asking me for. I think it sums up the yogic explanation of Satya very well:

"Today I bent the truth to be kind and I have no regret;
for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true."
-Robert Brault

Namaste

1 comment:

  1. Hi Weird like-minded solo travel friend :) Loving YOUR writing and the tie in with yoga.

    Thinking Costa Rica and Bali trips in betw school this year...xoxoxoxo

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