The Spiritual Side of Yoga- What Does it Mean To Be Truthful?

I participated in a zoom call last Saturday with my fellow yoga teacher trainees around the globe, and it inspired me to write this post. One Saturday a month, we focus on one of the yamas or niyamas and discuss it as a group.

The yamas and niyamas are two of the eight limbs of ashtanga yoga. The simplest way to explain them is that the yamas are moral restraints or disciplines, and the niyamas are positive actions or duties. On our call, we focused on Satya. Satya is one of the yamas and translates to truthfulness.

What does it mean to be truthful?

So many of us believe we are being truthful because we aren't outwardly lying. In reality, though, this is only a tiny piece of what it means to be truthful. Truthfulness starts with being your authentic self and not acting in a way that deviates from your beliefs, regardless of the pressures you feel from your family, friends, and society.

Truthfulness is more complicated than it sounds! It's about speaking up for yourself, possibly choosing a different path than the group, and aligning your thoughts with your behavior. It's also about not forcing your truth on others and letting your ego step in with judgments and directives.

We can all remember when peer pressure got the best of us, or we didn't speak up and let others step on our toes. Has someone ever asked you to do something that didn't feel right, but you did it anyway. If your mind tells you one thing, but your actions show something different, you are not being truthful.

What's in it for me?

You might be sitting there thinking, "I'm fine. Why should I bother making a change? Things have gone OK so far." And you might be right. However, this sets you up for future stress, negativity, and conflict. When we don't act on and speak our truth, we create conflict within ourselves that stirs up negative emotions and stress. We become irritable, unhappy, and worse, potentially stuck in a life or lifestyle we never wanted in the first place!

We don't always notice at first. It can build over time. Have you ever worked in a job or had a micromanager that ran you ragged until the point of burnout? Maybe you were sticking it out because "they need me," or "I'll never get anything else," or "I just need to get through this next project." I am guilty of this! Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we do that we can't see clearly. We end up staying in a situation that isn't healthy for us and isn't even what we want or believe. We feel tremendous relief when we let go of what doesn't serve us. They may be the best decisions we make in our lives.

How can I start?

All we need to do is ask ourselves, "am I being true to my authentic self?". It's about self-awareness and noticing when your thoughts, feelings, and emotions aren't aligned. It's about building your voice and your confidence.

You don't need to sign up for Toastmasters, but you can practice speaking out loud or journaling your thoughts. Therapists are excellent resources for helping people learn more about themselves and build their voices. The more you share your ideas and how you feel with people you trust, the more comfortable you feel doing it with others.

The best place to start is with yourself. Journal your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; you will start noticing when things don't align. Doing this can help give you that 5000-foot view you need to see things from a different perspective.