Yamas: Satya

The principal of satya is another one of the yamas. The lesson is one of truthfulness. The word sat means “that which exists, that which is.” Satya, refers to our thoughts, actions, and words reflecting what truly exists, in contrast to the reality that our individual perceptions and opinions cause us to see.

Without further investigation, we may believe we are dutiful followers of satya, generally leading an honest life. What gets overlooked is the way our past experiences, and the emotions tied to them, can alter what we believe to be true.

There is a concept taught in the Yoga Sutras called citta. Citta is essentially the space between the true self, the divine being that we are, and the outside world of experiences and happenings. As we move through life and develop our own understanding of how the world works and who we are in it, our citta gets clouded. How we define ourselves and the meaning being the actions of other people creates a filter.

When we express truthfulness in our thoughts, actions, and words it requires staying aware of the assumptions are making, and when we are going off our opinions or prejudices.

Another idea to consider is that multiple things can be true. It is possible to say the truth without oversharing or imposing our ideas on another person. This is applicable to satya because honesty should be prefaced by ahimsa (doing no harm).

Practicing Satya

You are invited to spend time with someone you prefer not to be around. Maybe this person is encroaching on your boundaries, makes you feel uncomfortable, or simply isn’t someone you want to develop a closeness to. It can be difficult to figure out how honor yourself and also stay commited to truthfulness without hurt feelings.

In this situation we want to be honest but also compassionate in our communication. Before you speak, ask yourself - is it true, is it kind, is it timely, is it necessary?

In our example, if you are invited to get a coffee for instance, you can create space by saying something simple like “no, but you enjoy!”. When we use a response like “not today, maybe another time”, what happens when the next time comes around? If we aren’t up front in the most kind way possible at the start, we end up in a loop of white lies.

If the situation arises where this person continues to ask and press for your time, you can still elaborate without posing your opinions and assumptions. Rather than expressing your disinterest in their company, you can express that you hate to keep turning them down, but you are being more selective with your time and you appreciate the offer.

You can’t expect people to know your boundaries if you don’t communicate them.

To be successful in the practice of satya you must know yourself. This process requires reflection and awareness over who you are, how you are affected by the happenings around you, and what your preferences are. When there is clarity over your own biases, and you develop an understanding that the people around you are influenced in a similar way, you can see things as they are and speak to them in a clear and kind way.

This practice is not intended to be simple or easy, but commitment and dedicated effort of returning to our mat and returning to self reflection keeps us on the path.

Interview Series: YTT Graduate Taylor Gillette

Taylor Gillette

Why were you interested in YTT?

“I was going through a lot of different things in my life personally, I was searching, I was looking for something to fulfill me and connect me. When I came to the info session, I never thought I would actually be a teacher. 8 weekends later, I can’t wait to teach. I didn’t even know I was interested and that I was searching for this. I think it was timing and alignment that really got me here.”

When you were deciding to sign up, what was holding you back?

“I don’t like spending money on things, so it was financials. I really thought at the point I was in my life, how much do I want to keep spending my money. I was going to use this money for a 1 week vacation in Costa Rica because I really wanted to ‘find myself’. But then, thinking about it I was like, you’re not going to find yourself in one week. This is an investment. So, maybe you really should go to the info session and see if this is worth investing in yourself. And of course, come full circle, it was an investment that was so worth it, and I definitely found myself but look how long it took. From January till May, and I’m just beginning to find myself. 1 week of vacation, and a lifetime of connections, memories, friendships, so much knowledge - so worth it.”

What has been your biggest challenge?

“Probably the very first thing I was fearful of was teaching, so speaking publicly and getting up there in front of everyone. Everyone is looking at you for direction, guidance. So my biggest challenge and fear was having trust in myself that I can get the words out and really speak what I know I have in my heart. Everything you have taught us, we have all the tools.”

“I’m also fearful of what the future looks like. Eventually, maybe, one day becoming a full time teacher. You know, failing is my biggest challenge that I go through all the time, but I can’t believe how supported I feel here so I am looking forward to knowing that I have a support group behind me and mentors that I can come to, to support me on those days where I may be questioning some future career decisions, teaching, studios, where to teach, how to teach, so I feel so much more confident with my people behind me, and I can do this.”

What has been your favorite part of YTT?

“The connections, and the openness, and being vulnerable - I did not know that that was going to happen. We discussed so many things, very wide range. And getting together with strangers when we first started here, and the fact that everyone opened up, and that made me feel I could open up. The safe spaces that were held was so important and something I never experienced before. It was that connection I never knew I was missing. I feel very wholesome and fulfilled from just that, and who knew that was even going to come about.”

If you could give advice to yourself before starting YTT, what would you say to yourself?

“It just keeps coming back to - trust yourself and let your voice be strong. There were times I knew what my fear was going to be in the beginning and as soon as we started teaching or doing small things and cueing small things, you could still see that in me. That I wasn’t letting my voice me strong. So just be strong, from the get-go. You can do this, everyone can do this, we’re all going to do this. And it’s okay if you can’t say one word or cue or you forget something. It’s all going to be okay.”

Describe your pre-YTT self in 3 words

“Lost, alone, and indifferent”

Describe your post-YTT self in 3 words

“Grateful, connected, I’m gonna say four, amazed, and fulfilled.”

Yamas: Ahimsa

The Yamas make up the first of eight limbs of yoga. Yamas are know as moral disciples or abstinences. The five Yamas are principals that advice on things you should refrain from doing as you progress towards a state of enlightenment. For an overview of the Yamas and Niyamas, take a look at our introductory post: A Journey Through the Yamas & Niyamas.

It is understood that the eight limbs of yoga are intended to be a path toward enlightenment, one that should be followed sequentially. We begin our journey with the Yamas, specifically the first of five, Ahimsa.

Ahimsa translates to absence of injury, or more commonly understood as non-violence. This is an interesting principal to begin with because at the surface it seems most of us should feel confident we have this one under control. However, there is more than meets the eye.

We can agree that non-violence includes refraining from intentionally causing harm to others, to ourselves, or to nature. Physical violence and hurtful speech fall into this category, but have you considered the power of your thought? Even thinking hurtful things, casting judgements whether spoken or not are going to cause a ripple effect. The way we speak, or think, about others often reflects how we see ourselves. It can be easy to identify criticisms in others when we are finding those same critiques within our own character. It almost allows for the justification that if we hold ourselves to the same standard then it is okay to hold that standard for the people around us. This can be a slippery slope.

There is a freedom in acceptance. To accept our limits, our human-ness, the lessons we need to learn, and embrace all of who we are with love and without harsh judgement. There is a power in that, as if a weight has been lifted and we are now free to be exactly where we are, and grow from there.

On the mat:

In our asana practice we can incorporate ahimsa by considering how well and how compassionately we are listening to our bodies. When we reach for a posture that is outside of our capabilities on a given day, this can translate into injury. We might also start to beat ourselves up over what we weren’t able to do, casting judgements and thinking negative thoughts. It is important that we listen to our bodies and respect our boundaries to maintain a sustainable practice that will take us though the years and offer the insight we need to continue to learn about ourselves, in all phases of life.

A Journey Through the Yamas & Niyamas

Yoga is a complex word and its meaning is nuanced. Many of us know yoga to be a physical practice, but what is lesser known is that yoga is actually made up of 8 limbs, only one of which is Asanas, the posture practice. The first two limbs are called the Yamas and Niyamas. These are ethical principals to follow that form the foundation of a strong yoga practice and yogic lifestyle. These moral codes are separated into two categories, the Yamas are things not to do, or restraints, while the Niyamas are things to do, or observances.

The Yamas and Niyamas are presented in Yoga Teacher Training and often are the first exposure students have to these principals. As a teacher and a trainer, I have found immense benefit from returning to these lessons time and time again. There always seems to be something new to uncover and a new application for every stage of life.

Below is a list of the 10 principals. Over the next 10 blog articles, we will unpack these principals one by one and discover more ways to look at the life code that the yoga teachings provide us for “right living”.

Yamas:

• Ahimsa: nonviolence

• Satya: truthfulness

• Asteya: non-stealing

• Brahmacharya: non-excess

• Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-greed

Niyamas:

• Saucha: purity

• Santosha: contentment

• Tapas: self-discipline, training your senses

• Svadhyaya: self-study, inner exploration

• Ishvara Pranidhana: surrender