Satya in the Real World
“Truth is the beginning of every good thing, both in heaven and on earth; and he who would be blessed and happy should be from the first a partaker of truth, for then he can be trusted.” – Plato
One of the yamas that I have been having a tough time really adhering to lately is Satya – Truth. Growing up I didn’t always say that something was bothering me with my friends or even my parents until I just blew up and it came out. Some of that I might have been able to blame on my redheaded hair and fiery temper. But, nonetheless, not all of it and not at my age now.
In our world today, to speak our truth as many state it, can be a very tricky matter. My determination recently is that when I do say or speak my real feelings about something, to the best of my ability, of course, without dressing it up in an exaggerating nature and putting a huge bow on it (as that isn’t something we should have to do in order to say what we really think )- the world isn’t ready for it. Or at least, a lot of the world isn’t.
Humm…..to say what you think, not dress it and up and make it something it’s not, be tactful, acting without malice or harm in mind, but truthful in nature – I’m thinking that sounds so easy, so truthful, so honest. So how it is that it can get turned into something else, something it’s not, something different?
The answer is, it can! And very easily, here’s why:
We all have issues, some are listened to more by our inner egos than others. But they are there. When you tell someone something that you are thinking, feeling – your truth, even though it is not meant to hurt, belittle or demean them in anyway shape or form, they attach what you say to their own issues and then it gets hairy.
But, really satya is about living our truth. As is yoga, satya is a practice. Living your truth each and every day, not allowing the issues of the world around you take your truth away, not masking your truth until it isn’t a truth any longer. As Rolf Gates says, “We live in a world where truth is a rare commodity. Over time you will have the pleasure of watching this beautiful practice blossom in your life in a way that is honest and authentic. As you learn to speak the truth, you will learn to be true to yourself, to all that is best in you.”
So when you get an email at work that could be misread – don’t invest false energy into it.
When you hear what someone says, don’t judge them, really allow yourself to hear them and clarify what they mean by what they say.
Don’t involve yourself in idle gossip about others, do you know their real truth? Do they even know their own truth?
Then let it be. Commence yourself to the practice of satya and all that is and all that is says. Know that all is exactly as it should be as if you wear your truth on your sleeve.
How do you practice satya? What real world experiences do you have to share? Do you ever get overwhelmed after speaking your truth?
