Samanya Yoga

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Satya (Truthfulness)

Satya urges us to be truthful in our interactions and to live with honesty and integrity. This Yama challenges us to align our thoughts, words, and actions with our true inner selves. It's about being authentic and honest, not only with others but also with ourselves. It also requires that in telling the truth we do not harm another person either, because that would mean violating the first Yama – kindness.

In your yoga practice this means being honest about how it feels in a pose, and whether it is causing you pain. It means working at your level with no apologies. It means being noticing whether you mind is wandering and what you’re breath is doing.

Off your mat, you could reflect and journal, at the end of your day, about how truthful or not you have been with yourself and others. What moments of truth have you had, or have there been moments when you haven’t been as honest as you should have been. In these moments, have you caused any harm?