This blog post continues our series on the Yamas and Niyamas. The second Yama is Satya, which translates roughly as “Truthfulness.”

As with Ahimsa, which we covered in this blog post, Satya has applications both for ourselves and for others.

Often, the Yamas are translated as what not to do. As Ahimsa can be viewed as “non-harming,” Satya can be considered “non-lying.” While this is a good start, it feels too limiting to me.

I prefer a broader definition of Satya—one that includes integrity.

As one of my core values, integrity means being who I really am and doing what I say I am going to do. This beautiful application of Satya can support our well-being, while helping us to be more effective in the world.

When we practice Satya in the spirit of integrity, we become more resilient because we have no need to waste energy on pretending (to ourselves or others) to be someone we’re not. Instead, we can spend that energy on maximizing our strengths, talents, passions, resources and experiences to add value in the world.

Steven Petrow refers to this as the “joy of authenticity.”

“Living an inauthentic life has its costs, among them isolation, lack of connection and not knowing your real self. In living a truthful life, a genuine one or an authentic one, we’re allowed to remove our masks of pretense, fakery, and people pleasing which in doing so can boost self-esteem and bring a sense of real peace and contentment, connection, serenity, and yes, joy.” –Steven Petrow

When we are facing difficult life circumstances, like a child who is affected by mental health or substance use struggles, Satya is critical for responding effectively to our child and for taking care of ourselves, as I wrote in this post about acceptance.

Without Satya—truthfulness—it’s easy to get caught up in shame and in wishing life were different than it is. We may hide and withdraw, rather than hold up our heads and face the world authentically.

The truth of caring for someone struggling with mental health or substance use issues is that we are not to blame. Therefore, we don’t own the shame for any of our child’s actions or decisions. By acknowledging the reality of what is happening, we are able to reach out and connect with resources to help ourselves and our children.

One way that Satya—truthfulness—has helped me is through shared story with the other moms in Hopestream Community. By deciding to acknowledge and share the truth of what our family was facing, I was able to realize that other families faced similar challenges, which opened me up to offer and receive support. This shared story aspect of my healing journey is represented by “Pen” in PenPedalPose. The Resilient Pen Blog is another manifestation of honoring Satya in my life.

Satya doesn’t call for us to tell the truth indiscriminately or to share all the details of our lives. It just calls for owning our truth and for having the courage to live from that place of truth, rather than pretending that we, or life, were different.

There is benefit to stopping every so often to consider how fully we are living from a place of Satya. We can do this in a variety of ways:

· Meditation—By building stillness into our daily lives, we allow room for wisdom to speak to us. This may help us identify incongruencies in our lives. Even five minutes of tuning into our breath can be beneficial.

· Endurance exercise—This can include cycling, walking, running, swimming, cross-country skiing, skating, rowing and more—anything that raises your heart rate a bit and involves rhythmic movement of your legs and/or arms in such a way that it frees your mind to receive wisdom and inspiration, solve problems and answer questions for yourself. My bike is my favorite place to do this.

· Journaling—Writing is a great way to check the level of Satya in our lives. We can ask and answer explicit questions or just free write. Either may yield valuable insight and direction. Julia Cameron shares that she often receives information from GOD, which she views as an acronym for “Good Orderly Direction,” when she writes her Morning Pages.

· Yoga—The yoga mat is another effective place to check the Satya in our lives. Whether we are practicing in a more active Vinyasa style or a more passive Yin style, yoga’s focus on our breath quiets our inner chatter to receive guidance and wisdom, which can help us recognize where we may be out of alignment with Satya.

In what other ways do you find Satya in your life?

Has practicing Satya enhanced your healing and resilience in tough times?

As we start a new year, how can you commit to living with greater Satya for your own well-being and for the good of the part of the world that you influence?

Could a greater level of Satya in your life enhance the “joy of authenticity” in your life?

I’d love to know your answers to these questions.

With the new year, I’ve almost convinced myself to increase my blog post frequency to weekly. I’ll continue with my yoga practices and newsletters, but I am feeling called to write more frequently. Maybe that is one expression of Satya in my life. I’ll let you know next week.