January 10, 2010: On the Board at Good Life Yoga
Satya: The essence of Truth
What is the essence of Truth? What is the essence of anything? It is itself through and through; distilled down it is the very nature of the whole. The whole remains true to itself because it knows its own essence. ‘Sat ‘– meaning ‘is’ – the ‘isness’ of being true– this is Satya. The second Yama, Satya, reminds you that deep down, the very essence, the ‘beingness’ of yourself is supreme goodness. Knowing this, we practice allowing the very essence of our self to shine throughout the whole of ourselves.
Choose to align with your essence. Look at what is false or incongruent. There may be negative thoughts that run counter to this recognition. Experiences from our past may run counter to this essential truth. We have been told mistruths about ourselves. We may have even believed them. Satya sheds light on these falsehoods and asks us to remain true – truth full - to our own essence.
What does it feel like to be truthful in your asanas? You fill them out completely. Leaving nothing behind, pushing nothing forward harder than you can hold – you don’t spill out, your muscle and organic energies are in balance. You work the pose from the inside and not try and conform to some ‘ideal’ you mind has about what this asana ‘should’ look like. The pose remains true to your capability. Your mind is relaxed, expansive; your breath is clear and refined. In that moment your essence shines through to the whole of your being. Satya reigns supreme.
In our asana practice this week we will practice standing in our own truth. We will look clearly at ourselves and see what lies within. We’ll let go of any thoughts, past experiences, and attachments that do not support this shared truth. Expect backbends and powerful poses to support your growing truth fullness.