Learning a new language will broaden our experience by providing us with new ways to express a concept or a feeling. What follows is a new generation of mechanisms for relating to others, ourselves, and the universe.
Definition Of Satya
Sanskrit is an inherently vibrational language that seeks to awaken consciousness on all levels of being through sound that is deeply intertwined to the structure. As we investigate the concept of any Sanskrit phrase, we must recognize the inevitable deficiency that will result from attempting to derive meaning from a single word, especially a wand.
What we should do is research the language as though it were raw clay, from which we can form a more intimate understanding. We should explore parts of a whole and make a concerted effort to grasp each one individually, resulting in a greater awareness than any concept we might glean from the amalgam alone.
This meaning suffices if our understanding of the English terms “true” and “fact” is layered with the appropriate Satya richness. The most likely scenario is that they don’t. Instead, let us take it a step further: Satya is made up of the root word sat and the triggering suffix -ya.
Etymologically, Satya is shown to be more than a dualistic evaluation of something as simply real or false. Satya is the state of being that occurs while we are operating from our highest (pure) consciousness.
In linguistics, there is a phenomenon known as the Sapir-Whorf theory, which states that the language we speak affects the way we think, and therefore the way we behave. A deeper analysis of the Sanskrit word Satya, at the very least, will provide us with a new way of thinking and feeling about reality, perhaps one that bypasses our ability to intellectualize and instead resonates with our deepest, instinctual feelings.
We should look to nature for a realistic example of Satya. Take, for example, a mountain. If at all possible, choose one that you are regularly exposed to. In reality, any prominent geological feature would suffice, but for the sake of this example, let’s stick with the mountain. You know this mountain exists because you can see it. You’ve seen it from many perspectives. You are aware of and comprehend its scale and sturdiness.
This proof is externally validated by the fact that others have seen this mountain and described it similarly. Perhaps this mountain has a name and is used for navigation, or perhaps you have flown over it in an airplane. You may have also scaled this mountain and seen it with your senses, proving its presence beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Then one day you wake up to find yourself in a thick fog. The mountain is obscured by a thick fog. When you inquire about the mountain, you discover that no one else can see it either. You could try to climb the mountain again, but the fog is so dense that it is difficult to orient yourself and nearly impossible to confirm the existence of the mountain. Even so, you are aware that it is there. All the doubt and even facts to the contrary, you have a deep knowing that the mountain still exists. The fog could last for days or weeks, hiding the mountain from view. You may even forget about it, but the mountain will still be there. And on the next clear day, you might be overjoyed to see the mountain once more. It will most likely look magnified.
Satya operates in the same manner as the mountain. It is an inner knowing and experience of the facts, something that is unquestionably true. We all have a collection of core values and principles that guide our thoughts and actions, whether they be truths about ourselves or the world or simply an intuitive gut check that helps us make decisions.
Be Kind
Satya is stated in the Yoga Sutras as the second of five yamas, which are often misunderstood as restrictions or “right living” laws. Nischala Joy Devi, on the other hand, calls them “reflections of our true nature,” since our true nature is intrinsically good. The Yamas can be viewed as behaviors that represent our true nature.
Satya is one of the Yamas that comes after ahimsa by design. The Yamas are not mutually exclusive; they are interdependent, and there is some hierarchical equilibrium between them. In the hierarchy, ahimsa (kindness) still comes first. This is especially important to note when we consider when and how to say the facts.
The Four Gates Of Speech
Are they true? Your words must be expressed with meaning and consistency, in addition to being factually correct. A lie, no matter how insignificant, disconnects us from higher consciousness and opens the door to self-doubt – if we realize we are capable of lying, we lose the ability to trust ourselves and our intuition.
Are they necessary? Consider if your words add meaning to a situation or whether it would be better to listen instead.
Is it the right time? Take a moment to consider whether the person to whom you are speaking is prepared to hear your words. If the timing isn’t right, be patient; your message will land most softly when it is.
Are they kind? Finally, and maybe most importantly, be kind. Ahimsa is given as the first yama to be followed above all others, as well as the final gate of speech as a final checkpoint before we are cleared to speak. Even when engaged in difficult interactions, words without kindness are destructive. If your words cannot be expressed from a position of kindness, go inside and consider how you would describe it.
Satya Only Exists In The Present
The past is, by definition, a memory, and memories are, at best, faulty. A memory is created when a lived event is later processed in the mind’s complex archives. During this process, the experience is altered systemically as a result of our implicit and explicit biases, mental and emotional states, and how attentive we are. Regardless of how hard we try to remember the facts, the result is still flawed. Similarly, the future exists only as a wish, a plan, or an expectation. There is still a degree of doubt when dealing with the future. It has not yet occurred and therefore cannot be valid. Satya exists only in the present moment, and Satya practice is a progressive calibration of our consciousness to the fullness of each passing moment.
Satya On The Mat
In reality, the truth starts before we unroll. It is present when we feel the call to practice and commits to turning up on the mat. From invocation to savasana, truth constantly invites us to practice wisely. And when we say yes, we enter Satya.
Breath Is Guru
Breath is the instructor, and you are the one being breathed as the pupil. This is a sacred relationship that serves as the foundation for long-term practice. Create an internal system of checks and balances for monitoring your breath and making adjustments as needed during your practice.
Ditch The I-Maker
The propensity to over-identify with transient thoughts and experiences is the i-maker, ahamkara. When left to its own devices, the i-maker would use the mat as its own private sandbox, fuelled by ego.
Don’t Sacrifice The Person For The Pose
Yoga is a whole-body exercise, and the purest expression of each pose is intended to recruit all of us. We lose the integration, the union, and the Yoga when we neglect or even violate some aspect of the whole for the sake of the pose. Satya is not in the room. If the posture comes first, we can be tempted to disregard the body’s subtle signals and press past the intelligent edge. As a consequence, the body can send out more signals in the form of discomfort or injury until we can no longer avoid it. Instead, consider the pose to be a mirror through which you can see something new about the person. The shape indicates a course but not a destination.
Satya also refers to relaxing until we become tired. It is a physical untruth when we are aware that we are exhausted but continue to perform another chaturanga in a way that damages our shoulders or spine. When we repeatedly circumvent the body’s natural rhythm in this manner, it becomes more difficult to hear when it is requesting rest. As required, listen and surrender.
Look No Further Than Your Mat’s Four Corners.
Satya emerges from inside, and finding confirmation or contrast from some external source would stifle genuine speech in practice. With externally focused focus, we cannot alter our internally observed truth. All we need to see is happening inside the four corners of the mat, so we don’t need to go anywhere else.
