Satya – Truthfulness

The practice of Satya, the commitment to truth, also applies to our thoughts, our speech and our actions.

Honest communication and action lays the foundations for healthy relationships and healthy communities. One of the best ways to practice it is through speech, which means that when we speak, we should do it with the confidence that we speak the truth. If we do that, we will find how much less we need to talk throughout the day! Usually, what we say is based on our imagination, on assumptions, on questionable conclusions and sometimes, on exaggerations.

It is not always easy to commit to the truth, but with practice, it becomes less and less complicated and, eventually, less painful, compared to avoidance and self-deception. It means that we can communicate things as they are and not as we would like them to be. That can turn into a communication challenge, since we all see things through our own point of view, shaped by our experiences and personal history, and so each one of us has a different perception of what’s happening. Also, what we consider to be the truth changes over time, therefore it is important that we abide by the truth of the present moment as it is revealed to us.

The most difficult part of this practice might be to stay true to our heart and our inner path. Confusion and lack of confidence in our inner values can make it difficult to acknowledge our heart’s desire and be authentic. Sometimes, even if we do know it, it is difficult to follow this path, due to a lack of courage and faith. To walk towards that which we know is essential to our evolution, might mean walking away from unhealthy relationships or from a job, and taking a risk that may compromise the comfortable conditions that we have created. It may mean that we have to make decisions that are not completely acceptable by our culture and social surroundings.

One way to know that we follow the truth is that while our choices might not be easy, at the end of the day we feel at peace with ourselves.