When you commit to truth as a principle of yoga you are committing to all the principles of yoga. You are committing to faith, surrender, change, transformation, potential, strength, practice, compassion, and so much more.
In the yoga tradition, there is always one universal truth that connects and unites us all, that is benevolent, kind, forgiving, and perfect. It is an ideal that we can all strive for, but by striving for it in our daily life we must also acknowledge our limitations and imperfections as human beings.
Although collectively we all share one universal truth, individually we all have our own unique truths. Our individual unique truths are just as important to honor as the collective–it is the balancing of each that makes our human existence so challenging. Most importantly, committing to the principle of truth means honoring the growth and betterment of society as well as yourself.
We are seeing the clashing or our individual and universal truths in society today. When we allow our unique individual truths to override collective universal truths, trouble looms. For example, if I hold a deep personal conviction for the freedom of expression but my expression is unkind to others, my personal truth is superseding the universal truth of kindness. On the other hand, if my truth requires me to rest even though society holds an expectation for me to work through pain, I must honor my own truth as long as I’m not violating any other universal truths along the way. Societal expectations, peer pressure, and groupthink are not stand-ins for universal truths.
The Yoga Sutra
Truth, or satya in Sanskrit, is the second Yama in Patanjali’s 8-limb path. By appearing second in a list of five Yamas, truth must always be considered in relationship to its preceding Yama, compassion. As long as your truth is compassionate to yourself and the world around you, then honoring truth is always the right course of action.
2.36: When you commit to telling the truth, you will always get the result you are seeking from your actions.
According to Patanjali, as long as you commit to your truth, the results of your actions will be favorable. When you waver from truth, perhaps because of pressure from family, friends, society, etc., the results of your actions will reflect your uncertainty.
Put it into practice
When practicing yoga, committing to your truth means listening to what your body, nervous system, and spirit needs in the moment, despite what a teacher may be instructing. This might mean choosing practices that will nourish rather than deplete you. If you always do a vinyasa flow practice but some days you’re really tired, consider alternating the styles of yoga you practice to better match your energy needs. If you do find yourself on the mat in a vinyasa flow class and you’re still tired, consider taking an extended Savasana or a resting pose until you’re able to regain enough energy to finish the class. Yes, that might mean you practice Savasana most of the class. That is okay! On the other hand, if you’re feeling really energized, challenge yourself in practice by staying in a pose a little longer, taking longer breaths, or trying the next step in a posture you’ve been working on. When you make these practice choices based on your current energy states rather than on your ego’s need to be seen, praised, or perfect, your practice serves you rather than the expectations of others.
If you are a yoga teacher, practicing truth means honoring your own authentic voice, life experiences, desires, and dharma, despite what you may have been taught in your yoga teacher training. Don’t be afraid to stray from the sequencing styles you’ve been taught if your own personal experience guides you to a new way of weaving together a class experience. Your own personal practice and life experience will be your biggest guide in your journey towards authentic teaching. It can be challenging to teach what you know rather than what you feel is expected of you from studio owners, students, your teachers, or other colleagues. Trust your own intuition and personal experience, as this is the root of your individual truth. As long as you’re also serving the collective truth, you can’t go wrong in honoring your individual truth too.
A practice to help you honor your Truth
To help you practice honoring your own truth, try this short yoga practice you can do in bed. If your energy is low, follow along with what is offered. If you’re feeling more energized, try adjusting the postures to standing versions, or experiment with making the postures more challenging. A simple practice can always be modified to meet your energy levels for the day! If you want more, keep practicing and follow your intuition to get the movement you need. If you need suggestions, feel free to reach out on IG @yoginiashleyjosephine or on Facebook.
Namaste.
