This month’s studio theme at Kula is Satya, truthfulness. This yama encourages us to think, speak and interact with integrity. When we are truly in tune with ourselves, it’s easy to act with honesty. However those times when we feel disconnected, stressed or anxious, we often lie in order to hide our true selves. By turning the gaze inward and looking toward the “why,” we can learn to live a more authentic life.
On the mat
When we step foot on the yoga mat, Satya guides our practice. First when we set our intention for the practice, we honestly ask ourselves what brought us to the mat and why we should put our energy and attention in the present moment. When the practice starts to heat up and things get intense, notice your reaction. For example, imagine you’re trying to balance in Garudasana (Eagle Pose) and you fall out of the pose. Notice what happened; was it your body actually saying it had had enough of that shape, or did your mind simply give up because it was uncomfortable? Just by asking these questions you’re stepping into Satya.
Off the mat
Most of us who practice yoga try to invite honesty into our daily lives. When we do tell lies, we tell ourselves that they are for the benefit of others, to save hurt feelings or make a situation easier. But when we start peeling back the layers or “why,” we discover the reasons behind our dishonesty have to do with what’s happening to us personally. The more we can be honest with ourselves, the better and more authentic our interactions with others.
At Kula we’ve currently got a big group of enthusiastic yogis embarking on a 30 Day Challenge. Now more than ever it’s important to make a connection between mind and body, and establish an open line of truthful communication.
About the author: Miranda Raimon is a yoga instructor, Kula studio manager and freelance health & wellness writer from the San Francisco Bay Area.
