Dawn Mauricio

The second Yama is satya. Sat is the root word which means “truth”, and when the suffix ya is added, it changes the term to mean “truthfulness in word and thought.” It can also be extended to include actions, towards ourselves and all other sentient beings.

What that means on the Yoga mat for students is that if we have tight shoulders and instead puff out our rib cage, reach our heels way down as our backs round in Adho mukha savanasana, or use our arms to prop ourselves up instead of our back muscles in Bhujangasana, it is a lie. Consequently, as teachers, if we push our students past their edge into a place that is above their level just so we can make them “work”, it is a lie. They are lies because we are not respecting what is true in that moment.

Although it takes a lot of fine tuning, we need to turn inwards before each class, as well as continuously during the class, to really see what is possible in each moment. I stress this because sometimes we practice from memory – if we were able to touch our toes the last time we did Uttanasana then we tend to just shoot for the toes the next time around. But as each moment is different, so is each pose, no matter how many times we’ve done it in the past.

As students we need to be able to assess ourselves with all honesty, and allow ourselves to work at our own level, even if it’s not the same level we were at just a little while ago, and even if it’s not the same level as everyone else in the Yoga class. As teachers, we need to create an environment in which we allow students to work at their own level, without needing to make excuses or to explain themselves to anyone. In order to harbor this type of sacred space, we need to get in touch with the part of ourselves that lies when we practice. The more we are able to cultivate satya in our own practice and life, the easier it will be for the students around us to do the same.

As John Philp wrote, an unfortunate paradox in Yoga is trying to decide what came first – the desire for perfection or the depiction of perfection as something to desire – it is a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma. In my opinion, no pose is worth the trouble if it is done at the expense of ahimsa and satya. Let me end by quoting the inspirational Mahatma Gandhi.