Satya - truth
Writer: Felix Quist Møller
08.5.23
“Truth is God and God is Truth” - Mahatma Gandhi
Satya truth.
Dear reader. Welcome back to Healing Arts!
During the next few months I will take you on a deep dive into the yogic philosophy and how it relates to my own life as well. Hopefully you will gain some insights in what yoga is all about.
Last week we introduced Non-violence, Ahimsa as the first out of five universal laws, Yama, as they are the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This week we will focus on the second principle called Truth, Satya.
Truth is placed in the yoga sutras as the highest pinnacle of morality. It is like a sword you can use to cut through all the ignorance, fear, weakness, and restlessness which can lead to violence. Like a cleansing fire it removes dishonesty and self-denial from the mind.
If the thoughts are directed towards truth, the tongue is speaking words of truth and one’s actions are based on true intentions then the seeker can truly unite with the Infinite.
Reality is said to be expressed in its full nature as the two aspects of truth and love, and according to Patanjali, a yogi must strictly adhere to them. Whenever untruthful and unloving actions are performed, the Sadhaka is immediately brought out of balance. That is why, when many are confronted with the necessity of performing these aspects during their journey, they fall off the path. It takes a lot of courage to follow the path of yoga.
I clearly remember when this happened to me in my sadhana.
I was around 23 years old and had been practicing yoga every day for three years. I was even teaching classes myself at my mother’s yoga school. I had begun my regular practice at the lowest point of my life, and slowly begun to get back on my feet. However, at this point, my journey revealed the complete scale of my ego. It was as if my ego was a map that was projected from my brain right before my eyes, like an overhead making a hologram. And I could clearly see that I had some very unhealthy patterns in terms of mind-altering substances. Especially weed and alcohol. The love of God and the Yama principle of truth revealed this defect in me and helped me overcome my fears of saying goodbye to mind-altering substances forever.
In many ways it felt as if there was a link between the out of body experience when I was a kid, and then this addiction, and now I had finally found back to square one where my ego had taken control of my mind, throwing my soul into the corner. Now, the ego died, and my soul was liberated from its prison and took control over my World tree again. Alas, my ego is still very much there to this day, and even then, yoga practice couldn’t cut it alone with the addiction; I needed serious help which I got by asking for help from other people who had been through the same struggles and found a solution to overcome them. But that doesn’t change the fact that it was the yogic path that gave me strength and courage to look Truth straight into the eyes, and with Love admit the Reality of my situation.
Again and again, I have seen this showdown in my students’ sadhanas. It always comes at a certain point in their journey, and I always try not to expect too much. A lot of people run away from the facts out of fear from the truth, not having the love to admit the reality. However, these life lessons that we are taught by the school of life, are like exams that we must pass to move on in our spiritual progress. And if we don’t pass them or call in sick, they will just be waiting for us there in the future – more direct, more truthful, more painful – until we finally learn. Personally, I am one of those types that don’t learn so well when things are going my way, I really need it to be shitty before I want to move on. I often get sent the same lesson of truth again and again but refuse to learn from them. Yet, the Universe never fails to send me these exams. Keep in mind though, that the Universe never sets us up with failure deliberately; there is always a way to pass and grow. I call these lessons of truth tough love from God.
That was Satya, Truth! Next week we will take a look at Asteya – non-stealing.
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Namaste
Felix
