Satya (Non-Lying)

Satya or Non-Lying is the 2nd of the "Yamas" or abstentions, the 1st limb of Ashtanga Yoga.

At first, this seems simple and straightforward, just be honest, and do lie, tell the truth.  But, in reality, this is much deeper.  Balancing this with kindness or Ahimsa is often tough or near impossible.  To be kind often involves not telling the truth, holding your tongue, showing patience, or reinterpreting your feelings at that moment.  But, is that honest?  Maybe.

Let's take a simple example.  A friend of mine asks me a rhetorical question like "Do you think I'm a good person?"  Without hesitation, I say, "Of course you are, you have so many great qualities about you."  And that's a kind response, isn't it?  But, for my friend to even bring up that very question, means that something is up, something is wrong, that there's a question in my friend's mind about their standing or being.  Now, was my answer honest?  I guess so.  Was it completely honest?  Probably not.

Let's take a more complex example.  Let's say I'm selling my company's product to a customer, knowing full well there's lots of weaknesses, limitations, and issues involved, stuff that I conveniently gloss over.  Am I being honest there?  Well, partially, I suppose, I can spin it so that it is honest, or as honest as I can be.  But, it's still half baked, isn't it?  I won't tell the whole story because it may jeopardize business, and there's no way that can happen.  I guess we call this "sales savvy," or knowing what to say and when.

So, life is full of these half-truths, disguised as kindness, savvy, or wisdom.  And I suppose there's nothing wrong with that all, it's just the way we work as human beings.

And then there's the personal issue, being true to yourself, being able to handle your thoughts, words, and actions, and the consequences associated with them.  For me, this is always tough, because as kind as I want to be to myself, this self-examination of what is right and wrong, for me, is sometimes tortuous.  It's difficult, but sometimes I find peace by accepting whatever thoughts, words, or actions are out there, caused by my mind, mouth, or body and taking ownership and responsibility for them.  I ask forgiveness for my thoughts, words, and actions, and pray that I may become a better person someday.