Satya: Truth and Story-telling

Satya is the second yama - code of conduct in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras - and it means literally to 'speak the truth.' It is important to weave into the practice of satya the first yama, ahimsa (non violence), i.e. to speak the truth without violence or harm to others. I also feel Satya needs to be viewed within the context of the first and fourth niyamas (internal codes of conduct) sauca - meaning 'purity', and 'svadhyaya' - self study, introspective and learned exploration of the 'true self'.

Lets break this down and bring it into everyday parenting situations. When I first started looking at this yama a few months ago, I began to work with my son on his telling the truth - he is a very charismatic and imaginative story spinner - which in our playful life I have totally encouraged as we tell stories and goof/act/role-play together lots, which I LOVE! 

However, I began to notice the importance of his knowing the line of when truthfulness is crucial - and the foundation for all loving human relationships. We began to tell the story of Peter and the Wolf together, and The Honest Woodcutter from Aesops's Fables. I love using stories in parenting from our oral tradition, as little instruction needs to be given alongside them - they wash around the child and build an imaginative yet instructive patchwork in family life. You can find them at (http://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/index.html)

As we moved through the practical surface level of truth telling, I also saw the need for us to be truthful about our emotions, our resources and abilities - for everyone in our family to hear each others truth and our 'reality' as we see and feel it... Which brought to mind the Serenity Prayer...

- 'Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

                                                The courage to change the things I can,   

And wisdom to know the difference.'

Over these few months of thinking and talking about truthfulness in our family - my son's favourite story from a beautiful Barefoot Book - 'Tales of Wisdom and Wonder' was 'The Blind Man and the Hunter.' This message I think perfectly reflects that our view of the world, people, a situation - our truth - is so much more powerful when it comes from a deep and humble inner-knowing that the practice of yoga is fundamentally about.

You can listen to the story online here:

http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/1001stories/detail/155/the-blind-man-and-the-hunter.html

In joy!