Daily Yogi’s Guide to Satya (Truthfulness)

Table of contents

Daily Yogi branch of Yamas lower limb of yoga - Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha
Yamas – Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha

1st Limb of Yoga – Yamas (Interpersonal Ethics) #2: Satya

The first 2 of the 8 Limbs of Yoga are the Yamas and Niyamas. There are 5 Yamas and 5 Niyamas, and we will take a full day to practice each one.

Many of the Yamas (YAH-muhs), or Interpersonal Ethics, are based fairly universally agreed upon morals and the Golden Rule. Let’s take a closer look at the second of five Yamas – Satya.

All about Satya (Truthfulness)

What does Satya mean? What is the translation of Satya?

It is important to note that the literal translation of Satya (SAHT-yah) is truth, but it is often translated as Benevolent Truthfulness. This means it is usually better to keep a hurtful truth to oneself. If you determine it is necessary to share a hurtful truth, make sure to do so as gently and compassionately as possible. On a deeper level, Satya is about more than just not telling lies, but about seeing the reality of situations, others, and ourselves.

What is Satya?

Satya means truth, but it is often translated as Benevolent Truthfulness. This means it is usually better to keep a hurtful truth to oneself. If you determine it is necessary to share a hurtful truth, make sure to do so as gently and compassionately as possible. On a deeper level, Satya is about more than just not telling lies, but about seeing the reality of situations, others, and ourselves.

How do I practice Satya?

Satya is often translated as Benevolent Truthfulness. My favorite practice is to share a kind truth or compliment a loved one. Another great practice is to compliment a passer-by on something they chose for the day. A more challenging Satya practice is to exercise honesty with ourself, and examine any areas in our life that are no longer serving us, or where we can improve.

How to practice Satya (Truthfulness)

How to practice Satya (Truthfulness)

  1. Share a kind truth with someone you care about

    Contact your best friend just to say how much you admire their drive, or loyalty or the ability to always make you laugh. Tell your significant other how much you appreciate the thing you love most about them. Call a friend or family member who had a significant positive impact on your life, and let them know how thankful you are. Message an old colleague or boss who helped you on your path, and thank them for their mentoring. Reach out to someone you love and/or someone you know could use a pick-me-up.

  2. Give a compliment

    Give a compliment to a friend, acquaintance, or passer-by! Although you can cautiously compliment someone on their physical appearance, it is safest and most meaningful to compliment someone on something they picked themselves such as a unique accessory, trinket, or professional equipment.

  3. Focus on being honest with yourself

    Examine areas of your life that may no longer serve you. Cut out bad habits, integrate more positive practices, or take action on something you have been avoiding. Remember the KIND truth translation of Satya, and make sure to be gentle and kind to yourself!

Asana Practices

Here are some Asanas (poses) and Asana series I feel embody the spirit of Satya! Click the images to learn to how to perform the pose or more about the Asana style!

Please note this section is currently under construction – please check back soon for more!

Parighasana - gate pose - yoga pose girl sunny day yoga on the beach
Parighasana – Gate Pose

Meditation Practices

Here are some of my favorite meditations I feel embody the spirit of Satya!

Guided Meditation – Seeing Your True Self.

Please note this section is currently under construction – please check back soon for more!

Satya Quotes

  • beach under pier water cool ocean perspective - satya truthfulness sufi saying Quote: Before you speak let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate ask yourself - is it true? At the second gate ask - is it necessary? At the third gate ask - is it kind? - Sufi Saying
    Before you speak let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate ask yourself – is it true? At the second gate ask – is it necessary? At the third gate ask – is it kind? – Sufi Saying
  • blue purple and pink epic alpine sunset in mountains - Satya Quote: Practicing Satya (truthfulness) causes actions to deliver intended results. - Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
    Practicing Satya (truthfulness) causes actions to deliver intended results. – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
  • orange and pink epic alpine sunset in mountains - satya truth truthfulness Quote: Three things can not hide for long, the moon, the sun, and the truth. - Gautama Buddha
    Three things can not hide for long, the moon, the sun, and the truth. – Gautama Buddha
  • conifer forest tangled tree branches with bright sunlight - satya truth truthfulness Quote: When in doubt, tell the truth. - Mark Twain
    When in doubt, tell the truth. – Mark Twain
  • pink rose and rosebud with green leaves - satya truth truthfulness honesty Quote: Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise. - Sigmund Freud
    Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise. – Sigmund Freud
  • orange purple and pink epic beach sunset - satya truth truthfulness Quote: Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. - Henry David Thoreau
    Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. – Henry David Thoreau
  • close up purple fireweed flowers with green leaves and pine trees cool alpine flower perspective - satya truthfulness true self Quote: The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are. - Carl Jung
    The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are. – Carl Jung
  • snowy alpine valley snow covered river bank and clear blue snake river fork with rocky creek and background green pine trees snow capped mountains and bright blue sky - satya kind truth truthfulness Quote: Be kind and honest, and harmful poisons will turn sweet inside you. - Rumi
    Be kind and honest, and harmful poisons will turn sweet inside you. – Rumi
  • bright blue alpine lake surrounded by dark green pine trees in snow-capped mountain valley with bright blue cloudless sky - satya truthfulness right action Quote: We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. - Aristotle
    We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. – Aristotle
  • snow-capped brown snowy rocky cliff with small frozen waterfalls flowing icicles - satya truthfulness right speech Quote: Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret,for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true. -Robert Brault
    Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret,for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true. -Robert Brault
  • bright blue sky wispy white clouds over nahant bay looking back at Boston with tide out over glistening beach reflecting the sky - satya truthfulness right thought Quote: If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both saltwater mixed with air. - Nayyirah Waheed
    If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both saltwater mixed with air. – Nayyirah Waheed
  • snow capped mountain peak with blue and pink glowing sunset and pale white moon - Satya Quote: Practicing Satya causes actions to deliver intended results. - Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
    Practicing Satya causes actions to deliver intended results. – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
  • snow capped mountain peak with blue and pink glowing sunset and dark green pine trees - Satya truth true to yourself Quote: One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself. - Shannon L. Alder
    One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself. – Shannon L. Alder
  • close-up purple blue and white columbine flower with fuzzy background of green grass and leaves and brown rocks - satya truth truthfulness honesty Quote: Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy. - Warren Wiersbe
    Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy. – Warren Wiersbe
  • green algae covered pond surrounded by green leafy trees under cloudless blue sky - satya truth honesty truthfulness Quote: Just give yourself permission to tell the truth to yourself. - Iyanla Vanzant
    Just give yourself permission to tell the truth to yourself. – Iyanla Vanzant
  • close-up purple blue and white columbine flower with fuzzy background of green grass and leaves and brown rocks - satya truth truthfulness honesty Quote - When words are both true and kind, they can change the world. - Buddha
    When words are both true and kind, they can change the world. – Buddha
  • epic cloudy purple and pink alpine sunset in mountains with darkened green pine trees - satya truth honesty truthfulness Quote: The thing that is really hard and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning to work on becoming yourself. - Anna Quindlen
    The thing that is really hard and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning to work on becoming yourself. – Anna Quindlen
  • close-up white daisy flower with fuzzy background of green grass and leaves and white lattice - satya truth truthfulness Quote: Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living. - Buddha
    Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living. – Buddha
  • cool perspective snow clouds over pine trees mountain snow cloud - satya truth honesty truthfulness Quote: The busy man has no time for truth. The wise man dedicates his life to it. - Maxime Lagacé
    The busy man has no time for truth. The wise man dedicates his life to it. – Maxime Lagacé
  • cool wine country temecula landscape with bright green grass, dirt roads, and desert plants under bright blue sky - satya truth truthfulness self honesty Quote: The truth may hurt, but fooling yourself will enslave you. - Charles F. Glassman
    The truth may hurt, but fooling yourself will enslave you. – Charles F. Glassman
  • cool new england rock garden landscape with bright green grass, gray rocks, and trees under partly cloudy sky - satya truth truthfulness self honesty Quote: The ability to ask questions is the greatest resource in learning the truth. - Carl Jung
    The ability to ask questions is the greatest resource in learning the truth. – Carl Jung
  • sun shining behind snow-capped mountain under bright blue sky - satya truth truthfulness self honesty Quote: The whole key is to be honest with yourself, find the weak spots, work on it, get it done. - Wladimir Klitschko
    The whole key is to be honest with yourself, find the weak spots, work on it, get it done. – Wladimir Klitschko
  • cool perspective looking at the top of snow covered rocks under bright blue sky - satya truth honesty truthfulness Quote: The wise try to adjust themselves to the truth, while fools try to adjust the truth to themselves. - Thibaut
    The wise try to adjust themselves to the truth, while fools try to adjust the truth to themselves. – Thibaut
  • cool perspective looking out rainy window at ocean and tropical mountain islands under rainy gray sky - satya truth truthfulness self honesty Quote: Being honest when you’re dealing with others is easier to do because your honesty is on the table for all to view… Being honest with yourself is more difficult because you only have to justify it in private where no one can see it. - Jeffrey Gitomer
    Being honest when you’re dealing with others is easier to do because your honesty is on the table for all to view… Being honest with yourself is more difficult because you only have to justify it in private where no one can see it. – Jeffrey Gitomer
  • cool perspective looking up at cloudy blue sky in the mountains with darkened green pine trees - satya kind truth honesty truthfulness friends and family Quote: Cherish your friends and family. They have helped you get where you are today. - Catherine Pulsifer
    Cherish your friends and family. They have helped you get where you are today. – Catherine Pulsifer
  • close-up purple blue hyacinth flowers and green leaves - satya truth honesty truthfulness right thoughts correct thoughts Quote: Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
    Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • cool shot of mount rushmore under bright blue sky - satya truth honesty truthfulness right speech correct speech Quote: When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say. - Abraham Lincoln original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/9_onxRgAmRA
    When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say. – Abraham Lincoln
  • cool shot of snow covered dark rocks under bright blue clear sky - satya truth honesty truthfulness right action correct action Quote: Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny. - Tryon Edwards
    Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny. – Tryon Edwards
  • cool perspective looking through under darkening purple sky - satya kind truth honesty truthfulness Quote: The good words we speak are powerful, motivating and inspiring, they can travel to places we can't go, to solve problems, resolve conflicts, comfort and liberate in times of pain, sorrow and trouble. - Bamigboye Olurotimi
    The good words we speak are powerful, motivating and inspiring, they can travel to places we can’t go, to solve problems, resolve conflicts, comfort and liberate in times of pain, sorrow and trouble. – Bamigboye Olurotimi
  • cool perspective close-up of colorful art with orange blue and purple paint streaks - satya truth truthfulness self honesty Quote: The strongest force in the universe is a human being living consistently with his identity. - Tony Robbins
    The strongest force in the universe is a human being living consistently with his identity. – Tony Robbins
  • cool shot of epic cloudy alpine sunset with bright orange and purple gray clouds over darkened mountains and pine trees - satya kind truth honesty truthfulness Quote: The only way to tell the truth is to speak it with kindness. Only the words of a loving man can be heard. - Henry David Thoreau
    The only way to tell the truth is to speak it with kindness. Only the words of a loving man can be heard. – Henry David Thoreau
  • alpine forest with lichen covered rocks and moss among dark green pine trees - satya truth truthfulness self honesty Quote: The freedom to be yourself is a gift only you can give yourself. But once you do, no one can take it away. - Doe Zantamata
    The freedom to be yourself is a gift only you can give yourself. But once you do, no one can take it away. – Doe Zantamata

Today’s Practice

Ready for more? Join the community with Today’s Positive Practice