Satya

I am an honest person. I've always prided myself on that. I avoid lying as much as possible, and being deceitful makes me uncomfortable, and unhappy. But there is one major exception - humor. I love a good laugh, a funny story, a great impersonation. If embellishing a story makes it more humorous, I do it. I usually admit to the embellishment after, and 'fess up to the honest version, with a big smile on my face because I love the funny version as much as I love the truth.

Today's meditation from the mat focuses on the second yama, 'satya' which roughly means truthfulness. According to the Yoga Sutras, "When the practitioner is firmly established in the practice of the truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization." This is way I've always to live my life, even before I started yoga many years ago. I've always felt it important that people could know that everything I said was true and honest, and that what I say will come true, because I believe it and act on it. Again though, with the exception of humor.

When I first read the quote, I felt excited and peaceful all at the same time, eager to keep reading something that spoke so clearly to my heart. But then the author said, "Little by little we notice, and then drop, our old habits of embellishment, obfuscation, minimization, self-aggrandizement, omission, rationalization, and exaggeration." Wait... what? To fully embody satya, I have to drop my habits of embellishment and exaggeration? Where is the fun in that?

Because I've so often held being truthful in such high esteem, "sat, nam" has become one of my meditation mantras for inhales and exhales... meaning loosely "truth is my action". Sat, nam, sat, nam, sat, nam. I find it calming, empowering, and humbling all at once. But now I don't know... does it mean I have to be boring too?

I'm feeling perplexed tonight. Does yoga leave no room for humor in an honest life? I sure love a yoga class with a few laughs, and a life full of laughter, so I hope not. Maybe I need a new meditation mantra... sat, nam, lol. ;)

Namaste