The third practice of the first limb of yoga is to live a life of truthfulness and honesty. We should not lie, cheat, or deceive others or ourselves. Yes, ourselves. Much of the dishonesty towards others begins with self-delusion. These false beliefs many of us have about who we are is projected out into the world. We want others to think we are good, smart, beautiful, wealthy, special, better than others, etc. This need to obtain others’ approval of us and to get what we selfishly want leads to a life of dishonesty.

Practicing Satya means to live in truth. To live in truth, we need to humble our egos, and both acknowledge and accept who we have been and who we truly are. This may mean stepping up to our faults and deceptive behaviors and taking responsibility to come clean and ask for forgiveness. It takes an incredible amount of self-reflection, but once we become aware of who we have been trying to be, we can begin to clear out the clutter of delusions and make changes to be who we truly already are.

When we live in truth, life is just, good, and beautiful. This doesn’t mean everything in life will go perfectly smooth for us all the time, but we will be more aware of and in tune with the beauty that is the truth behind all that happens. Lies, deception, and illusions are transitory. Truth is real. It is always there, constant, and never changing. Though sometimes it may be hard to hear, it is not the truth, but the lie, that hurts. Truth only brings clarity and awareness. Let us all each day strive to live and be in the beauty of truth.