“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” – Brené Brown
Weekly Focus: Satya (truthfulness)
Satya is the second yama and suggests the act of truthfulness. The Yamas are guidelines from which we are recommended to live by. These are focused on our place within the world and how we interact with our environment, community and external world. Let’s frame Satya, or the act of being truthful to it’s more subtle qualities.
Satya comes frome the root word ‘sat’ meaning ‘true essence’ or ‘unchangeable.’ The true essence within each one of us is the foundation of our authenticity. This is the deeper, more subtle, and often harder suggestion of truthfulness when we consider Satya.
Deep Self reflection asks us to be truthful to ourselves in thought and action. Can we envision a space where we show up honestly as our most authentic Selves?
Engaging in Self reflection can help to bring more clarity in the mind by quieting the mind chatter (Citta Vrtti), we may have a more clear view of ourselves from the inside out. Are we acting true to ourselves with our actions, thoughts and words? Are we showing up with authenticity? Or, are we presenting a version of ourselves that we think the world expects of us?
When we choose to present ourselves with truth and clarity we share our uniqueness with the world around us, we create a more intimate relationship with ourself, and in turn, we allow ourselves to be more intimate in our relationships with others.
Here is a simple practice in Satya:
- Listen to your heart — come to a quiet and comfortable place and close your eyes. Focus on the pattern of your breathing for a few moments. Then ask yourself — what is my heart’s deepest desire? Reflect on this question for several minutes. Allow the thoughts to flood with responses. When you feel ready, opne your eyes and journal everything you considered. Use this practice regularly as a guide to know what you truly want in life.
- Know who you are — take some time to consider your morals and values. Write yourself a mission statement. Choose the top [5] values that are most important to you and write a sentence or two on why and how to practice them. Hang this in a prominent place that you can always see.
- Speak your truth — Practice the art of being vulnerable. When are you having a rough day, clearly share that with those you work closely with, so that you may show up authentically. On the flip side, when things are going well, share it also! Context can be helpful for others so that you may feel authentic in your presentation day to day.
Passive Pose of the Week: Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined bound angle pose)
Supta Baddha Konasana is a very open and receptive posture. Some individuals may even feel a bit vulnerable in this pose. The practice of Satya and truthfulness can initially make you feel bare and vulnerable, even if the outcome provides more freedom. Tap into those qualities here and create a space for openness and receptivity in this restorative posture.
- Begin lying down on your back.
- Pad the head with a blanket or pillow if you choose.
- Start with your feet planted on the floor and your knees bent.
- Bring the soles of the feet together and let the knees open wide like a book. Slide the feet futher away from you so that the legs make a long diamond shape.
- Slide yoga blocks, pillows, or folded towels behind the back of the knees for support.
- Set a time for 7 – 10 minutes. Stay and breathe steady, letting the eyes close.
This pose tends to be a fan favorite. Supta baddha konasana is excellent for down-regulating and calming the nervous system. It also helps to create a feeling of openness in the hips, especially helpful for those sitting in chairs most of their day. A 10-minute respite in supta baddha konasana can go a long way to restore the body midday when you need a little pick me up.
Active Pose of the Week: Salabahasana (locust pose)
Salabhasana is a broad backbend that utilizes the strength of the full body from head to toe. As we lift our heart space from the ground we metaphorically open ourselves up in search of truth. This posture has a sort of seeking or probing quality to it, which we can correlate to searching for satya within ourselves. It takes strength to stand up as yourself; try to engage and activate that strength here in Salabhasana.
- Begin lying on your belly. Let your arms lay straight alongside your body, palms face down.
- First, lift just the chest, shoulders and head from the floor, keep your hands and feet connected to the earth. Push down into your palms to help lift the shoulders up. Lift up and down in this way several times.
- Now that you are warm, Lift the head, chest and shoulders and allow the hands to float with with you. Turn the palms in to face one another and imagine pulling a strap apart between your hands. Keep the feet on the floor.
- Finally, lift the head, chest, shoulders and arms, and then also add in the feet. Squeeze the toes towards on another and feel the whole back of the body lift up.
- Remember to breathe! Try to take [5] steady breaths before coming down.
Salabhasana is a great pose to practice with a friend you trust! While friend [1] is on the floor practicing locust, the friend [2] will stand behind the friend [1], strattling the back. With their consent, friend [2] will lightly bring their hands to the fronts of their friend’s shoulders and apply a gentle pressure. This support and help friend [1] lift up more and broaden the chest!
Join us in class this week to practice your Satya. See the full schedule HERE.
