Yama #2 Satya (Truth and Honesty)
The 10 Tantrik Yamas
Yama #2 of the Classical Yogic Tradition
Satya: Truth, Truthfulness & Radical Honesty
The Second Yama of Classical Yoga – Integrity, Inquiry & the Fire of Sincerity
Do you truly want to know the truth—or are you content to believe your own stories?
This second satsanga in the Yamas series deepens our exploration of yogic restraint with Satya, the vow of truthfulness. Far more than simply “telling the truth,” Satya is a total orientation toward what is real—cultivating honesty in thought, word, and deed. Rooted in compassion (Ahimsa), it demands both precision and care: an unwavering gaze and a softened heart.
Drawing from Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, Buddhist teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, and practical methods of advanced self-inquiry, this two-hour journey leads you toward radical sincerity. You’ll learn to dismantle personal narratives, meet life as it actually is, and engage with the world through clarity, mindfulness, and compassion.
What You’ll Learn
Satya in the Yoga Sūtras:
Study Satya as defined in the classical yogic texts—not only as right speech, but as a deep and courageous alignment with what is.
Satya & Ahimsa:
Understand how truthfulness must emerge from non-violence—how truth, without compassion, becomes weaponized; and how compassion, without truth, becomes sentimentality.
Reality & the Willingness to Know:
Engage the existential question: “What’s true, and do I really want to know?” Delve into the structure of perception, belief, and projection.
Comparative Insights:
Explore how Satya resonates across global wisdom traditions—especially in Buddhist psychology through the Four Noble Truths, Right Speech, and ethical presence.
Guided Practices & Meditations
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Investigating Reality: Foundational inquiry into the structure of your current worldview.
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Retraining the Ego: A practice of “burning the storyline” to reveal truth beneath personal myth.
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Advanced Self-Inquiry: Drawing from both yogic and Buddhist perspectives.
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Absolute Sincerity: A deep call to meet yourself without pretense.
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The Shiva / Shakti Response: Embodied wisdom as an answer to life’s truth-moments.
Why This Program?
In an era where truth is often reduced to slogans, soundbites, and sanitized branding, this satsanga offers something far more vital: a space for truth as transmission—as a living force that dissolves illusion and opens the heart. You’ll be invited to confront personal bias, release self-deception, and step into a fuller, more honest expression of life.
Through timeless teachings, embodied meditation, and tools for self-inquiry, Satya becomes not only a moral stance but a transformative practice of awakening.
A Continuing Journey
Each satsanga builds upon the last. If you’re just joining now, consider exploring the first in the series—Ahimsa: The Great Vow of Non-Violence—available in the Program Library.
This is a life-defining engagement with the foundational commitments of yoga, and an invitation to meet your life with presence, depth, and radiant honesty.
*DISCLAIMER* Participating in yoga and/or yoga philosophy classes, including but not limited to the guided meditations therein, involves inherent psycho-physical risk. These risks include, but are not limited to, physical injuries (e.g., strains, sprains, or fractures), emotional distress, or psychological discomfort arising from the meditation process. Understand that meditation may bring up strong emotions or unresolved issues. By enrolling in this class, you confirm that you are aware of and understand the inherent risks involved in yoga and guided meditation, and are aware that your participation is voluntary and that you are responsible for your own well-being during these activities.
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Course Content
I can’t remember the exact words used, but I appreciated the connection between truthfulness and goodwill. Felt like that really helped to ground and simplify things for me.
The guided meditations are also awesome