Yamas in the 21st Century. Yama #2 Satya: Non-Lying

So I think the white lies of omission to avoid hurting someone (ahimsa) are acceptable to a degree BUT what about lying to yourself? This brings us back to the inner critic convincing us of the worst or maybe even the opposite of deluding ourselves that everything is going to be okay clinging to hope. Is living in hope to avoid a harsher reality a bad thing? Everyone needs a pair of rose tinted glasses sometimes right?

This can especially be true when looking at high performance athletes who psyche themselves up before a game. Visualising something that you want to happen as if it is already happened has been proven to show higher success rates. If we believe it we can make it. Manifesting and visualisation is also very trendy, and for good reason, with therapists and coaches. Positive affirmations in combination with these other tools can reprogram the brain to achieve better success at work, in love and in mental health.

But when is it important to know where to draw the line?

So how can we link this to our practice? Ever heard your yoga teacher tell you to be honest with yourself? Slow down? Only go as far as your body lets you? How often do you listen? How often are you really honest with yourself and take it slow, don’t let the ego get in the way and do what would be better for you? This brings into question if we can really decipher the truth our bodies are trying to tell us? This is a skill in itself. Again having proprioception, awareness and an ability to tune in and listen. If we hype ourselves up too much we will block out our pain receptors therefor leaving us vulnerable to injury.