Satya

Definition

Satya is the practice of truthfulness and authenticity. As the second yama, it represents commitment to truth in all its dimensions: being truthful with oneself, with others, and in the perception of reality.

Etymology

It derives from the Sanskrit root sat, which means “to be,” “to exist,” “what is.” Satya is therefore “that which is” — truth as alignment with reality. In the Vedic tradition, sat also connotes the good and the eternal, establishing a deep connection between truth, goodness, and existence.

Context in the Yoga Sutras

Patañjali mentions satya in Sutra II.30 as the second yama. Sutra II.36 describes its fruit: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When satya is firmly established, actions and their fruits rest upon the practitioner.” This suggests that the practitioner’s word acquires creative power; what they say tends to manifest.

Classical commentators note that satya must be subordinate to ahimsa. If truth causes unnecessary harm, silence may be more appropriate. Truth is expressed with compassion.

Practical Application

In communication:

• Avoid direct lies, exaggerations, and half-truths
• Do not use silence as a form of deception
• Express truth in a way that can be received, choosing the right moment and words

In personal authenticity:

• Recognize one’s real motivations, beyond justifications
• Do not pretend to be someone else to gain approval
• Accept one’s own shadows without denying or exaggerating them

In perception:

• Question automatic interpretations of events
• Distinguish between facts and assumptions
• Recognize one’s own biases

Limits of satya: Danilo Hernández warns that brutal truth, spoken without consideration for the other, can be a form of violence disguised as honesty. The key question is: does this truth help or hurt?

Relationship with Yoga Practice

In āsana practice, satya implies honesty about one’s own capabilities. Not faking postures that the body cannot hold with integrity. Recognizing when pride or comparison distorts the practice.

In meditation, satya is the foundation of self-knowledge. We can only transform what we first recognize. The Bihar School of Yoga notes that many mental tensions come from the dissonance between what we appear to be and what we are. Satya dissolves that friction.

Honest yoga practice progressively reveals subtler layers of self-deception, inviting ever greater authenticity.