Walk Home Together

Yoga is transformative; just ask any committed practitioner. It changes your body, yes. But the real benefit is much deeper than that. 

I’ve written before about Western yoga NOT being a religion, but it is a spiritual journey and a way of being. It does not conflict with mainstream religious beliefs in the slightest, but it is a meaningful compliment to whatever faith you do practice. 

Yoga on and off the mat requires honesty and accountability. There is no lying to yourself. You become acutely aware of your strengths and your weaknesses. Physically, you discover the limitations of your body and celebrate the powerful parts. It’s all part of the whole that is uniquely YOU. 

But off the mat is where the real practice is. 

Yoga challenges the stories we have created in our heads. We observe Satya, which translates to “truthfulness”. Real truthfulness. Truth doesn’t live in a vacuum, and living with honesty and integrity is not for the weak. It’s humbling, but ultimately freeing. 

We start to see the little lies we tell. The excuses and justifications we use. These little lies that keep us from being the best humans we can be. 

When we manipulate people, even with good intentions, it’s a lie. When we judge people (and ourselves) without compassion, it’s a lie. When we say “Nothing” is wrong when we are hurting, it’s a lie. When we habitually overeat or undereat or overdrink or overspend or whatever it is that we do to numb and distract us from what’s not working in our lives, it’s a lie.

When people begin to connect with what yoga means off the mat, there is a shift. We begin to realize that life is for living, not pretending. I’ve seen it firsthand in myself and my friends and it is glorious. People limping along in toxic relationships decide to leave, because one more day of that lie is one too many. LGBTQ+ people break out of the proverbial closet and finally live their lives as their true selves. Unhealthy family dynamics come into sharp focus and we finally learn to set boundaries to protect ourselves. People who have struggled with disordered eating begin to find peace and balance. People in jobs they hate buying stuff they don’t want just to keep up with the Joneses decide it’s not worth it and rethink how they want to spend the remainder of their lives. These are not easy choices, but they are necessary ones, and there will be casualties. Not everyone in our circles will get it, but those that do are our true kindred companions and trusted friends. 

Satya is seeking truth, even if it’s uncomfortable, even if it’s painful. It’s the only way to live with authenticity and peace. We stop lying to ourselves and we stop accepting lies from elsewhere. We begin to recognize falsity as soon as it presents itself. 

But it’s a practice, which means we are constantly working on it, getting better in tiny increments. We wobble and we fall but we try again. And again. And again. Just like we’re on the mat.