Today we’re taking another pass at satya, the second yama from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutra we’re focusing on is YS 2.36: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam—when one is firmly established in truth, their actions bear fruit.
This is a powerful idea. It suggests that when we are rooted in truth, what we say comes to life. Something here touches on the modern idea of manifestation but is grounded in yogic ethics—truth as a force, not just a concept.
But Satya isn’t just “don’t lie.” That’s only the surface level. The deeper understanding is about alignment—about not cultivating dishonesty at all, because the energy it takes to maintain a lie, remember what we said to whom, and live split in ourselves, is exhausting. Living satya means living in full alignment. It’s about integrity. When we say what we mean and mean what we say, there's a sense of inner coherence.
The word pratiṣṭhā means firmly rooted. Picture a tree, stable, deep in the earth—truth planted deep within us like that. When we’re established in truth, our words carry weight. They matter. They shape the world around us. We become trustworthy, not just to others but to ourselves. Life gets simpler. Our energy flows where it’s needed. We don’t waste time in contradiction. We become more effective.
On a personal level, I often ask myself: Are there places in my life where I say one thing and do another? Because this yama is really about energetics—aligning our speech, thoughts, and actions to our deeper nature. For some people, this kind of congruence comes easily. For others, myself included, it’s a daily practice. Sometimes the truth is simply saying “I don’t know,” instead of pretending I do. Or telling someone close to me something hard—with kindness. Or admitting I’m scared instead of pretending I’m confident. Being vulnerable, honest, and grounded.
It reminds me of the Jim Carrey movie Liar, Liar. It’s a comedy, yes, but it paints a surprisingly profound picture of what life might look like if we could only tell the truth. And there’s something freeing about that. We don’t need to manipulate or hustle or perform. We just speak the truth and let the universe work out the details. We say what’s true, and we let go.
Because truth, when lived fully, doesn’t just help us navigate life more cleanly—it transforms the very way life shows up for us.
