Now is the time to hold to what is true. Gandhi in his famed march against oppression and tyranny coined the term satyagraha, a vow to stand firm in the service of truth. As the election here in the U.S. approaches amidst much distortion, lies and misinformation, we are called to hold to truth, personally, and collectively. But what really is true? Today it is easy to get tripped up on what is true with many versions being downright hallucinogenic.
Now you might say truth depends on individual belief informed by your zip code, your family of origin, or your friends. You might say it depends on what network you listen to and who you trust for your news. But wait, no, truth is not divisable by party lines. To live true is to live by care and empathy not hatred and aggression. Personal and collective integrity requires a kind of restraint, known in yoga as yama—the vows of non-harming, honesty, and generosity of spirit. It is the courage to stand up against forces that demean and oppress. It requires standing up against male domination, racism and social injustice. It is to stand for the truth that all lives matter– Black, White, Brown, and Immigrant. It is the freedom to choose to love who you wish to love but not to hate who you wish to hate. It is the vow to not create further trauma in the world. It is the freedom to express one’s belief, but not to use cutting, inflammatory speech. It is the freedom to believe what you like but not impose beliefs upon others.
Satyagraha is a kind of yoga practice unto itself, yoking to what is just and fair. It requires going back to the first chakra, to be disciplined and firm in the taproot of your being. Most of all, holding to truth requires that we live with a benevolent heart and discriminating mind.
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