Satya

Non-Lying. Truthfulness.

Speaking our truth to ourselves is just as important to being truthful in our society. Honestly, I speak my truth too much sometimes, to the point where it gets me in trouble! Being truthful may not mean being perfect, but it means we own our mistakes and we learn and grow from them.

Too often I am seeing online interactions where people are misinformed or under-informed and trying to share "truth" - but what is truth? From the perspective of science around the coronavirus, the truth is always changing because we are learning more and discovering how things work. People who may be less literate are seeing the changes in scientific theories and saying "they're lying. Science is lying" but think about how we grow and evolve as adults: When I'm six years old I may say, "I hate broccoli. I'm NEVER going to eat broccoli" but as a 32 year old woman, I love to roast broccoli and squeeze a little lemon on top. Does that make me a liar because something has changed? I've learned more about cooking broccoli and the health benefits of broccoli because I know that's what's good for me. Now I enjoy it. 

Truths DO change, facts will evolve, but it's our job as reasonable adults to understand our biases and be realistic. 

Speaking the truth to ourselves, however, is difficult. Sometimes we are interrupted by our own egos. Part of truthfulness is embracing where you are in any particular moment. When it comes to learning a new song, a new skill, or developing your vocal technique, you must recognize and accept that you must approach things from a learner's perspective.  You are constantly learning, growing and evolving. Sometimes you must tell yourself the truth that you're not yet ready to sing a certain role, maybe your ankles aren't strong enough for pointe shoes, maybe your body is not ready to pop up into a wheel pose. Understand your truth and where you are, so that you can take the steps you need to prepare for what you want. I've taken many steps before I was ready, but I've also held myself back thinking I was not ready yet. It's a careful balancing act, and the only way to make it through is to understand your own truth.