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284. Established in Truth!

My Daily Thread

Release Date: 06/16/2025

285.  Liar Liar ... show art 285. Liar Liar ...

My Daily Thread

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...

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284.  Established in Truth! show art 284. Established in Truth!

My Daily Thread

YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them.” We’re back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we’re rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It’s not that we control outcomes like magic. But...

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283. A mercy that starts inside... show art 283. A mercy that starts inside...

My Daily Thread

Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we return to ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being established in non-violence—as taught in Yoga Sūtra 2.35. We’ve already explored how the yamas and niyamas are not just rules, but deeply personal practices—moral and ethical disciplines that offer a framework for living. Simple? Yes. But easy? Not always. They are practices for managing our lives skillfully, for creating relationships rooted in integrity, peace, and...

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282.  Ahimsa and our modern Matriarchs. show art 282. Ahimsa and our modern Matriarchs.

My Daily Thread

Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, then all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we reflect again on ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being firmly established in non-harming. Patanjali teaches that this is not a casual virtue but a transformative power: when someone has deeply integrated non-violence into their being, conflict and aggression fall away in their presence. We see examples of this principle embodied in historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fred Rogers,...

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281.  A Non-violent default setting ... show art 281. A Non-violent default setting ...

My Daily Thread

Today, we return to our study of aṣṭāṅga yoga, the eight-limbed path outlined by Patañjali. As a reminder, the eight limbs are: Yama – ethical restraints Niyama – personal observances Āsana – posture Prāṇāyāma – breath regulation Pratyāhāra – withdrawal of the senses Dhāraṇā – concentration Dhyāna – meditation Samādhi – absorption or union The first four limbs are external practices—disciplines that we can actively cultivate through behavior and intention. The final four, the internal limbs, arise naturally from the consistent and...

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280.  Desire to anger, huh? show art 280. Desire to anger, huh?

My Daily Thread

Today we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace those that are harmful or negative. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...

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279.  Desire to disillusionment... show art 279. Desire to disillusionment...

My Daily Thread

Today, we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace harmful or negative ones. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts, such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...

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278.  Don't be a greedy thief! show art 278. Don't be a greedy thief!

My Daily Thread

We continue our journey with Yoga Sūtra 2.33, and now deepen into the next verse — 2.34. If 2.33 gave us the prescription — pratipakṣa-bhāvanam — then 2.34 shows us the diagnosis, the depth of the problem. Let’s start by recalling the previous sutra: vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate their opposites.” Vitarka refers to thoughts that are harmful, unwholesome, or negative — especially those rooted in violence, attachment, or...

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277.  277. "Stop it!" Bob Newhart, and thought replacement therapy.

My Daily Thread

We continue our exploration through the Sādhana Pāda, arriving again at Yoga Sūtra 2.33 — a powerful and practical teaching that has everything to do with the life we’re living today. vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate the opposite.” It’s deceptively simple yet deeply profound. This teaching lives not in theory but in everyday experience. It’s all too easy to be swept up in negative thoughts or drawn into negative...

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276. Don't fight it.  Redirect .. show art 276. Don't fight it. Redirect ..

My Daily Thread

Let's review Yoga Sūtra 2.32, which lists the five niyamas, or personal observances — and in reviewing this sūtra, what strikes me most is the elegant simplicity of the path it offers. These teachings, though ancient, are profoundly relevant today — perhaps even more so in our overstimulated, fast-paced world. Let’s revisit the niyamas through a simple lens of choice: Śauca (शौच) – Choose simplicity over excess. Santoṣa (सन्तोष) – Choose gratitude over striving. Tapaḥ (तपः) – Choose effort over escape. Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय)...

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YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them.”

We’re back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we’re rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It’s not that we control outcomes like magic. But our speech and actions become aligned, trustworthy, resonant. People believe us. We believe in ourselves. And the world reflects that back.

Let’s look at the Sanskrit closely. Satya is truthfulness, not just about being honest, but being in harmony with reality—what’s authentic, what’s sincere. Kriyā means action. Phala means the result or the fruit. And āśrayatvam means that those results depend upon, or are supported by, the truth we live in. So when truth is your foundation, your actions bear fruit.

It’s not just about saying the right things. It’s about living in a way where your speech, your actions, your values, and your intentions all line up. The speech of someone like that has weight. Their words matter. Their life becomes a living truth.

This isn’t just a yogic idea. Don Miguel Ruiz, in The Four Agreements, begins with the first agreement: “Be impeccable with your word.” He writes, “Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” This is a very clear expression of satya-pratiṣṭhāyām. When we speak from a place of love and truth, we align ourselves with something more powerful than the ego. Something that uplifts, that heals, that brings clarity.

But to do that, we have to slow down and pay attention. Are our words reactionary? Are they defensive? Are they driven by fear, or by truth? And not just spoken words—but what we write, what we post, what we say to ourselves. When truth becomes the ground we stand on, our words stop being tools of manipulation or noise. They become instruments of transformation.

This practice takes vigilance. It’s so easy to exaggerate, to flatter, to downplay, to hide. But Patanjali’s teaching is that the yogi’s path is one of alignment—where speech and heart match. Where truth is not a tool but a way of being. And when we get there—or even get close to that—our presence begins to shift things. Our words start to create change. People feel it.

So maybe today we ask: are my words aligned with my heart? Can I be impeccable with them? Can I use them as a force for clarity, healing, and connection?

This is the path of satya-pratiṣṭhāyām. Truth as a lived state. Words as action. And a life built on integrity.