Ancient yama. Modern-day sandals.

I have a pair of gold sandals. Comfortable from the moment I tried them on. I'd say they were in my closet, but, usually, I slip them off just inside the laundry room door, and, there they sit: ready for tomorrow.

About a month ago, I noticed the straps around my ankles had finally stretched too far. Loose on my feet. The metallic has sloughed and peeled in spots, leaving gaps of white. Yellow. Unpretty.

I wore them again anyway. Days and days of stooping mid-walk to reposition the straps so the sandals would stay on my feet. Make it another wear. Another week.

It's time to say goodbye to them, I know. Me, who is no pack rat, cannot seem to toss them in the trash or find a way to re-purpose. Somehow, I look at them and see lunch with an old friend, our last island trip, shoes I can walk a mile in with no blisters.

A bit silly, yes? 

Staring at me in the face is our second-to-last yama, or code of living. Aparigraha. Non-grasping. Non-hoarding. Non-attachment to material possessions.

Modern interpretation of the yama aparigraha does not mean a spare and minimalistic material life. As always with yoga, mindfulness and awareness are in play. Do I need this? Will this serve a purpose? How much is enough? 

But along with not acquiring for acquisition's sake, aparigraha is the separation between our things and who we are. This yama says not to tie our self worth to what we have (or who we know or love). It does not stuff a void or sorrow with materialism. And it does not, in any way, encourage us to form attachments to our possessions. 

Like little gold sandals. Gold sandals I'm tossing away today.... Or maybe tomorrow.

Want the truth?

Just practice it.

Truthfulness (satya) is another yama of yoga. Yes, that means not lying. But it goes beyond that. Satya encompasses intention and mindfulness. It is never sheer fact; it is discerning. Honesty...softened.  

Ask yourself this: Something may be the truth, but is there any value in saying it? Is our purpose to show what we know? Prove we are right? And, most importantly, will speaking it cause more harm than good?

If the answer to that last one is yes, remember this: Satya is not satya without ahimsa.

Inwardly, in our personal mind chatter, satya is about integrity. Not only telling ourselves the truth, but also maintaining purity of thought and action when no one is observing us. How do we change our internal chatter and make room for satya? Meditation and asana. They quiet our minds, so we are free to view the world with sharpened clarity. Making truth easier to seek, receive and accept.  

Take a peek at satya's etymology.

Sat= the eternal unchanging truth beyond all that is known

Ya= do it

That means, if you want the truth, you just have to practice it.