We are on the last day of our segment on “Satya” or non-falsehood. Satya is one of the 5 Yamas or restraints of a yoga student. On the other side of non-falsehood, Satya also means truthfulness.
Today, our focus will be on truthfulness of community. In Buddhist, we have the concept of the Triple Gem that will keep you on the spiritual path. The Triple Gem consists of the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha.
Translating this into a yogic framework, we can understand this as the Guru, the 8 Limbs of Yoga and Satsang. You might notice the sound “sang” in both Sangha and Satsang. They come from the same Sanskrit roots, of “sang” or “sangha” meaning “association, company or community.”
If you’re like me, you might be wondering: Why do we need a community in our spiritual path? Why do we need a Guru? Can’t we just do the 8 Limbs or follow the Dharma ourselves?
The spiritual path can be challenging. As humans we all have blindspots, as one member of our Satsang shared yesterday. We have blindspots literally in our eyes, and also in regard to ourselves. There are parts of our soul or spirit that we cannot see. In our development, we benefit from the sight and wisdom of a Guru or teacher such as Buddha. We also benefit from a group or Satsang where we can share ideas and lean on for support when we face difficulties or need another perspective.
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