When I was young, I was loner. I didn’t have many friends, and to tell you the truth, I didn’t mind. I was very happy to be by myself…or play with my pretend friends. I would amuse myself for hours with my imagination. I was good company to myself. As I get older, I still cherish my time alone, but I have come to appreciate and value the importance of keeping good company.
In yoga, we call this “satsang” --- Satsang refers to the company that we keep. Literally translated from Sanskrit, "sat" means true, and "sanga" means company; satsang is gathering together to reach the truth, or to inquire into our true nature.
When I first started my yoga practice, I was, surprise... a loner. I practiced asanas alone for eight years, until one day, it dawned on me that I not only needed a teacher, but I needed to meet other yogis. My search for both led me to Jivamukti yoga center in NYC and later, to Integral Yoga Institute, where I eventually trained to become a yoga teacher. My fellow teachers at both centers became my satsang, my spiritual family. Every week, I would meditate, chant, and share with other practitioners who, like me, wanted to become enlightened and liberated. Just having a community of people to support me on my spiritual journey is a blessing. The deeper my practice of yoga and meditation has become, the more I realize how lonely and challenging this path can be. In a world where society is constantly telling who you should be, finding and honoring your True Self is not so easy. That's why it's so important to find a community of like-minded beings to support you and uplift you.
My grandfather used to say “the company you keep will either make or break you”. I never really paid much attention to what that meant, but now I get it. If you want to be happy, healthy and peaceful, you need to surround yourself with people who are! And that doesn’t just apply to people. It applies to everything you allow into your life --- from the people you associate with personally and professionally, to the food you eat, to the books you read, to the TV and movies you watch. It’s pretty simply --- what you put in, is what you get out.
We have a choice in this world to decide who and what we allow into our lives. And make no mistake, those choices will make or break you. Have you ever been in a toxic relationship and noticed how you always felt depleted? Or conversely, have you spent time with a good friend and noticed how nourished you felt afterwards? Those are signs that the universe is sending you. So pay attention.
Ultimately, the importance of “satsang” is more than just spiritual. It permeates every aspect of your life and determines the kind of life you ultimately will live. I have learned to choose wisely. And I recognize the warning signs when I don’t. Think about your own life this week…how does it make you feel? What areas of your life deplete your health, happiness, and peace of mind? What can you do to change that? In the end, the life you live is up to you. Choose wisely and make sure your “Satsang” reflects the life you want to live.
