About Integrity
" Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." ( C.S. Lewis)
In a simplistic manner of speaking, having integrity means that our actions match our words, thoughts and moments. Integrity implies both honesty and a state of completeness or wholeness. Individuals that are noted to have integrity often adhere to principles that they consider moral, and remain true to their beliefs and inner self.
Dealing with integrity in our everyday lives can infuse us with a sense of expansion, beauty and endless possibilities, warming our hearts and clearing our thoughts. Have you ever experienced a light, heartwarming feeling that made you feel empowered but also calm and peaceful? That is a feeling that comes from living our lives based on an honest and sincere approach that aligns with our wishes and core values. That is living with integrity.
Yoga is a holistic philosophy that can teach us how to navigate life in a spiritually aligned way. Within the practice of Yoga, the goal is to reduce the ego as well as connect with and grow the inner self, developing a self of integrity. Ultimately, Yoga is not just a class where we sweat and move from posture to posture, but a spiritual path, passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years. Getting familiar with the philosophy of Yoga and the 8 limbs of Yoga as written by Patanjali can help us understand the moral principles and foundation of Yoga beyond the asana practice as well as bring more commitment and integrity. In Patanjali’s "Yoga Sutras" , two of the limbs, yamas and niyamas, stand for ethics, principles and morals that help guide yogis in living a life with integrity. For example, Ahimsa (non-violence) is linked to integrity in the way that living in a collective means avoiding producing any harm to the ones around us. The same as when we practice Satya (Truthfulness), we practice integrity by speaking the truth and voicing our concerns against any injustice. Being morally clean and expressing positive thoughts (Saucha) can also enhance living with integrity, as well as practicing Tapas, constantly striving to learn, as eternal students.
Integrity is also relevant to Yoga teachers and the opposite of it can even undermine their status and role, as said by T.K.V. Desikachar in his book Health, Healing and Beyond: "A teacher of Yoga should live a life of Yoga – to practice what is taught.” In essence, the requirement would be to pay attention and be mindful of what we do in and out of the classroom and to the way that the words reflect our actions. On the business side of Yoga, one can also combine ethics with daily work, so long as there is an authentic expression of their unique teachings and vision. Yoga as a business can create an enormous potential, if the teacher's teachings are aligned with the values and vision behind them.
A Yoga teacher with integrity will teach only based on their knowledge and experience as well as their own studying, without falling into the trap of the Impostor syndrome. Also, a Yoga teacher never forgets to also be a student and that learning never stops; to show humility in the face of Life and acceptance; to allow the teachings to shine through and not to have any expectations of outcomes from their students, to learn to empower them by allowing their inner teacher to emerge. People come to Yoga classes with different backgrounds and expectations so as a teacher and a facilitator of the practice, there is a certain level of integrity and a level of responsibility that one must have. There is no point forcing ideas or concepts to a student but rather letting them choose the way, lead them to feel inspired and motivated enough to practice and to keep going. Also, in order to ensure we lead our classes with integrity, we need to constantly evaluate the meaning of spirituality and Yoga for us in our lives, our personal inner journey. Only then we can bring that connection and understanding further into our everyday lives.
When we tap into yogic wisdom, we see how important it is to strive for progress, both spiritually and socially. In my opinion, integrity is essential to all practitioners of Yoga because it creates a foundation of deep honesty upon which a practice can best be built. Moreover, integrity is fully expressed in the relation with oneself, in the way we honor commitments to ourselves, take time to be considerate of our actions, and represent our practice also outside the Yoga class.
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