Why Do Others Spread Lies?

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2 The Practice of Satya: Living in Truth

3 How to Stay Grounded When Faced With Untruth

The Truth Does Matter:

When someone creates a story, based not on truth but on their projections, and spreads it as if it were fact, it stings. It scrapes at something tender inside. And even though I’ve spent years on the mat, countless hours in meditation, and pages deep in books about ego, identity, and detachment… it still hurts.

Why?

Why does it bother me when I know the truth? Why do I cling to the approval of others, even when I recognize that what they believe is based on fiction?

This is the paradox of the ego—not the inflated kind we so often criticize, but the softer, more insidious kind—the part that wants to be seen, understood, and loved—the ego that longs for belonging, the ego that wants the world to be kind.

And maybe it’s because I still believe in kindness. I believe in a world where we give one another the benefit of the doubt, pause before we pass judgment, and lean toward compassion instead of cruelty. Is that naïve?

Maybe. But I’d rather carry that softness with me than become hardened by how the world sometimes disappoints.

The Practice of Satya: Living in Truth

In Yoga, the second yama of the Eight Limbs is satya, or truthfulness. Satya is more than just not lying—it’s living in alignment with truth. It asks us to speak with honesty, yes, but also with compassion, to be truthful without being harmful. We must live so that our words, actions, and inner lives reflect our deepest integrity.

But what happens when someone else’s version of “truth” twists ours? When someone’s story about us has no roots in reality?

That’s when our practice is tested.

Satya doesn’t require us to defend or retaliate. It invites us to anchor in our truth—to speak and act from that place, rather than reacting from wounded pride or a need to be right. When we choose not to participate in the cycle of blame, gossip, or defensiveness, we honor something sacred within ourselves. We remember that truth does not always need to shout to be heard.

How to Stay Grounded When Faced With Untruth

When faced with lies or unkindness, it’s natural to want to defend, explain, and be seen clearly. But often, reacting fuels the fire. Instead, try these steps to remain centered:

Pause before responding. Before you say or do anything, give yourself a moment—a breath—to let the first emotional wave pass.
Remember who you are. Come back to your knowing. You don’t have to take on someone else’s version of you. Not everything deserves a reaction.
Don’t match energy that doesn’t align with your values. If cruelty is offered, respond with dignity. Let your character speak louder than your critics.
Set a boundary if needed. Truthfulness includes clarity. It’s okay to walk away from gossip or drama, and to protect your peace without guilt.
Return to your practice. Movement, breath, meditation—they all help alchemize the emotional residue we carry. They remind us that we are more than what’s said about us.

Choosing Love Over Reaction

The world may not always be kind. But we can be. We can be the ones who choose curiosity over assumption, compassion over cruelty. Not out of weakness, but from strength—because it takes great courage to stay soft in a hard world.

Letting go of the need to control how others perceive us is a lifelong practice. It doesn’t mean we don’t care—we care more about our integrity than our image. We trust that truth, even when quiet, will outlast the noise.

Journaling: A Mirror for the Soul

When emotions run high, journaling can be a quiet place to land. It offers a space to examine our patterns with honesty and without shame. When we’re misunderstood, journaling helps us ask:

What part of me is most activated by this?
Am I seeking external validation or internal peace?
What am I afraid of losing—reputation, connection, identity?
How can I respond in alignment with my truth?

Writing allows us to sort through the stories—ours and others’—and gently return to what we know to be real.

In the end, we may not be able to control what others believe. But we can choose to root ourselves in truth, keep showing up with love, and believe in kindness, even when it’s not returned.

And we can always return to the quiet, steady voice within—the one that knows who we are, even when the world forgets.