the honesty shop
spent the weekend up in stratford-upon-avon. the weather was perfect, the town is beautiful, and it’s surrounded by so much nature. absolutely loved it. we did a lot of hiking, ate some incredible pastries from the local bakery, and watched the river flow past with all kinds of birds, big and small!
on one of our hikes, we came across this little shop on a local farm, where you can buy anything from ice cream and the-best-ive-ever-tasted apple juice to eggs and milk. the best part? this shop has no staff, no tills. they simply rely on honesty. you either leave cash behind or text a number displayed in the shop with what you took, and they’ll send you a link to pay for it. it’s literally called ‘the honesty shop’. how incredible is that? a real-life example of how trust and integrity can function in everyday interactions. a concept that highlights how human decency and responsibility can create systems that work without strict oversight.
i couldn’t help but think about this in practice, which ties back to what i recently wrote about yoga practices that don’t involve asana. so here’s your practice of satya.
satya (सत्य) means truthfulness/honesty/authenticity. it’s the second of the five yamas (restraints) described in the yoga sutras of patanjali. derived from the sanskrit root "sat," meaning "truth" or "that which is." satya emphasises truthfulness in thought, speech, and action, encouraging us to live authentically and align with universal truth. it represents a commitment to honesty and integrity in all aspects of life. it calls for the alignment of thoughts, words, and actions with what is true and ethical.
i’m now looking to treat my practices as visits to the honesty shop, and i thought i’d share this because i think it’s a great approach.
you can come in, take what you want, and leave without paying or lie about what you took, so that you can pay less. or you can get what you need, pay the real price, and walk away living your life with integrity and respect for others who are doing the work.
which one is it going to be?
see you at the honesty shop!