A lot of people think being “authentic” just means following what your parents, culture, or community told you was right. But real authenticity goes deeper.

In Hindu tradition, there’s the concept of Samaya — “The Vow.” It’s not a rule you pick up from outside. It’s the sacred promise you made before entering this life — a vow to remember who you really are.

The Sanskrit word Samaya means “time” or “occasion,” but it also carries deeper meanings: agreement, covenant, promise, doctrine, or vow. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, it can describe an auspicious moment, a system of teaching, or the sacred commitments made to a teacher.

Think of the “bone temple” inside you — that innermost chamber of self-knowledge and divine wisdom. Stories like Jonah being swallowed by the whale aren’t just bedtime tales. Jonah resisted his calling, forgetting his vow to serve God. In the belly of the whale, he had no choice but to turn inward, pray, and remember. His emergence was not just survival — it was a return to the vow.

Shiva, Parvati, and the Birth of Hatha Yoga

There’s a parallel in Hindu stories. Lord Shiva once revealed to Parvati the secrets of yoga — the vows of discipline and union between body and spirit. But as the story goes, Parvati drifted into sleep, missing the teachings. A humble fish nearby listened intently, absorbing every word. Through this fish, later known as Matsyendranath, the tradition of Hatha Yoga was born.

The message? Truth reveals itself to the one who remembers the vow, even if others forget. Yoga itself is a tool to pierce the illusions of the mind, calm the restless self, and restore the bond between the finite and the infinite.

The Covenant Written on the Heart

In Shambhala Buddhism, Samaya is the sacred bond with your teacher and your path — a living reminder of awakening. In Christian mysticism, the language shifts to covenant — not an external law, but an inner vow written on the heart.

• “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
• “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)
• “They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness.” (Romans 2:15)

Jesus himself prayed in John 17, reminding the disciples of their origin: “They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word… they knew with certainty that I came from you.” This isn’t about blind obedience to rules — it’s remembering the vow of oneness with God.

And then there’s the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32). The son wanders far, forgetting his inheritance — his true self — until life’s suffering shakes him awake. Returning home, he remembers his belonging, his vow, his covenant.

A Hidden Thread Across Lives

Skeptics might say: “But I don’t believe in past lives.” Yet children across cultures, often between ages 2–5, sometimes recall details of another life with uncanny accuracy. The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies has cataloged thousands of such cases, where kids spontaneously describe families, places, and even traumas from lives not their own — sometimes with birthmarks matching wounds from the past.

Whether or not you accept reincarnation, the pattern is clear: there seems to be something deep within us that remembers.

The Quest for Your Vow

Once you discover your personal sacred vow, everything else becomes secondary. Your attention sharpens. Synchronicities — those little winks from the universe — begin to multiply. Life itself starts to feel like a guided path.

One can even think of finding their vow like their own “Indiana Jones” quest. Just like the Arc of the Covenant, which is said to hold Moses’ Ten Commandments — the vows of God — we are here to find our own covenants, our own “vows,” as an extension of God’s vows.

Invitation

So today, ask yourself:
What is your vow? What sacred promise did you make before entering this life?

And here’s a little nudge: keep a synchronicity journal. Write down the signs, coincidences, and flashes of clarity. They are the breadcrumbs leading you back to your vow.

For me, mine is simple: to always remember.
What’s yours?

A lot of people think being “authentic” just means following what your parents, culture, or community told you was right. But real authenticity goes deeper.

In Hindu tradition, there’s the concept of Samaya — “The Vow.” It’s not a rule you pick up from outside. It’s the sacred promise you made before entering this life — a vow to remember who you really are.

The Sanskrit word Samaya means “time” or “occasion,” but it also carries deeper meanings: agreement, covenant, promise, doctrine, or vow. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, it can describe an auspicious moment, a system of teaching, or the sacred commitments made to a teacher.

Think of the “bone temple” inside you — that innermost chamber of self-knowledge and divine wisdom. Stories like Jonah being swallowed by the whale aren’t just bedtime tales. Jonah resisted his calling, forgetting his vow to serve God. In the belly of the whale, he had no choice but to turn inward, pray, and remember. His emergence was not just survival — it was a return to the vow.

Shiva, Parvati, and the Birth of Hatha Yoga

There’s a parallel in Hindu stories. Lord Shiva once revealed to Parvati the secrets of yoga — the vows of discipline and union between body and spirit. But as the story goes, Parvati drifted into sleep, missing the teachings. A humble fish nearby listened intently, absorbing every word. Through this fish, later known as Matsyendranath, the tradition of Hatha Yoga was born.

The message? Truth reveals itself to the one who remembers the vow, even if others forget. Yoga itself is a tool to pierce the illusions of the mind, calm the restless self, and restore the bond between the finite and the infinite.

The Covenant Written on the Heart

In Shambhala Buddhism, Samaya is the sacred bond with your teacher and your path — a living reminder of awakening. In Christian mysticism, the language shifts to covenant — not an external law, but an inner vow written on the heart.

• “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
• “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)
• “They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness.” (Romans 2:15)

Jesus himself prayed in John 17, reminding the disciples of their origin: “They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word… they knew with certainty that I came from you.” This isn’t about blind obedience to rules — it’s remembering the vow of oneness with God.

And then there’s the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32). The son wanders far, forgetting his inheritance — his true self — until life’s suffering shakes him awake. Returning home, he remembers his belonging, his vow, his covenant.

A Hidden Thread Across Lives

Skeptics might say: “But I don’t believe in past lives.” Yet children across cultures, often between ages 2–5, sometimes recall details of another life with uncanny accuracy. The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies has cataloged thousands of such cases, where kids spontaneously describe families, places, and even traumas from lives not their own — sometimes with birthmarks matching wounds from the past.

Whether or not you accept reincarnation, the pattern is clear: there seems to be something deep within us that remembers.

The Quest for Your Vow

Once you discover your personal sacred vow, everything else becomes secondary. Your attention sharpens. Synchronicities — those little winks from the universe — begin to multiply. Life itself starts to feel like a guided path.

One can even think of finding their vow like their own “Indiana Jones” quest. Just like the Arc of the Covenant, which is said to hold Moses’ Ten Commandments — the vows of God — we are here to find our own covenants, our own “vows,” as an extension of God’s vows.

Invitation

So today, ask yourself:
What is your vow? What sacred promise did you make before entering this life?

And here’s a little nudge: keep a synchronicity journal. Write down the signs, coincidences, and flashes of clarity. They are the breadcrumbs leading you back to your vow.

For me, mine is simple: to always remember.
What’s yours?