I am taking an online course called “Living the 8 Limbs of Yoga” with Janet Stone right now. The second week was dedicated to Satya, “truthfulness”.

Reflecting on that, I thought about one time when, in a few seconds, a lie, a truth, and the consequences unfolded, without a word being uttered.

I was standing face to face with a colleague during an exercise at a women’s leadership networking event.

My colleague was a short lady, a few inches shorter than I, even when she wears high heels and I don’t. That particular exercise was to project power non-verbally, through the stance and body language, to a partner. She and I were partners.

When her turn came, she chose to rise to her tippy toes. She was already in high heels; standing on tippy toes made her wobble. Rather than projecting power, she, unwittingly, projected that she would compromise being stable and grounded to appear something that she was not. I saw that and took notice.