How to cultivate contentment

For those who may not be familiar, there is a beautiful Sacred text called the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Within this book, there are many powerful tools for learning how to understand ourselves deeper. How our mind works, how the world works, who we are, and how we can create a healthier life present in each moment. A main portion of the book is Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga. Within the 8 Limbs are the Yamas and Niyamas. These essentially are an ethical map with how we can live life by understanding and living each Yama (Restraint) and Niyama (Observance). These 10 guidelines can be compared to the Ten Commandments of the Christian faith or also the Ten Virtues in Buddhism. Each religion around the world carries moral codes and guidelines giving us an opportunity to choose how we respond in each moment.

This book is one that has totally changed and redirected my life for the better. I will go more into my own personal story in another post but for now, I want to share with you one of my favorite of the Niyamas from the text.

II.42 saṁtoṣāt-anuttamaḥ sukha-lābhaḥ

By Contentment, Supreme joy is gained.

Santosha is the second of the Niyamas. For me, this observance is very important in my own life. Until we are able to fully accept each moment for how it is, we will not be able to find contentment, peace, or pure joy.

There are a lot of things in life that can give us joy. Our families, our friends, hobbies, food, and hopefully, our work. How many of these things actually DO give you real, full, joy. Happiness is created, not found outside of ourselves. True happiness and peace is seeded within each one of us waiting to bloom into our lives. It is buried beneath our pain, our past memories, our fears, our struggles, our insecurities, and doubts. Instead of coming home from work and experiencing joy with your family, you may feel overwhelmed, edgy, distracted, and distant. These emotional disturbances keep us from experiencing life to its fullest. Most of all, they keep us from ever being fully present in the moment, allowing our life to go by in the blink of an eye.

What does observing contentment ask from us?

Contentment asks us to just be. To be neutral. To step outside of our attachment to the perception of what we like and don't like and just to allow things to be as they are. It is true that there are two kinds of unhappiness in the world. Not getting what you want, and getting what you want.

There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. - Oscar Wilde

Think of all the millionaires who are miserable. Think of the high amount of drug abuse and suicide in the entertainment industry. We think we want something, then when we get it we realize it is never enough...and we always want more.

Contentment asks us to breathe! To step outside of our judgments and just breathe. To find that space, that zero point within us, before we create an expectation, judgment, or emotion that takes us in the opposite direction of where we want to go.

Speaking of emotions. This is the first place to start with practicing contentment. By not giving other people, situations, or places the power to control YOUR emotions and energy. This starts by observing our thoughts. You have to catch the thought before it turns into an emotion. This is why meditation is so important and so powerful. By observing your thoughts you are able to recognize that you are separate from your thoughts and that you are not your thoughts.

When we give the power of our emotional state to someone or something outside of ourselves we have made ourselves helpless. -Deborah Adele (The Yamas & Niyamas-Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice)

In order to bring change, there has to be some work done. If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you. Change is important. We are changing every day. Each cell in our body is constantly changing. We have the power to rewire our brains through these practices. If you want to learn more about how to do this, look into neuroplasticity. There are many studies coming out showing the benefits of meditation, mindfulness, and affirmations. This is neuroplasticity, and WE have the ability to do it, ON OUR OWN! How exciting this should be if we allow it to be.

Once you begin to observe your thought patterns and can find the places your energy is going to then you can begin to make changes in your life. For me, it was through affirmations. My favorite that I have practiced this last crazy year of 2020 has been the practice of ho'oponopono. I will be going into more details on this at another time. For now, I will keep it simple. Ho'oponopono is the practice of repeating I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you, and I love you. To yourself. As often as you can. Any time I have a thought come up that I recognize and become the observer of I instantly shift into my affirmation. "Thought of judgment comes in...CUE in: Im sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you." I've also begun practicing this with my breath by connecting Thank you to my in-breath, and I love you to my out-breath. (Can't have love without gratitude first.) You are speaking this to yourself. To your inner child, to your subconscious. By channeling into the subconscious is how we create new neural pathways within the brain. I promise, if you start to practice this, you will see changes in your life. Sometimes it may be hard to face these changes and actually feel the emotions that come up from the practice. This is why many people give up before experiencing the real benefits of these practices. Don't give up. Make it a commitment to yourself, and your family to integrate one thing into your life that will help you transform your life. Mantra and affirmations are a huge step to finding contentment and peace in your life.

Santosha asks you to be you. Fully human. Embracing whatever it is that is coming up. It does not mean to push away the unhappiness, it asks you to dive into it, accept it, feel it, and heal it. We are always where we are meant to be. The Universe is a big vast space of perfection. From the structure of our cells to the ever-growing edge of the Universe. You are apart of it all, and you are perfect, just the way you are.

Contentment asks for you to just believe it, let it be, and most of all...breathe.

Guide me where I need to go, teach me what I need to know, show me what I need to see, in this moment I will be. -SCR