November Pose of the Month
Last month we explored yoga sutra 2.46, which reflects on the quality of Sukha- meaning “happy, good, joyful, or easy.” Essentially, being able to live in a “good space” on and off our yoga mat. By doing so, we will find it easier to connect to our intentions and to free ourselves from suffering. Another way we can tap into this good space and free ourselves from suffering is through Santosha, which is the Sanskrit word for “contentment”. It is described to be both an attitude and a state of deep inner peace.
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, sutra 2:42 reads…
“santoshad anuttamah sukha-labhah”
This sutra means “true joy arrives through contentment.” Patanjali says that when we practice contentment we are accepting where we are right now, accepting ourselves for who we are right now, and understanding and accepting that things will change. We are subject to change and that’s ok. Just like the world and nature is constantly changing around us, our body and mind are always subject to change as well. When we can embrace that change, around us and within us, we will find joy and peace. We don’t just live in the present moment, but we appreciate the present moment for what it is. That is Santosha (contentment).
“Contentment lives only in the hearts of those who are grateful.”
Radhanath Swami
One way to cultivate contentment is through gratitude. When we are grateful we are naturally more positive in the present. We are pausing in the present to focus on things that we already have in our life (a home, food, family, etc), or within us (a healthy body, happiness, etc). When we are practicing contentment we are already grateful. Patanjali says in sutra 2:42 that, “Contentment means just to be as we are without going to outside things for our happiness. If something comes, we let it come. If not, it doesn’t matter”.
So we have to be grateful so that what we have is enough that we don’t need to look outside of ourselves or turn to physical things to bring us happiness. The joy that those external things bring us is only temporary. That’s not to say that we can’t have a desire to want something nice for ourselves from time to time. A new pair of shoes may bring you joy, but over time the shoes most likely won’t bring you the same joy they initially did. The more significant thing to consider here is why are you buying those shoes? Are you buying them because you think they will make you look more attractive? Do you feel like you need to buy expensive things to be happy and make you feel good about yourself? Or perhaps you’re buying them just because you need a new pair of shoes or you just want them.
When we seek external things- constantly chasing a feeling, a physical possession, or a person- to find happiness we become dangerously attached. We attach to the temporary joy or peace and then when we lose it we’re right back where we started, in search for the next thing or person that will bring us that same or more joy. When you buy that pair of shoes from a place of contentment, you’re not using those shoes to fill a void. If you get the shoes you’re happy, if you don’t get the shoes you feel the same happiness.
Practicing santosha isn’t always easy, but it’s worth practicing. Noone escapes life without feeling discontentment in their life at some point or another. Both contentment and discontentment flow in and out of our lives. It’s not something we can find, it finds us the more we practice gratitude. It is the way to finding joy and peace.
Off your mat, and this holiday season, invite santosha into your life more. This is the time for giving thanks (practicing gratitude) and spreading joy and peace (practicing santosha). So share your peaceful, beautiful, joyful, bright light with others.
Santosha On The Mat
Yoga asana and/or meditation is an amazing tool to help us practice contentment. It brings us into the present moment, gives us the opportunity to let go, and be with our present self and to accept that person. Just like our yoga practice, contentment is a journey. We have a lifetime to practice both, there are no deadlines or end destination. There will always be further to go or explore in your yoga practice. So when we can let go of the ‘need’ to be more flexible, stronger, or balanced then we can find greater joy and peace in our practice… that’s Santosha.
Next time you practice yoga, arrive at your mat with the intention to sincerely appreciate yourself for who you are and how far you’ve come. Choose yourself - your authentic, perfectly unperfect self every time you’re on the pursuit for happiness.
“In order to come closer to finding peace, Santosha is undeniably one of the most important practices to come back to consistently - we cannot love, trust, give or live fully until we have enough of that love inside ourselves.”
Our pose of the month this month is Viparita Karani. In Sanskrit Viparita means turned around, reversed, inverted. Karani means doing, making, action. It is a gentle, restorative, inverted posture that allows the mind and body to relax and it helps to relieve stress and tension. It’s a passive pose, that doesn’t require much flexibility or strength, but still has many amazing benefits.
Some of the benefits include:
Can offer relief from symptoms of arthritis, headaches, anxiety, low blood pressure, and insomnia.
Eases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and menopause.
Relieves tired feet and legs.
Gently stretches the hamstrings and legs.
Can relieve discomfort in the lower back.
nourishes the endocrine glands
promote circulation
balances metabolic function
increases blood flow to the brain.
The beauty of Viparita Karani is in the simplicity of the pose. It invites us to slow down and practice contentment in doing less. Less is more here. It’s actually quite refreshing especially after sitting or standing for extended periods of time, or after running around all day doing, doing, doing. Unlike most things in life, you don’t have to work hard in this pose in order to reap the benefits of Viparita Karani. So enjoy Viparita Karani with us this month in class and practice finding contentment in a pose that allows you to slow down, do less to receive more.
<3 Namaste