santosha - contentment
Wishing you a week ahead filled with gratitude and acceptance, for the journey you’re on.
This week's focus, Santosha. The second niyama, which translates to contentment. Tommy Rosin’s writing on santosha in his book Recovery 2.0 really rang true to me and I hope it resonates with you too.
He writes, ‘Santosha means contentment, but not just regular old contentment. It means having the ability to look at your life in its entirety and be in such a state of acceptance of what you find that you wouldn’t change any of it. You realize that all your challenges are there so you can learn and grow. Everything in life is happening for you and not to you. So it would make no sense from the perspective of santosha to want any of it to go away. Now that’s a high bar. Again, you work toward the ideals of the yamas and niyamas. They are guides that help you know what to shoot for.’…. and later he says ‘we work the muscles of contentment by consciously bringing acceptance and gratitude into our mind as often as we can'…. and he finishes.. ‘We can still work toward our dreams, but santosha suggests we do so while finding contentment at each step of the journey.'
So no matter how difficult your journey may be, what the challenges you are faced with, realising they are there for you to grow…. And to find contentment at each step and stage of your path.
Reflecting this week on a challenge you’re facing, through the lens of contentment. Considering whether you can accept, and in some way be grateful, finding contentment on your path.... Resolving to be practice gratitude and acceptance for the challenges you face this week; they are there for you to learn and to grow.
Nicky’s yoga classes are a gentle, hatha style, suitable for beginners.
Along with teaching weekly yoga classes in Beaumaris, Bayside Melbourne, Nicky is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (PACFA), coach and mindfulness meditation teacher.
Get in touch with Nicky to find out more.