‘Through contentment ultimate happiness is achieved’ Yoga Sutras of Patanjali ii.42
Many of us are drawn to yoga not only for the physical benefits but also for attaining a sense of peace and contentment in our lives. The Sanskrit word for contentment is santosha, and broader definitions of the concept allude to complete acceptance of one’s life circumstances. This is of course no small feat, but the concept of gratitude is a powerful way to enjoy more contentment in this very moment, and no matter what life brings our way. When you realise that santosha is a skill to be cultivated, not something dependent on life circumstances, your perspective on life will come from a place of empowerment, resilience and positivity.
A good way to begin flexing your gratitude muscles is to keep a daily gratitude journal where you note down 3-5 things that you are grateful for, no matter how big or small. A dedicated and regular practice such as this helps you to view yourself as someone who values gratitude and positivity and hence plants the seed of a mindset shift towards santosha. You may also find yourself subconsciously searching for the positive as you go about your life in order to put it in your journal later. This is where mindfulness can help, as it enables us to appreciate things we may normally overlook. For example, when you are with friends and loved ones take time to really appreciate their presence, and when you are out and about take time to appreciate the goodness in the world around you–in nature and also in other people. Practices such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork (pranayama) can all help create more stillness in the mind which allows you to be more mindful and observant of your thoughts and the world around you.
During the times when things feel like they aren’t going your way at all, your practice of gratitude can not only be an anchor but can also greatly increase in its strength and power–challenges often provide the biggest sources of growth. In terms of everyday irritations, monitor the way you talk to/about yourself and others and about circumstances in general. Do you notice that you tend to skew towards the negative? This is where a mindfulness habit can also help–practise being the conscious observer of your thoughts and try to reframe your attitude to one of compassion, loving-kindness, and forgiveness. What about maintaining an attitude of santosha and gratitude when we feel we have made a mistake? Of course it is important to hold ourselves accountable, even though this can be very difficult, but through our honesty and accountability we can be grateful for any lessons we have learned. We can also be grateful for the compassion of others and their attitude towards us, and for the reminder that we ourselves are not perfect, which will remind us to be more compassionate to others going forward. We can be grateful for the fact we have the ability to try again and do better next time. Hardest of all is trying to be grateful during circumstances that feel horrific or tragic. Sometimes it seems like nothing can be learned or that no positives can be gleaned from a situation. If we are able to take a positive or something to be grateful for from a horrible situation then that is great, but if not, we can use our practice of gratitude as a grounding anchor by searching for things to be grateful for outside of the circumstances at hand. This reminds us that there is always goodness in the world, no matter how bleak things can sometimes seem.
It can be difficult to grapple with the constant ups and downs of life and all the contradicting emotions that come with them. We naturally feel averse to uncomfortable or painful situations and want to cling onto pleasurable and joyful ones, which can cause us difficulty if we fear losing them. Gratitude helps with this because we appreciate the joyful situations more and find positives in the more difficult ones, but maintaining a measured perspective of non-attachment regarding the flux of life through mindfulness, yoga and breathwork is also extremely beneficial. A good metaphor to remember is that of happiness being a butterfly that we need to hold lightly in our hands so that it is free to come and go as it pleases rather than cling onto and crush. Try to practise santosha and gratitude for the journey of life as a whole, for the joy of learning and growing, as well as being fully appreciative of goals and milestones when they are achieved. Even if the process of working towards a goal is boring or uncomfortable, you can tap into the feelings of excitement and anticipation when you think about your goal or be appreciative and proud of the dedication and commitment you are showing. You can take this same approach to looking forward to events such as holidays–savour the feelings of excitement and try to let this infuse into other areas of your life rather than wishing the time would pass quicker until you get there and not appreciating things that happen in the meantime. With consistency you will see that there is so much to be grateful for in the whole of life’s journey and the entire spectrum of human experience, and from this you will truly experience santosha.
