Today we’ll move to the second Niyama Santosha, a call to active contentment. We’ll move through where your gaze lands and a practice of gratitude.
An Introduction to Santosha
The Niyamas call you to a place of contentment. Note that they do not call you to a place of happiness or joy, a place of good or bad, but a place of being okay with how things are and how they are not. This is a practice of recognizing what you already have rather than what you don’t have.
Where You Look, Your Body Will Follow
If you’re a NuPower client, you’ve probably heard the statement above in a class, and most likely in the midst of a balance pose. It’s even more likely that you’ve heard the word “drishti” while in practice before. Drishti refers to your eyesight or your gaze. It’s simply what you’re focused on. If you’re not in a place of feeling content, you’re likely looking elsewhere for something/someone/some feeling that you don’t have. Just like in a yoga class, if you’re looking at something else that is not moving, you’re going to fall out of your current state.
Take a look at where you’re at right now. In life and in your physical location. Look at what you’ve accomplished to get right where you are. Do you ever do that? Do you ever stop and think about how cool it is that you’ve made it this far? Or how amazing it is just to be? If you’re constantly thinking about the next goal, the next milestone, the next anything, you’re going to miss out on the peace of just being.
Giving Thanks
The number one way to find contentment in everyday life is gratitude. There is always something that you can be grateful for at any given moment. This does not mean that you have to ignore all the parts that suck, however. In fact, those are just as much a part of contentment as all the good things. Being content is not being happy, it's being okay with how things are. Can you be okay with an injury even though you know that it sucks and find appreciation for the little cells working to heal you?
Gratitude is a tool for you to explore all sides of every moment and find the contentment somewhere in between. Potential side effect: It may boost your mood and attitude if you begin to notice more things to be grateful for than things to be frustrated about.
How are you feeling? Are you in a state of contentment? Do you know how to recognize if you are? As with everything else in this journey of Niyamas, start small and stay consistent. Instead of always looking forward to the next thing, try taking a moment to appreciate this moment. Right here. Right now. You’ve got this, friend.
Intend to Shine,
The NuPower Tribe