This month we are moving along with our studies of the Niyamas to the 2nd - Santosha or contentment.  Remember, the Niyamas are the 2nd limb of yoga.  This limb deals with observances of our personal practices that relate to our inner world.  Therefore, this would suggest that contentment comes from our inner world, not the outer.

 

Our intention this month is: Today I commit to making peace with myself.

 

Let’s build on last month, Sauca - cleanliness and clarity - and using our intention of poking and provoking in and around us those parts that need to be “cleaned up”.  From here we can move into Santosha with a clearer head and space.   2 key components of living in Santosha are gratitude for what we have and acceptance and appreciation of what is in the moment, non seeking.

Rolf Gates writes in Meditations from the Mat, “Santosha is just that - an alternative way to move through the world.  It is a shift in focus.  Instead of seeking contentment from the outside in, we find contentment from the inside out.  The paradigm shift comes when we view all events as opportunities to grow, to encounter our own magnificence.  When we view things in this light, there are no good events or bad events, only moments in which to shine.”

This is not easy sometimes!! Life is often hard and since it is breast cancer awareness month and I am coming up on my 2 year anniversary of my diagnosis (out of left field may I add!!!!) I am reminded of the lack of Santosha I was living in.  I was not grateful for the type of breast cancer I had, for the amazing doctors and the plan they put in place for me.  More importantly I was not accepting my situation, I was full of fear and I was resentful of my body which I felt betrayed me.  Without gratitude and acceptance I made my early months of my path with breast cancer harder for me and I am sure harder on those around me.  I have since made the shift to viewing this diagnosis as an opportunity to grow and to encounter my own magnificence!  Well maybe not magnificence (more work!!!) but certainly gratitude and acceptance.  In the past 2 years I have shed a painful part of my personality that has been nagging under the surface of my life for years.  I had the awareness of the discomfort it was causing and I tried to shift and change but it was stubborn, thankfully I have worked through it and feel so much freer!!  In addition I have developed strong bonds with friends and friends of friends who have subsequently been in my shoes with their “out of left field” diagnosis as well as others who walked this path before me - this is a tremendous gift.  Further, a few women are right here in the  little beach town that we moved to full time, I have to believe my God has a plan for all of us and this winter we will all thrive!!!!

Santosha is our choice to end our war with reality.  Are you at war with any part of yourself or your life? What can you do to end it?  In other words - how can you commit to making peace with yourself?

 

A few questions to contemplate:

Write 3 things you are grateful for each night before you go to bed this month.

 

What brings you contentment from the inside?  What helps you keep a calm center? Write out 3 things and try to do them on a daily basis this month.

 

Where can you practice non seeking and being content with each moment as it is? 

 

Are you content with your life? This is different from are you happy now?

 

Elkhart Tolle - if the only prayer you say in your entire life is “Thank YOU” that would suffice