Santosha, final thoughts

In the last few posts, I talked about Santosha on and off the mat. Today I’ll share some final thoughts on Santosha.

In my kitchen, I have a small plaque that reads, “Happiness is Wanting What You Have.” I purchased it in a little shop down town several years ago, when I was first learning about the Niyamas. It spoke to me. Prior to beginning that study, maybe it wouldn’t have. I might have thought, “Easy for you to say!”

Finding contentment is part of the journey of yoga. It’s part of the journey of life. Finding something to be happy about. Finding something to be grateful for. It can make a difference in a life that might otherwise feel sad, or not enough. Finding contentment might be difficult at first. Those thought loops keep coming around saying, “But you‘re still short.” Finding contentment might require persistence. It might require practice. It might require patience. It will probably never be perfect, but it is a worthwhile pursuit.

Thanks for taking this journey through Santosha with me. I hope that you have found something you can use in your own pursuit of happiness! Next time, I will introduce the third Niyama, Tapas, self-discipline.