SANTOSHA ~ Contentment | The Niyamas Series: 2/5 | The WISDOM podcast | S3 E51

2022-06-05

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SANTOSHA ~ Contentment ~ The Niyamas Series: 2 of 5 The WISDOM podcast Season 3 Episode 51 ~ "Contentment is falling in love with your life.” - Swami Rama ~ 💜 Welcome to this series on the Niyamas. Niyama is Sanskrit for “rules, guidelines, or observances.” Niyamas appear in Hindu and Buddhist texts, and they are best known as the second limb of the eight li...

SANTOSHA ~ Contentment ~

The Niyamas Series: 2 of 5

The WISDOM podcast Season 3 Episode 51

~ "Contentment is falling in love with your life.” - Swami Rama ~

💜

Welcome to this series on the Niyamas. Niyama is Sanskrit for “rules, guidelines, or observances.” Niyamas appear in Hindu and Buddhist texts, and they are best known as the second limb of the eight limbs of yoga, as described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

In Indian traditions, particularly Yoga, Niyamas and their complement, Yamas, are recommended activities and habits for healthy living, spiritual enlightenment, and a liberated state of existence.

The five niyamas the focus of this series ~ are constructive tools for cultivating happiness and self-confidence; the opportunity to practice and live in the balance of each of these arises in almost every moment day.

The five Niyamas are practices to be nurtured and cultivated. They will remain with us throughout our lives taking us ever deeper into the subtle realms of our being, moving us closer to the stillness inside.

The Niyamas as spiritual and practical teachings lead us beyond the body (in our activity and our asanas) and our mind (in meditation). Without them, samadhi ~ a state of joyful calm, or even of rapture and beatitude, in which one maintains full mental alertness and acuity ~ would be an impossible dream.

I also invite to check out my 5-part series on the Yamas next. These are moral disciplines that transcend all world religions as guiding us to live of our light and our highest self. I will leave links for this series in the description.

In this episode I cite and also quote directly from Deborah Adele’s book: The Yamas and Niyamas. Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice. Her wise words guide us into the practical and the spiritual as we explore the significance of the focus of this episode and the niyama santosha or “contentment” as well as “delight, happiness, joy.”

Santosha invites us into contentment by taking refuge in a calm centre, opening our hearts in gratitude for what we do have, and practising the paradox of ‘not seeking’.

'Not seeking' as not needing to be seeking and grasping whilst missing out on what is right in front of us ~ and often what is pure perfection.

While there is always a place and a need to look forward and plan the future, it is equally important to measure this with the balance of enjoying what is right here and now and directly in front of us. This is how we cultivate contentment for ‘what is’.

Along with getting ready for the next thing we seek, we tend to look at people’s lives and then decide what is missing from our own, rather than appreciate what we have.

When we compare ourselves to others and envy them, we move ourselves into a state of lack and disappointment. This moves us further away from feeling contentment, complete, and whole.

Contentment arises out of acceptance—of life, of ourselves, and of whatever life is offering to us in the present.

If you live the practice of Santosha ~ life would instantly be happier, easier, better, and with far more freedom to enjoy ‘what is’.

When we are content, we are happy. Thus—and here is the practice of this niyama—through the power of contentment, happiness becomes our choice.

Please join me in this beautiful practice. Send me a note! Let me know how you are living the practice of santosha in your life.

Sending you great 💜 love...

Sharing the wisdom and beauty of divine love with you...

Namaste!

If you have a question or if you would like my guidance or help, connect with me here: dorothy@dorothyratusny.com

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