The Eight Limbs: Niyama (Santosa)
Santosa! Contentment! This is a brilliant one.
Santosa is all about being happy and content with what we have, and not pining over the things we don't have.
It's about modesty and acceptance.
We must accept that there is a purpose for everything (#karma).
This can be about material goods or situations, aspects of our lives and personalities, basically anything.
Accept what you have and what you don't have. Be content.
In today's materialistic world this can be really difficult. You see someone with $3948 worth of makeup and you think 'wow, I would really love all of that.' But what we have to work towards is instead thinking 'that's really great for them, I don't need it though. I am happy with what I've got.' For some reason people these days have a serious lack of Santosa, that is they are obsessed with buying things they don't need. This is something which I myself struggle with, as although I hate shopping for clothes and try to have as little as I can, I have so many knick-knacks, thingy-ma-bobs and doona covers that definitely don't need!
In terms of situations it is easy to deny a situation, especially if things aren't going your way. This is when your reaction to something can control your response to it. We need to work towards noticing our reaction, accepting the situation and our reaction and then consciously deciding on what an appropriate response is.
I like to use the example of dropping a plate. Say you're in the kitchen with your friend, you ask your friend to get out a plate and as they're walking over to the toaster to give it to you, they drop it. It makes a loud noise and smashes everywhere. Although you are both unharmed, the dramatic crash and break of the plate has caused a flurry of emotions; how clumsy of them to drop it, what a waste of money, now there's only 7 in the set, there's chunks of bloody crockery everywhere. Anger, frustration and a little fright. This is the moment where you have to stop. You have to accept that yes, a plate has broken, there is chunks of crockery all over the kitchen floor. You could yell at your friend for being so butterfingered and shoo them out of your house. But look at it in perspective. It's just a plate. You've got plenty more. This is when you say the key words for Santosa; IT'S OK. You tell your friend 'It's ok," grab out a broom and clean up the mess. Done.
See how a negative situation can have a good outcome with acceptance and perspective?
Amazing stuff ;)
So, in a yoga class I always, ALWAYS, encourage my students to tell themselves - it's ok. Whatever their thoughts, emotions, feelings and reactions, I encourage them to notice them and then think 'it's ok.' When they can usually get their head to touch their knees in forward fold but they can't today, it's ok. When the rest of the class has perfect balance but one person keeps falling on their butt, it's ok. Whatever it is, it's ok. (Obviously within reason.. if someone starts a punch up in the middle of class that's probably not ok...)
Ok, that's Santosa! I hope that makes sense! Let me know if you have any questions or queries or comments.
Namaste,
Mia x
