Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga: Niyamas - Santosha

                                                        Me in Dancing Warrior: Being content that I can do this

Santosha is my favourite nyama as it offers the possibility of being happy simply. Santosha is the cultivation of inner contentment. Yes that's right being content with yourself just the way you are. And further to this, not holding other people responsible for your happiness but taking responsibility for your own happiness. In western culture we are repeatedly encouraged to believe that we can only be happy with a big house, great car and a fantastic job or is that a career, yet the warmth of sun on your skin, watching birds play or cooking a simple meal for those you love are all simple and beautiful moments in life that lead us easily to being content with what we have. 

Life is full of highs, moments of unadulterated joy, and lows where emotions make it hard to get out of bed in the morning though we do most of the time with the hope the day will get better. Just like life so to is our yoga practice: up and down, some days you pop up into a challenging pose with ease but other days a standing pose like Warrior 11 leads to struggle. The resistance in the body/mind to certain moves or poses is ever changing nothing stays the same, and practising yoga helps us to realise or keep this fact in mind. Our practice allows us to stand strong and be flexible in times of discomfort or challenge not just physically but mentally and emotionally. When life throws us a curved, twisty ball practising santosha makes us stay calm, composed able to be happy and content with the moment possibly even peaceful knowing it will change. Santosha helps us to be okay with discomfort: with a regular yoga practice we can practice being comfortable with discomfort. We accept difficult times as we know deep within at a cellular level that eventually we will move beyond it. 

Santosha helps me to be joyful often and with the smallest actions: a bee on a flower, making breakfast for my partner, washing the dishes and smiling at the world. Being content with less not always desiring more either on the mat or off the mat. I think this is an important concept that gets lost too easily in the modern world. I'm off to stand under a tree gazing at the sky and be happy I'm here breathing, smiling...just being. Flick the switch.

Be be be happy,

Margot