Santosa & asana
           - using the physical to experience the conceptual

Image of Santoshi Masa courtesy of http://images.exoticindianart.com“Patanjali’s ‘Yoga Sutras’ prescribe an approach which is designed to help one to lead a life as free from suffering as possible. Amongst the priceless tools bequeathed to us in the Sutras, are ‘niyamas’ or observances. These are 5 attitudes and actions we should cultivate to help us to overcome the illusions of separation that lead to suffering and pain.

The 5 ‘niyamas’ are:
Saucha – purity
Santosa – contentment
Tapas – austerity
Svadhyaya – study of the self
Isvara Pranidhana – surrender to God.

   As Patanjali points out, peace of mind can never depend on external circumstances. Therefore, the art of finding contentment begins not by seeking it in the things we own, the people we love or the work that we do. But we are so very conditioned to relating to external objects that it can be extremely hard for the seeker of contentment, particularly the new seeker, to be able to make the switch from external to internal without some kind of bridge or support.
   Curiously, Patanjali’s Sutras do not contain any instructions for asana or physical practice. But I propose that one way of beginning to experience Santosa, is by this means. Santosa requires a willingness to enjoy exactly what the day, or the moment, has to offer. It can be easy to feel contentment, Santosa, when all is going well or we are experiencing one of the more joyful moments of our lives. But does all this fall apart when we are in the midst of difficulty, conflict or pain? When we shut down to resist that pain, at the same time we shut down to the possibility of contentment. Once the heart is closed and we start to believe that we are being punished, or that life only deals us the bad hand or that it is beyond us to cope, we are once again in separation from our true self. If Yoga is about uniting, then these are the very times when our practice can help us transcend our fear and anger and, sometimes, self-pity...”

Written by Deborah de Vries, the article continues to explore santosa and asana.