The real meaning of santosha is to accept what is.
Here in the west we are faced everyday with material things. It creates desires, greed, jealousy, and unhappiness. We have a tendency to give in to cravings for material goods to fulfill our desires. There is fear among us that we are not good enough for each other and there is competition between people which limits the love to live in harmony.
How are we able to be truly happy and feeling content if we are suffering, in the mind and body? How is it possible to practice santosha if we are faced with challenges like abuse, illness or death?
Here in the west we are faced everyday with material things. It creates desires, greed, jealousy, and unhappiness. We have a tendency to give in to cravings for material goods to fulfill our desires. There is fear among us that we are not good enough for each other and there is competition between people which limits the love to live in harmony.
How are we able to be truly happy and feeling content if we are suffering, in the mind and body? How is it possible to practice santosha if we are faced with challenges like abuse, illness or death?
Practicing contentment brings us in the very moment of our being. Feeling content in beautiful moments is easy and brings us closer to our own light. But we still struggle and face setbacks in moments of fear, hatred, jealousy, pain. If we start accepting life as it is and not comparing ourselves with others we can find inner peace and true happiness. Contentment comes from the inside out and not from the outside in. Being on the mat everyday helps me to practice awareness and find santosha. Knowing that just the way I am, being grateful, accepting me as whole, is enough. Seeing myself as a spiritual being and finding gratitude for my life, is enough. This does not mean that I don’t struggle and it is the practice which keeps me in the moment of my being. If I am grateful for each brief time period, I will be able to accept life as it is. I am giving grace for each moment even the one’s which seem impossible for me to withstand. It allows me to find and see the light inside myself as well as in others.
The greatest inner tranquility comes from developing love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts our mind at ease. It helps remove our own fears and insecurities and gives us strength to face obstacles - it is the ultimate source of success in life."
The greatest inner tranquility comes from developing love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts our mind at ease. It helps remove our own fears and insecurities and gives us strength to face obstacles - it is the ultimate source of success in life."
~His Holiness the Dalai Lama
