Being content with what is.
How are we able to be content when the world is a challenging and painful place? How do we find contentment when we see violence, war, climate change, disease all around us? How do sit with contentment when plans fall awry and hope is lost? We look for gratitude. We look for the heroes and we search as long as it takes to find the silver lining.
Santosha, or contentment is the second of the Niyamas (the second of the eight limbs), the Niyamas are focused on how we treat ourselves and manage constraints in our daily lives. Finding contentment means that we acknowledge what is in front of us and find a way to look beyond the pain and misery and find the joy, even the small moments in our day.
This could be the rainbow at the end of a rainstorm. The wagging tail of sweet pet after a hard day at work. The warm bed and roof overhead that gives shelter. While there will still be suffering, pain and violence in the world, the first step to finding peace, is to find peace within yourself and then offering it to others.
I have referred to the this short meditation in other blog posts, but I feel it might be relevant again and a nice reminder that when we feel helpless with the challenges in the world, we can at least offer this loving compassion to others and ourselves.
Metta/Maitri Meditation (simplified)
Find a comfortable seat or lay down.
Say to yourself:
May I be Happy
May I be Healthy
May I be Safe
May I be Free from suffering
Take this in and repeat it as many times as you need to. Give yourself the love and compassion you need until you feel content. Then, send this offering to others, people you love, people that challenge you and people you don’t even know, all over the globe.
Bring the specific person or people to mind and then send them the same loving kindness:
May You be Happy
May You be Healthy
May You be Safe
May You be Free from suffering
If you would like a guided Maitri meditations, check the video below…
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