Yoga and the Art of Being Content in a Time of Discontent

Gray skies may indicate discontent in the outer world, but these flowers and leaves seem very content with the way things are just as they are right now. It's a lesson for all of us at this time.

New York City is slowly climbing back from the deepest throes of the shut-down back in April, May. The health and wellness, and entertainment industries in which I work in New York City have been closed down for just over 4 months now due to the pandemic. I haven’t been able to fly down to Florida to see my husband in over 5 months. I, for one, am starting to feel inner rumblings of wanting things to return a little more to the way things were 5 months ago. Surely, many reasons to feel discontent. And yet, I know, continued patience is called for. And I also know that this is the time to practice the yoga niyama (observance) called Samtosha or Contentment.

According to the Yoga Sutras (Chapter 2, Sutra 42),

"From an attitude of contentment (santosha), limitless happiness, mental comfort, joy and satisfaction occur." 

Here are some commentaries on this sutra from prominent yoga teachers:

First understand what contentment is. It is not happiness but a condition for happiness. It is not complacency or just saying "oh, whatever" - instead it is serenity and an acceptance of whatever is. 
– Mehtab 

Contentment is not a sissy concept.  In order to be content, one must have won and lost, gained and given up, been up and been down.  In order to be content, one must have lived fully. … Samtosha is the ability to remain present with, and in fact remain happy with, the circumstances of just this moment. 
– Judith Lasater

And then, of course, one of the greatest spiritual teachers of all time, the Buddha, taught:

“Contentment is the greatest wealth.”
– Dhammapada 204

So even in the midst of the rages of the pandemic, I’ve found it helpful to remember how lucky I am with the way things are in some respects. I still have food on the table and a roof over my head. I realize many others are struggling with that at the moment. The extra amounts of quiet time I’ve been bathing in has helped me to reflect on my life and the directions it was going in pre-pandemic and begin to set new priorities and S.O.P.s when this is behind us. Yes, I’ve had to give up certain freedoms (like enjoying a good restaurant meal), have had to restrict my movements around the city, and have had to keep my mask on everywhere I go outside my apt. But I’ve also been able to protect my own health and feel good about protecting the health of my loved ones. And I’ve learned to be more self-sufficient – cooking more, learning to cut my own hair, exercising on my own daily – all things I might not have done before this all started. 

What has helped build contentment within me has been micro-practices such as these:
1)   Dharma Teacher, Tempel Smith, suggests we “Incline the mind towards contentment over dissatisfaction.” Doing so, he says, will move us closer to the highest yogic experience – samadhi or realization. For me, it means daily and sometimes moment-by-moment practicing of moving my mind towards being OK with things just as they are in this moment, and gently accepting things as they are.
2)   BJ Fogg, social science research associate at Stanford University and author of books on persuasion techniques, suggests:
a)  “Lower your expectations!” This one is great for me to remember, as I often strive to achieve too much.
b)  “Celebrate your behavior – give yourself an ‘awesome’ affirmation every once in a while.” It’s been nice to pause and give myself little pats on the back every now and then.
c)  “Plant a tiny seed in the right spot and it will grow without coaxing.” During the pandemic, I’ve tried to develop little habits – e.g. a short set of sit-ups at the end of my daily yoga practice, a short routine of yin yoga before bedtime, an extra serving of fruits and vegetables every day – that have remained consistent and even grown over the past 4 months.
3)   Krishna Das suggests accepting and working with one’s own karmic stains from the past, and negotiating them as best one can in this lifetime. So, I try not to worry too much about trying to be the perfect yogi or meditator, but just being the best I can be given the limitations of my own karmic baggage.

I don’t know what your personal situation is and what karmic baggage is playing out in your life at the moment, but I do have empathy for what you’re experiencing. I hope you can remember, as I’ve had to, that though we’ve endured a lot, we still have much capacity to endure more. If it means saving a life – whether ours or someone else’s – that will surely bring contentment to your being.

May you endure for just one more day, … 
May you know you are wealthy already … 
May you be inclined towards contentment, … 
For the benefit of all beings everywhere.

Aloha with Metta,
Paui Keoni Chun