Niyama 2 - Santosha

[Vinayaka]

The second niyama (observances) in Patanjali's classical Yoga Sutras encourages the person to seek contentment in life. However, in my view I don't think it's full of enough specific examples on how to do that.

I've been reflecting on the word 'acceptance'. It comes up in some translations of the niyama.

When something happens to me, and I react to it, especially in a negative way, I think it's saying I haven't cognised this niyama very well. After the fact, if I meditate or reflect on said experience, generally I get to the belief that i couldn't have changed it, and even deeper, that I caused it. (karma) So instead of bemoaning, complaining, I would try to watch it all play out from a distance, and just accept it was my causing.

What things do you do, or try to do, to seek contentment in life?

 

[SalixIncendium]

I realize that what has happened has happened. What's done is done. It's happened for a reason, and whether or not I understand the reason, there is nothing I can do to change what happened. All I can do is accept the experience, learn from it, take the knowledge gained, and apply it moving forward.

 

[Vinayaka]

How else do we learn, but from experience? Some would say it is a gift from God, this world of experience.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Detachment. Try to farm your attachment. Make it like an electrical switch. Put it on and be your fighting self (like I do when replying to Bahai posts ). Put it off and be your detached self. We have to learn to control it. In this Vyavaharika world, being detached all the time does not work.

 

[Vinayaka]

Detachment. Try to farm your attachment. Make it like an electrical switch. Put on and be your fighting self (like I do when replying to Bahai posts ). Put off and be your detached self. We have to learn to control it. In this Vyavaharika world, being detached all the time does not work.

Agreed. We call it affectionate detachment, but it's also just knowing when to fold 'em. The ability to switch roles in life from meditater to bhaktar to spouse to Grampa etc ... is important. So is knowing the audience.

 

[ajay0]

The second niyama (observances) in Patanjali's classical Yoga Sutras encourages the person to seek contentment in life. However, in my view I don't think it's full of enough specific examples on how to do that.

I've been reflecting on the word 'acceptance'. It comes up in some translations of the niyama.

When something happens to me, and I react to it, especially in a negative way, I think it's saying I haven't cognised this niyama very well. After the fact, if I meditate or reflect on said experience, generally I get to the belief that i couldn't have changed it, and even deeper, that I caused it. (karma) So instead of bemoaning, complaining, I would try to watch it all play out from a distance, and just accept it was my causing.

What things do you do, or try to do, to seek contentment in life?

Contentment is also one of the four doors to enlightenment in the ancient scripture Yoga Vasishta, along with self-control, enquiry and satsang ( company of sages/saints)

Rama there are four gate-keepers at the entrance to the Realm of Freedom (Moksha).

The understanding that the Self or pure consciousness within me is itself truth and of an eternal nature ( and is what we are all seeking externally unconsciously and tensely), is a great source of contentment for me.


Abiding in your own being is holy company. - Nisargadatta Maharaj