As we move closer towards the Christmas period, this idea of contentment might be growing stronger in our consciousness, either because we start to experience it more or because of exactly the opposite, of noticing instead its absence. Perhaps it is worth taking a moment to reflect on that and notice what it is that can help us align with feelings of contentment or can bring us further away from that experience. Do we feel content because life manifests how we expected it to? Are things we want coming into fruition? Are we happy with our Christmas plans and who we plan to share our Christmas dinner with? Equally are we feeling discontent because nothing goes our way, what we want is not manifesting and our expectations turn into disappointments?
In the Bhagavad Gita we are told that to experience true contentment we must grow spiritually and as such detach from all material possessions and desires.
But how do we balance this with living in a world surrounded by material possessions? A world interwoven by relationships that give birth to desires for love and understanding, acceptance and validation, growing expectations of ourselves and those around us.
I was listening to a talk by Ekchart Tolle a few days ago and he was speaking to this misplacement of our efforts when he shared that indeed there is nothing wrong with the world around us and all the material possessions or the desire for loving relationships and beautiful experiences – having nice things and loving, fulfilling interactions most certainly does feel good after all! We go wrong, he says, when we seek to find our sense of self and inner peace and happiness through these things. We set ourselves up for suffering when we start to depend on them for our wellbeing and our happiness. So detachment does not mean to stop enjoying these things or to stop having them, but to stop investing in them for finding our sense of self and happiness.
Instead we can focus on internal processes that bring us to a place of self-containment and inner peace and joy. In other words, investing our energy in our own processes, rather than things outside of ourselves that, in truth, we have no control over.
In Part II we already identified a daily practice as a way of increasing our own wellbeing and boosting our mood. How that space of daily practice is used can also add to feelings of contentment and joy.
Although a daily practice can mean a number of different things to different people, it might be worth considering adding some (or all) of the following to your personal routine. Maybe even consider keeping a journal and/or a mood diary and keep track of how these new additions might be having any impact on how you feel.
Breath of Joy
Standing with feet a little more than hip width apart, taking a 3-part breath in as you raise your arms forwards, sideways and upwards with an awareness of breathing into the abdomen, arms forwards shoulder height (1/3), the middle of the chest, arms opening sideways (2/3) and the upper chest as the arms lengthen upwards (3/3). Breathing out allow the breath to release (perhaps with a sigh if that feels like what you need in that moment), simultaneously leaning into a forward bend, allowing the knees to bend slightly, swinging the arms all the way down and back upwards. Breathe in and slowly come back into standing. Repeat that 3-5 times and take a moment to notice how the body feels now – physically, energetically, mentally, emotionally.
Chanting
There are many reported benefits to chanting, including reducing stress, strengthening a sense of oneness and belonging and promoting a positive outlook. As a practice of repeating a mantra it can induce a meditative state as it invites the mind to focus on one thing and thereby starts to quieten it, taking the immediate thoughts away from the daily worries and forward planning. As a practice of singing or vocal chanting, as with any kind of singing, it can increase energy levels as well as social cohesion as it tones the vagal nerve. Generally, studies have shown that over time, chanting can produce positive changes in the brain, in turn having a positive impact on one’s wellbeing.
So, choose a mantra that resonates with you – it could be a simple “OM”, your own positive affirmation, or existing healing mantras such as the “Gayatri Mantra”. Traditionally, it is recommended that you repeat the mantra 108 times, however if you are just beginning perhaps start with 10-12 repetitions or whatever feels comfortable for you.
Movement
The benefits of movement are innumerable and by now well researched and documented, with exercise and movement in general being recommended for the prevention and improvement of numerous health conditions. So, carve out time to let your body move. Especially if your day to day ‘asana’ involves a lot of static sitting and very little walking, bending, squatting and generally being naturally mobile. Let your body move and stretch, encouraging all the spaces within it to expand and contract to allow the energy that flows through it, to do so with ease; without getting stuck in places. Places we would rather ignore, dark spaces where we hold pain, fixed spaces where we hold tension. Encourage every joint to move, all your limps, the whole of your spine and do so with the breath. It might be a 5 minute walk or jog, it might be 5 minutes on the yoga mat in cat/cow, whatever it is find time to intentionally move on a daily basis.
If you would like to know more about any of the above or you would like support with your own practice get in touch to arrange a 1-1 yoga therapy session. If you are particularly interested in boosting your mood sign up for our 6-week yoga therapy course starting January 2025.
Share below in the comments if you are using any of the practices already or started to use them and what differences (if any!) you are noticing through using them.
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