Santosha and Tapas
“At some point you gotta let go, and sit still, and allow contentment to come to you.”
Santosha, the second Niyama, can be translated as contentment. Tapas, the third Niyama, means to burn and is associated with self discipline and/or suffering.
Sutra 2.42 states that the result of contentment is total happiness. Sri Swami Satchidananda discusses how this form of happiness is different to the Western version of happiness where we seek for it externally. This is a happiness that is already within us. Acceptance of our present moment as it is. Try not to project into an imagined future or dwell on the past. Resisting the present moment is what leads to suffering. Julie Ela Grace suggests that if we hear the word ‘should’ in our thoughts we are likely causing our own pain and suffering.
Sutra 2.43 states by austerity impurities of body and senses are destroyed. Sri Swami Satchidananda discusses practicing physical Tapas by fasting or detoxing, practicing mental Tapas by ‘burning’ our old impressions in our mind and practicing verbal Tapas by observing silence. He asks us never to run from pain and suffering as it purges all impurities. The strength gained by practicing tapas brings true joy or contentment.
I have had a tenedency to run away from emotional pain. My own and others. I think most of us can relate. In my 20s I used binge drinking to numb this pain. I emigrated after completing my degree, thinking I was going on a journey to find myself, but on reflection I can see now that I was running away. Since I started having children in my late 20’s my opportunities for nights out became rare so now I resort to either numbing by always being busy and over exercising or the other extreme of crashing on the couch in front of You Tube or Netflix. Recently I had been pushing myself so hard in life that a colleague told me that I was behaving like a martyr. My self discipline had been excessive in order to numb my suffering.
I’m learning through studying Yoga and Buddhism to relinquish control but that then means letting the suffering surface. For some time now I’ve been going through periods of Tapas (burning/suffering) interspersed with periods of Santosha (contentment) and bizarrely at times I’ve experienced both together. I tried silent meditation but I was so uncomfortable with what I was feeling with this and instead I gravitated to visualisations and guided meditations. These were beneficial and at least got me sitting and starting a meditation routine.
I am learning to be softer and more compassionate with myself. I’ve been reflecting on the Yamas and Niyamas. I am now sitting quietly in meditation and observing the painful thoughts and feelings. I am slowing down the busyness of life in order to rest more. I use gratitude and abundance practices to bring more contentment into my life. I experience more moments of contentment as I realise that life is chaotic and constantly changing. This is the same for us all. This is what makes life beautiful, spontaneous and creative. As I release my hold on the need to control I am finding a sense of ease and peace.
Brené Brown discusses the ‘leaning in’ to discomfort when she talks about being vulnerable. She asks that we don’t armour up and tap out when we feel uncomfortable, uncertain and exposed. To quote her: ‘Stay brave. Stay uncomfortable. Stay in the cringy moment. Lean into the hard conversation and keep leading……..Try to stay human.’
“When the heart knows that we are much more than the material body and mind, we are inspired to do what it takes, unpleasant or not, to rediscover our true selves.”
“You learn things painfully and when you learn something painfully a part of you has to die. ”
Resources and References
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali , Translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, 2019
The Heart of Yoga, Developing a Personal Practice, T.K.V Desikachar, 1995
Threads of Yoga by Pamela Seelig, 2021
Applying the Yamas & Niyamas to Everyday Life. Julie Ela Grace. 10 Day Course on Insight Timer.
https://brenebrown.com/
