To Find Contentment, Take Action
How can we overcome the afflictions of the mind that get in the way of our contentment? First, we must understand what the obstacles are, get to know how they effect us and find the self-discipline to improve ourselves, realizing that what we cannot change we must let go of.
The Kleshas are our negative mental states. We become trapped by our misunderstanding (avidya “ignorance”); convinced that we’re an individual limited in time, space, and knowledge (asmita “ego-attachment”), that we need to have certain things to make us happy (raga “desire”) and should avoid other things that we don’t like (dvesha “aversion”), and that we need to hold tightly to our mistaken identity (abhinivesha “fear of death”).
Where To Begin?
Taking action to acquire a calm and tranquil mind is where we must begin. Our greatest resource is the yoga of action, Karma yoga, also known as Kriya Yoga. Our actions must be made with eternal vigilance and strong dedication to make changes happen.
The self-discipline needed is called Tapas, meaning heat. The element of fire, which is present in Tapas, is also the element of transformation. It is the fire of practice that burns off the impurities covering our under-laying state of bliss. Transformation generally occurs when we allow change to happen; stepping outside of our comfort zone and practicing poses, behaviors or new perspectives we’re not confident with or may be afraid of. This is when we begin to grow and learn about ourselves. When we do not practice Tapas and keep our life easy all the time, we don’t tend to learn the life lessons we need to make us stronger and more developed people. We travel the bumpy road of Tapas to find a place of peace and freedom. The lessons we learn from facing challenges and fears are the ones that tend to have the biggest spiritual impact on us.
Svadyaya is another important action needed for overcoming the Kleshas. It is the self-study and reflection we need to develop and make improvements. This is the cultivation of the witness mind. It is observing and inquiring into our own thoughts, actions, habit and behaviors. When we are conscious of what is happening within us we can have more freedom of choice to express more of our own true nature. Svadhyaya is associated with the study of scripture, because we can learn more about who we are by studying scriptures, reading article, listening to dharma talks, singing and dancing among countless ways. We have to take an audit of ourselves on an ongoing basis to understand which Kleshas are at play and when.
The yoga masters also speak of using the practice of Ishvara Pranidhana, translated as devotion to Source or the inner master for attaining the deepest transformation. It requires great inner stability and understanding to be willing and able to trust in the universe to guide you – free from the likes and dislikes of the ego.
Putting It Into Practice
There are many practices and strategies for creating contentment. The best one for you may differ by circumstance so (as the old saying goes) “If at first you don’t succeed – try, try again”.
Along with the steady application of asana and meditation to cultivate contentment, Sutra 11:33 says to neutralize the negative tendencies of the mind through cultivating their positive counterparts in attitude and action. Consider challenging yourself to writing down ten positive thoughts everyday for a week. See what happens.
This article first appeared on www.yogatoday.com