Patanjali Yoga Sutra II:40
“Santosha anuttamah sukha labhah”
From an attitude of contentment (santosha), unexcelled happiness, mental comfort, joy, and deep satisfaction are attained.
Key Terms:
- Santosha = contentment
- Anuttamah = unexcelled, supreme, ultimate
- Sukha = pleasure, happiness, comfort, joy, satisfaction
- Labhah = acquired, attained, gained
We live in a world of constant seeking – of gratification, achievement, and validation. Yet, true fulfilment arises not from accumulation but from acceptance of what is. Santosha is both a practice and a state of being, cultivated through conscious awareness and intentional living.
Three Dimensions of Santosha
- Intent Doing one’s best while embracing the results – without attachment or expectation.
- Inner State Contentment emerges through virtues such as Asteya (non-coveting), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Daya (compassion).
- Outward Expression Santosha manifests as serenity – a quiet joy unshaken by external fluctuations.
The essence of Santosha is non-attachment, a release from craving, fear, and manipulation. It is the ability to remain centred amidst the shifting currents of life. With contentment, the yogi moves freely, uninhibited by external forces.
Yoga Darshana, nearly 2400 years ago, defined contentment as: “A joyful and satisfied mind regardless of one’s environment, whether one meets with pleasure or pain, profit or loss, fame or contempt, success or failure, sympathy or hatred.”
Shankaracharya (1300 years ago) reinforced Santosha’s power: “Contentment frees one from all bondage. It allows one to dwell according to one’s will, pursue their calling without fear or manipulation.”
Charles Johnston, expanding upon Shankaracharya’s wisdom, wrote: “Neither distressed nor elated, attached nor repelled, the yogi rejoices in the Self – the Eternal. His life is victory; he moves where fancy leads, unconstrained. He sleeps by the riverbank or the wood, his couch is the world; he treads paths where the beaten road has ended, delighting in the Supreme.”
Freedom from Fear & Attachment
Fear arises from loss. Loss stems from attachment. As Santosha deepens, attachment dissolves – and with it, fear.
A mind untangled from greed, corruption, and craving is free – liberated from stress, anxiety, and self-imposed suffering.
Modern research affirms that mental balance directly impacts physical health. Stress-related ailments often arise when contentment is absent. True well-being is cultivated not just through diet or exercise, but through inner alignment – a mind at ease, a spirit unburdened.
Santosha and the Flow of Energy (Prana)
Just as emotional equilibrium reflects in physical health, Santosha harmonises the subtle body, allowing prana to flow effortlessly. When we relinquish resistance, energy moves freely, nurturing every layer of our being.
Lao Tzu captured this wisdom beautifully: “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realise nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
Applying Santosha in Daily Life
- Live in the Present – Contentment cannot exist in nostalgia or longing.
- Meditate Daily – Ground yourself in the now through mindfulness.
- Practice Gratitude – Shift focus from scarcity to abundance.
- Redirect Your Mind – When faced with negativity, intentionally refocus on what is working.
- Honor Nature – Recognise your interdependence with the world.
- Give Generously – Contribution dissolves attachment, fostering fulfilment.
- Release Control – Acceptance, rather than resistance, leads to peace.
Santosha in Asana Practice
- Embrace both comfort and challenge with equal grace.
- Detach from external comparisons – your practice is yours alone.
- Stay present, anchoring awareness in breath.
- Honor your body’s journey, rather than forcing expectations.
- Find joy in movement – yoga is not merely a pursuit, but a surrender.
Reflection Questions
- How does contentment shift your experience of everyday life?
- In what ways does attachment create suffering?
- How can Santosha help dissolve anxiety, fear, and stress?
- Where do you see resistance in your life, and how might acceptance transform it?
- What practices help cultivate Santosha beyond the yoga mat?
Deepening the Understanding
“As the ocean remains undisturbed by incoming rivers, so too does the awakened one remain unshaken by the streams of desire.” – Bhagavad Gita
“Contentment is not complacency – it is the art of finding peace while still embracing growth.”
Santosha is not stagnation. It is the equanimity that allows us to navigate life’s highs and lows without resistance. It is freedom, the ability to move without clinging, love without condition, and exist without demand.