Santosha (meaning contentment) in yoga refers to the second Niyama in the classical eight-limbed path of yoga (Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga).
To become a yogi, this is one of the values you must master. But it transcends physical movements, as contentment requires more of inner peace and happiness than flexibility or strength.
In this guide, we’re diving into the depths of Santosha yoga, helping you inch closer to contentment.
| # | Section |
|---|---|
| 1. |
Santosha Yoga Meaning: What is Santosha in Yoga? |
| 2. |
How to Cultivate Santosha? |
| 3. |
5 Santosha Yoga Poses |
| 4. |
Conclusion |
Santosha Yoga Meaning: What is Santosha in Yoga?
Santosha is one of the five Niyamas in Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, which teaches the inner attitude of acceptance and appreciation, regardless of whether life looks perfect or not.
It’s about accepting things as they are, finding peace in the present moment, and letting go of craving, comparison, and “if only” thinking.
Niyamas: One of the Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga
To understand the bigger picture of where the Niyamas fit in, we need to cover the basics of the classical eight-limbed path of yoga.
Ashtanga Yoga (Patanjali’s classification of classical yoga, also known as the classical eight-limbed path of yoga) contains eight limbs as follows:
- Yamas
- Niyamas
- Āsana
- Prāṇāyāma
- Pratyāhāra
- Dhāraṇā
- Dhyāna
- Samādhi
Each of these limbs serves the purpose of enhancing the practice of yoga. They are of rules and best practices that shape yoga as a means to achieve moral discipline and a purposeful life.
The limb of Niyamas is a set of five rules that lays down the “dos” of yoga, setting the groundwork for a peaceful inner and outer life and building self-discipline.
Santosha is one of them, which sets the foundation for a yogi to be content with what they have rather than crave a materialistic life.
How to Cultivate Santosha?
Santosha is a mental or emotional state of being content with what we already have. It’s about appreciating our current state and being at peace with it, rather than anxiously craving materialistic possessions.
For that same reason, it requires a mindset shift to achieve Santosha.
Unlike the other physically focused limbs that require training the body for flexibility, strength, and discipline, Santosha requires training your mind to be grateful for what you already have.
Meditation & Mindfulness
Understanding yourself is necessary to be able to adjust your lifestyle and mindset for Santosha. And meditation is a great way to find yourself—to explore the depths of who you are.
Set aside minutes of quiet presence each day. Start by simply noticing when your mind clings to wanting or rejecting something.
- Try a brief mindfulness break:
- Pause.
- Take deep breaths.
- And mentally note three things you’re grateful for every day.
You can practice this by incorporating mindful yoga, which we’ll explore in more detail later in this article.
Over time, these practices anchor you in the present, dissolving the pull of past regret or future worry.
Journaling & Reflection
Writing can reinforce contentment. Keep a gratitude journal where you can jot down 3–5 things you appreciate every day (big or small).
For instance, write down how grateful you feel for having a partner who sticks with you through all your ups and downs. Also, consider answering useful prompts like:
- “What do I have right now that I often take for granted?”
- “How have I grown since this time last year?”
Answers to questions like these mirror the idea of celebrating where you are now. This simple act of writing clarifies the mind, and seeing your own gratitude in ink can shift perspective towards abundance.
Mindful Routines
Certain everyday habits can aid you in the process of achieving Santosha.
Being mindful of routines can cultivate presence, helping you be at peace with what is rather than worrying about what could be or couldn’t be.
You can easily nurture mindful routines by slowing down your daily tasks. For example, instead of rushing through a cup of tea, really taste the tea and feel the warmth.
Shift Your Mindset
- Finally, you need to change the perspective of how you look at life:
- Slowly adopt an attitude of “what I have now is enough.”
- Slowly stop chasing material luxuries.
- Learn to shut down materialistic cravings/obsessions.
A mindset that’s obsessed with materialistic possessions constantly craves more, resulting in the constant worry of the future. Eliminate such anxiety by learning to feel enough with what you already have.
5 Santosha Yoga Poses
If you want to cultivate Santosha with yoga, you need to practice poses that are less physically challenging and more mentally nurturing.
This helps you to slowly find your inner self and gain control over your mind—two important stepping stones to shifting your mindset to cultivate Santosha. Here are five such Santosha yoga poses you can start practicing today.
1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
Sukhasana is one of the easier variations of the Lotus yoga pose. It’s a cross-legged seating position suitable for meditation.
Since meditation is one way of cultivating Santosha, practicing it with the Easy Pose sets you up for building that discipline.
- Here’s how you can get into Sukhasana:
- Start with the Seated Staff position (Dandasana):
- Sit on the floor.
- Extend your legs forward.
- Sit upright, with your spine straight.
- And rest your arms at your side.
- Slowly get into a cross-legged position to go into Sukhasana:
- Bend both your knees to bring your ankles inward, placing your left ankle under your right thigh, and your right ankle under your left thigh.
- Straighten your back and face, hold your Gyan mudra, and start your meditation session.
- Slowly breathe and hold the pose for 5–15 minutes.
2. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Balasana is one of the resting poses in yoga. It’s usually done in a sequence as a reconnecting pose, practiced after easy or intermediate poses to rest, stretch, and recharge for more challenging postures.
It’s also a suitable pose for Santosha due to its encouraging nature for relaxation and focus.
- Here’s the step-by-step guide to get into Balasana:
- Start by getting into the Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana):
- Come onto your hands and knees.
- Make sure to align your wrists under your shoulders, and knees under hips.
- Bring your big toes together, and your knees apart.
- Knees can be either hip-width or wider (for a deeper stretch).
- Lower your hips to your heels.
- Exhale as you drift your hips back towards your heels. If your buttocks can’t reach, place a cushion between your thighs and heels.
- Allow your torso to drape over your thighs to rest your forehead on the mat.
- Use a block or cushion if you find it difficult to touch your forehead on the mat.
- Reach your arms forward, palms down, stretching your shoulders/back.
- Tuck the chin slightly to lengthen the neck, and let your spine and shoulders soften, broadening across the back.
- Inhale to expand the belly and exhale to deepen the fold.
- Breathe and hold the pose for 2–5 minutes.
- To exit the posture, walk your hands back, inhale to lift the torso, and sit back to a kneeling position.
By resting the forehead on the mat, the Child’s Pose can stimulate your Ajna Chakra, also known as the Third Eye.
It is the sixth Chakra (otherwise known as energy centres) in the body, which influences one’s focus and self-understanding.
By stimulating the Ajna Chakra with Balasana, you’re ultimately aiding your mental clarity to achieve the mindset required to lead a lifestyle that promotes Santosha.
3. Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)
This is another one of the relaxing poses, where your legs are held up straight against the support of a wall.
It helps very well in promoting Santosha, as it is known to aid in deep relaxation, calm racing thoughts, balance emotions, recharge the mind, and strengthen mind–body awareness.
- This is how you can get into the pose:
- To start with, find a tall, flat, upright wall.
- Sit with your right or left hip close to the wall, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.
- Lean back into your hands, then swing your legs up the wall as you roll onto your back, simultaneously shifting your hips a few inches from or against the wall.
- Ensure your sit bones are near enough to the wall so your legs rest vertically with minimal effort.
- Feet may be hip-distance apart or supported by a strap to maintain alignment.
- Let your torso settle into the floor.
- Relax your shoulders, face, and neck.
- Extend arms alongside your body or rest them on your belly—palms up if desired.
- Soften your legs into the wall; there’s no need to lift them actively.
- Focus on slow, diaphragmatic breaths.
- Soften into each exhale, letting gravity do the work.
- Breathe and hold the pose for 2–5 minutes.
- To come out of the pose, bend your knees into your chest, roll onto one side (right side recommended), and pause in a fetal resting position. Use your arm to gently press up to a seated position.
The legs-up-the-wall pose can activate the parasympathetic (“rest-and-digest”) response, reducing cortisol and stress hormone levels.
- It’s a core part of your autonomic nervous system (which works without conscious control).
- It can calm and restore your body after stress or danger, counterbalancing the “fight-or-flight” sympathetic system.
With the parasympathetic response triggered, your stress level and anxiety will fall, improving emotional regulation and mental clarity. This particularly aids in promoting the mindset required for Santosha.
4. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Supta Baddha Konasana is, again, another relaxing pose in yoga.
It’s a hip-opener, where you lie flat on your back on the ground, with your hips opened to the sideways, knees bent, and soles of your feet stick against each other, replicating the namaste gesture.
- Here’s how you can practice:
- Start with the Seated Staff position (Dandasana):
- Sit on the floor.
- Extend your legs forward.
- Sit upright, with your spine straight.
- And rest your arms at your side.
- Bring your feet as wide as you can, and slowly bend your knees inward.
- Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop toward the sides.
- Position your heels as close to your pelvis as possible.
- Ensure your soles are touching each other, replicating the namaste gesture.
- And you can use your hands to support positioning your legs.
- Once you’re comfortable with your legs, gently recline to rest your torso on the ground.
- Rest arms by your sides, with your palms facing upward for openness. Or you can extend them overhead if that feels expansive.
- Hold the pose for 5–15 minutes while breathing slowly. Bring attention to the breath and the gentle opening in the chest and hips.
- To exit, slowly unbend your knees to position your legs into a straight posture. Then just press yourself up into sitting.
Just like the legs-up-the-wall pose, the reclined bound angle pose can also activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This posture particularly helps with calming down your mind and reducing anxiety.
5. Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
Shavasana is a deep relaxation yoga pose, where you lie flat on your back with your entire body relaxed. It’s typically practiced at the end of a yoga session.
This is a very powerful mindful state to be in, with many yogis reporting they’d be crying in Shavanasa. This is due to how this pose can effectively enhance mindfulness, allowing you to visit deep-seated thoughts as you are grounded in relaxation.
- This is how you can practice the Corpse Pose step by step:
- Lie flat on your back.
- Spread your legs to mat-width, letting your feet fall open naturally.
- Rest your arms by your sides, slightly away from your body, with palms facing up.
- Keep in mind that your fingers can be gently curled when in a resting state.
- Relax shoulders and neck:
- Roll your shoulder blades down and back.
- Tuck chin slightly to lengthen the back of your neck.
- Let go of any effort and fully rest your entire body, allowing your body to feel heavy and fully supported by the floor.
- Close your eyes and start breathing:
- Breathe naturally, noticing your chest and belly rise and fall effortlessly.
- Focus on each part of your body as you breathe, from head to toe.
- Hold the posture and keep breathing for 5–15 minutes.
- To exit, simply roll to one side and press yourself up into a seated position.
In addition to how mindful Santosha can make you, it is also capable of activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This can help you with stress/anxiety and balance your emotions, which aids in the process of cultivating Santosha.
Conclusion
That’s everything you can do to cultivate Santosha. A mindset shift is required to promote a lifestyle that aids in nurturing Santosha. And the above Santosha yoga poses can help you achieve that mindset shift.
That said, if you’re attempting to become a certified yoga teacher, you can become one with our most comprehensive Yoga Teacher Training Course.
It’s an in-depth training program where you can explore the depth of yoga and learn by practice, with us and other fellow practitioners in-person.
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