Boos by B

Contentment (Santosha) was one of my most favorite things I learned in my yoga teacher training (shoutout to ‘s incredible instructors). It hit me this year. I have always been the bubbliest, most positive, full of energy person in the room. I always felt like people expected that same enthusiasm at the start of every virtual meeting, but where was this coming from? How does one reply to a “how are you?” during a pandemic, coming to terms with the reality of police brutality, racism, continued injustices in the world, and the normal health and personal life challenges we face?

When I search for answers I pray, meditate, and practice yoga. It had been months since I had given myself the space to practice at home, and I finally just propped up the laptop and rolled out my mat. Peak pose hit me and it was Eagle 🦅. I love Eagle but it had been a while, and my balance was off. With focused breath and little hesitation, I loosened the leg cross and propped my toes to the mat. I accepted that moment and felt genuinely at ease with every part of me. Today, I finally feel normal feeling and saying that I am “content”.

Practicing Santosha on the mat made me recognize how I speak to myself. I noticed when my worry for perfection spun my stomach into knots; I don’t need to strive for something else all the time. All I need is to be perfectly content with everything I already have within me. I am content knowing that with each inhale I am at my best, and with each exhale I am letting go of everything else.

I am that much lighter knowing contentment, and I hope a piece of this brings you contentment. Happy new week ahead. 🙏🏽☀️

Refugees welcome, always: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”