Anusara Moment: Contentment

I found myself taking a swim early one morning. Before me, a great stretch of cool, sparkling water shimmered all the way to the base of the Adirondack mountains across Lake Champlain.

And yet, preoccupied with this or that, I realized I was not content. Right away, I stopped myself to notice the beauty and freshness around me. With attention and focus, the scene became achingly lovely, I dropped the veil of discontent and truly enjoyed a dip.

Contentment is not wanting more than we have. It is our natural state and the reality of the cosmos. Still in our culture, it takes practice.

Sometimes the practice is of gratitude. What am I thankful for? What do I appreciate? Stopping during the day to focus on these things increases contentment.

At other times, it takes detachment. What can I let go of?

At night before I sleep, I often practice a short meditation by going through in my mind everything that I value. My husband, dog, house, livelihood, physical ability to move and so on. One by one, I let them go. Not that I will lose them necessarily, but I release control of having them.

And what is left? That which I can be content with.