The importance and blessings of Santosha. 2.42 Contentment brings supreme happiness. In difficult times aiming for happiness can be difficult but contentment seems easier, more attainable. With this short practice to be done as needed, at least once a day.

Linking movement to the sutra, may help the client find peace and joy in the niyama regarding contentment. The client will be asked to perform 1asanas with breath and mantra followed by short meditation to evoke a sense of uplifting. Measure sense of peace, energy level before and after. Overall for 1 week and reassess.

Trans male (they), 40's, recently identifying as they, currently in divorce, 1 bio child 15yrs old and adopted 12 yrs old. Currently highly stressed, medications for transition, as an acupuncturist, self treats with herbs. Currently seeking help with feeling stable.

This client requested a short 7-10 min practice that could be done easily, and included movement and pranayama, with neutral energy so that she could use it at anytime of day. Step one: Stand or sit and center on breath, with inhale fill chest, allow abdomen to relax, allowing the diaphragm drop with contraction of diaphragm.With exhale saying Santosha out loud or to self slowly.
Step 2: Vira 1 as inhale raise arms overhead and exhale slowly bringing them down, a verbal or internal repetition of mantra can be applied. 4 each side then hold last for 3 breaths.
Step 3: Seated meditation using Santosha as a Mantra.
Any step can be lengthend or shortened depending on circumstances.

Raja: The focus on Santosha centers thoughts to a neutral place of simple contentment. Being ”happy” may be a step too far when life is difficult. In B Bouanchaud’s The essence of yoga, he says of 2.42 Contentment is dynamic and constructive attitude that brings to look at things in a new way. He goes on to say santosha brings a flowering of subtle joy and inner serenity… independent of outside influences. This gives one hope that finding contentment will at least lead to an inner peace.
Hatha is present as the nuts and bolts of the movement and breath practices. The exhale focus is more langhana which balances with the brahmana of vira1 with breath. (Yogajournal.com Decoding your energy during yoga practice). Providing an energetically neutral practice helps to maintain neutrality of the autonomic nervous system.
Japa is included by using the word Santosha as a mantra.

They have a background as a yoga teacher and with an Ayruvedic degree and is a practicing Acupuncturist. Currently they are in a divorce, moved twice in 2 months, and in 2nd year of transition. Competent in the physical body, lacks energy. They have brain fog, the testosterone helping, emotions down, brief moments of feeling ok. Anxiety daily, finances, support lacking, “lacks grounding”. Feel certain in new sexual identity, but with transition it’s difficult with acceptance. Trying to create foundation for a deeper spiritual life. Right now survival and connecting with their 2 boys is key. The goal is to help connect through the koshas with this practice to ground with centering, energize with breath, connect physically with movement, and connect with mind, emotion and spirit by chanting and meditating on Santosha. They enjoyed the sequence especially the mantra on exhale.

They can build on the mini sequence with other postures they can do standing or sitting. Add a catch variation to add flexion of spine to her movement. The Vira 1 could go into flexion over the front leg thus combining extension and flexion of the spine. By adding the flexion there can be a sense of calm as well as increased movement of spine and lengthening of back of legs. They go to gym, so basic stretching of the body is useful.
My hopes is that with time they can add pieces and a new mantra monthly to keep the practice fresh. In time she can pick her mantra and do a basic sequence daily to fit her needs.

I did apply the intended plan. They really enjoyed the idea of Santosha. We discussed the concept of contentment and applying it to her life now.They intend to focus on contentment in the moment and trying to bring in mindfulness ideas in order to connect to their present moments with clients ,their boys or friends. After we did the practice 2 x through, they were super excited by the calm and energy they felt. I went ahead and showed the forward bend and how to make that part of the sequence if they had an extra bit of time.

The plan needed no adaption. I just added the extra forward fold. The sequence can be found on page 76 of Yoga for Body, Breath and Mind by A.G. Mohan.
From The Heart of Yoga by TKV Desikachar he summarizes sutra 2.42. The happiness we get from acquiring passions is only temporary. We need to find new ones and acquire them to sustain this sort of happiness. There is no end to it. But true contentment, leading to total happiness and bliss, is in a class by itself. This commentary is to the point and brings the meaning of the sutra to the front. I really related to this commentary. Personally I love the idea of Santosha, it reminds me of the Middle Path of the Buddha. Finding contentment seems better than disappointment and easier to attain than happy, joyful bliss.

Client loved the quote and wrote it down. They have a long way to go to refinding themselves.

I enjoy working with shorter sequences with breath and mantra to shorten the practice time but having all the elements there. Using this approach in a multi person class is effective but not as specific as working one on one. Teaching the sutras with a well designed class to bring in the mantra as a word or phrase, teaches students new possibilities in their home practices. Using Raja yoga and teaching the levels of meaning in a class is a great way to help students take the yoga to a deeper level.
Using concepts like kindness, peace, forgiveness, gratitude all work well a mantras for a Raja themed class. Finding a sutra and a parallel english word is fun, then creating a class around it.
With individual clients it is exciting to find a concept and slip it into their practice. Once we get a handle on their Koshas and life goals it is easier to create these short but effective practices with a mantra.