Santosha

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the Niyama Santosha—commonly translated as “contentment.”

For me, Santosha feels like an inner posture of gratitude. A way of orienting myself toward life with openness and reverence.

My teacher Susanna Barkataki once called Santosha “Passionate Joy”—and something about that landed so deeply.

Joy is often misunderstood as happiness, but true joy is more nuanced, more rooted. Manee Chrystal Joy, founder of the Somatic Institute for Women, describes joy as “the direct felt sense of the present moment.”

You can feel heartbreak and joy simultaneously.
You can be weary and still connect to wonder.

When I think about Santosha, I think about presence.
Embodiment.
Feeling alive within our lives.

But how often do we move through life on autopilot?
I think of those times I drive home and suddenly realize I don’t remember the journey. Or when I wash my face, rushing to the next thing instead of tending to myself.

What would it feel like to turn these moments into rituals?
✨ Washing your face with intention—an act of care, a breath of presence.
✨ Starting your day with a felt sense of grounding.
✨ Finding sacredness in the mundane.

This is the practice.
This is Santosha.

An invitation to come home to yourself—again and again—with tenderness and joy.

I'd love to hear from you: What helps you return to presence? Where in your life could joy be invited in more fully?

With love and gratitude,
Megan