#73 - 3 Minute Thursday: Your Contentment

Welcome to our weekly segment, "Three Minute Thursday"  (#3MinThursday) where I highlight a piece of wisdom I’ve come across from my own readings over the past week, or share with you an inspirational anecdote that can help you lead a more calm, free and compassionate life. 

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This week I have contentment on my mind, inspired by my current education at the Sri Sri School of Yoga. 

Many of you know that one of the central areas of focus in this podcast is spotlighting profound wisdom and philosophical insights, both ancient and modern, that can be applied to finding calm, freedom, and compassion in the hustle of modern day living.

Today I want to talk about some key wisdom around contentment and happiness – wisdom that has spanned not only the ages, but continents and world views.

The idea that contentment and happiness is a choice is not new.

Sentenced to prison twice for his views on the French government, 18th cent. Paris-based Writer and philosopher Voltaire, had a strong conviction about contentment – that is was a decision you had to make. He wrote that the "most important decision you will make is to be in a good mood."

Two hundred years later, a man from Detroit Michigan who began his life as an orphan only to write one of the best-selling books of all time, Wayne Dyer said something similar: “Heaven on Earth is a choice you must make, not a place you must find.”

Rewind about 2000 years from this and we find that this same idea – that a happy mood and contentment is a choice we make, - can be found in the ancient Yoga Sutras, one of the foundational texts of classic yogic philosophy. In this text, Maharishi Patanjali refers to the Sanskrit word santosha – which means contentment, describing it as an attitude and a practice. He says that only by practicing santosha, can unparalellled joy be achieved.

So if you’re feeling a bit low or empty today, Make that decision to be in a good mood. Tap into your inner world or explore your outer world to find those nuggets of contentment– there are never far from reach. 

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For more from Host Pooja Mottl:  www.PoojaMottl.com

Podcast Producer: www.Go-ToProductions.com

Twitter: @PoojaMottl

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LinkedIn: @PoojaMottl

Special Thanks : 

Kris Kosach of the TPR Podcast for lending her VO for our Podcast Intro.

Jessica Panian for her help with our graphic design. 

Sufi Kaur for managing and designing our social graphics.