Joy Isn’t Always Easy

Rethinking the definition of joy (santosha)

There are so many opportunities for joy in December.  And I love it.  But when faced with an abundance of choices, I sometimes fall into the comparing trap.  I compare the activity I chose to the activity I didn’t, and wonder if I made the right choice.  Or I look around at the other families and compare their level of joy with that of my family. (Cue crying kid and eye-rolling teen.)  Or I compare present joys to past joys, through the sad heart of a missing loved one.

I get a little December “joy-jealous”.

Yoga’s teaching of joy is very different than the bright and shiny joys of December activities.  Yoga describes joy more like contentment.  Joy is not felt from one moment to the next, but is a quiet underlying feeling. It is joy that keeps us tethered from going too high or too low.  It is cultivated by practicing an acceptance of the natural ups and downs of real life.  Yoga calls this definition of joy, “santosha”.  

Science agrees with this quieter definition of joy.  A large scientific study on happiness concluded that people were more likely to label themselves as “happy” when they were engaged in one activity and simply kept their mind on what they were doing.  This was true even if the activity was mundane, like washing the dishes. 

This redefined idea of joy helps to slow me down.  I’m not supposed to be hoarding as many joyful December moments as possible!  Here’s to trying out a different kind of December this year!

Until next time, 

Laura

A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (Science)