Before you join me for this new guided gratitude affirmation meditation, I’d love to explain why this practice matters.
Gratitude is a quality we can cultivate to experience more joy or bliss (ananda) in our lives, and gratitude within the system of yoga is known as santosha or contentment.
What’s santosha? Let’s have a chat 💭 about that.
It’s one of the five niyamas from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and the sutras are a highly revered text that compile many, many years of oral teachings & traditions into a step-by-step system for students (like you and me) to walk the spiritual path.
Now stick with me…
Within the sutras are the eight limbs, and it’s here that we find the niyamas (the second limb). There are five niyamas in total, and santosha is one of them!
Now what’s a niyama? Let’s have a chat 💭 about that too.
The word niyama translates to restraint, attitude, behavior or a character-building observance that we want cultivate within ourselves to progress along the eightfold path.
So this is where santosha originates from, and I pulled this character-building observance out of the eight limbs to support this experience!
Related: Searching for a daily gratitude routine? Press play for a guided practice to feel grateful!
Here’s my hope for this practice…
When you and I can sit on our mats and practice gratitude, and be okay with the situations we’re currently navigating whether it’s a HIGH HIGH or a LOW LOW or somewhere in-between…
We’re better able to step off our mats with a neutral mindset and be thankful for what we have, what we’re currently cultivating, and even what we’re missing (to the best of our abilities).
Here’s what to expect…
We’ll practice the chaturmukham mudra, a gesture for santosha, and pair this with the five below affirmations ⬇️
- Gratitude grounds me.
- I love what I already have.
- Prosperity surrounds me.
- I am fully & completely cared for.
- I am the embodiment of abundance.
Okay! Now that we understand why this practice matters, please come join me in an upright seated posture to begin.
Allie, xx
I wanna learn it all!
The Yoga Reset Guide is my FREE 7-step journey to deepen your practice and recenter your body, mind and soul. Self-paced, no equipment necessary, perfect for beginners AND veteran yogis.
Hey! I’m Allie.
I’m a self-growth student, freedom-seeker, yoga teacher and the founder of a tight-knit online yoga community: the Body Mind Soul Studio. I’m here to teach you how to transform your life on-and-off-the-mat with a holistic yoga practice.
I wanna learn it all!
The Yoga Reset Guide is my FREE 7-step journey to deepen your practice and recenter your body, mind and soul. Self-paced, no equipment necessary, perfect for beginners AND veteran yogis.