La Dolce Vita Retreats

We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

                                                                                                – Frederick Koenig

The question was posed, “Is Santosa an attitude we bring to our activities or is it an effect of our actions?”  Certainly a provocative question, it rivals “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

I view both aspects as a symbiotic relationship of cyclical cause and effect, like an infinite ring.   If I had to choose one aspect over the other, I would suggest that Santosa is an attitude we bring to our activities; at least, it is for me.

I propose that when we begin our day with time to reflect on those aspects of our lives for which we are grateful, to express appreciation for what we have, we begin our day with a feeling of fulfillment, an attitude of abundance and satiety which transcends to a positive mind-set and constructive thoughts.  When one is content, we perceive life trough a different “lens”, from a different “geography” where the grass is green everywhere. 

Consider that contentment is a state of being, an inner peace that resides within us, devoid of negative sentiments or covetous thoughts.  Now ponder making decisions from a viewpoint of generosity and love rather than one of avarice and envy.  Contemplate the course of your actions detached from materialism.  Chances are that, like a river which flows towards the path of least resistance, so too, your courses will flow differently.

When we are imbued with this attitude, with Santosa, it transforms not only our behavior and resultant choices, but those of others; it impacts the outcomes of our actions.  This symbiotic relationship between attitude and action has a ripple effect, expanding outward, constantly repeating its cause and effect pattern.

Santosa frees us to savor life… to cherish, rather than take for granted, the treasures with which we have been blessed.

 

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.  

                                                                                                              –Buddha

Tags: Santosa; contentment;appreciation;fulfillment;abundance;dolce vita

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 11:46 am and is filed under La Dolce Vita Retreats. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.