How happy are you?

It's a question that floats through our minds now and then, and that often comes up at the beginning of the year, as we look toward the future with new goals.

How content are you with what you have, and who you are today?

One of Alive in the Fire's readers shares her story today about the power of contentment, and how to find it. May this post by Rana Waxman help you on your journey toward happiness!

Happiness cannot be found throught great effort and willpower, but is already present in open

relaxation and letting go.

-a

Ven. Lama Gendun Rinpoche

It is very easy to feel on top of the world when

you are not being tested, but is this your default setting? If pressures build up, do you

breathe

through them, find ways to

diffuse tension

do you store it,

let pressure build

and then explode?

I am not talking about

the once in a while scenarios, but if things are not as you'd hoped, what are your attitudes,

perceptions, and coping strategies? Do you still experience contentment or is this a borrowed measure

reserved for the one day all the bills are paid, you have slept great, and you have eaten well...in

other words, are you happy and smiling no matter what happens?

The reason I put forth these questions is that seeking happiness is a complex thing. Yogis

call it uncovering our true Nature, and will tell you we are born into happiness, but the thinking

mind gives us all kinds of trouble. It starts us chasing after the senses, after material gain,

accumulation, etc.

There's nothing wrong with wanting the iPhone 4; it looks super cool. But if you

have the iPhone 3, do you then become less happy with what you do not yet possess once the iPhone 4 is released onto the market? Or do

you accept what you have with gratitude?

This last approach --

accepting what you have with gratitude

-- is the fertile ground for lasting

happiness.

Contentment, Patanjali says in the yoga sutras, is dynamic, as opposed to complacency which

is a bit stagnant. We should be able to look at our life, weed out the toxic relationships and

situations to then re-balance on all levels. This requires changing what isn't working; therefore,

practicing contentment is a call to action sometimes

. It also asks us to

want what we have

Contentment brings us to a new perception of how things are, and so, calms the mind,

fostering appreciation. It is an attitude that is independent of outside influences.

What you

have or don't have does not change the essence of who you are.

You may be thinking, "Uh,

maybe I can achieve contentment in my next life, but that sounds pretty hard to sustain now!"

Though it may be easier to be

happy when there is some kind of "success" in our life, the truly positive person will smile and

keep a good sense of humor throughout turmoil, will exhale and

relax

, w

ill know that they are guided and protected, all-one, not alone.

I know virtues are hard to visualize and materialize and harmonize when things are tough, and disappointments abound. These are the times though when adopting a mind-set that views adversity as opportunity is helpful. So instead of chasing, spend a few moments in Nature, or quietly observing your breath, do a little

Yoga Flow

, take a

walk.

Allow this great and powerful and sustaining virtue to take root in your life so that your

default setting is now rewired for peace and positivity in 2012...

Blessings,

Rana