Mary Ann Iyer, MD
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Contentment
Contentment has become a throw-away word, nearly synonymous with complacent. After decades of mind-altering advertising designed explicitly to keep us discontent for the sake of provoking consumption, we need to stop and look at this.
Joanna Macy points out that we need a “ -- great turning of human consciousness. We are going to have to want different things, seek different pleasures, pursue different goals than those that have been driving us and our global economy.”
Imagine ---- being content. How would that be? Just – rest with that for a while.
I’ve noticed that gratitude is such a close cousin to contentment that any time I’ve ever sat at the kitchen table in Contentment’s house for very long, gratitude has come knocking. And when she comes bursting in through the door, the whole house rolicks!
All kinds of zany things start happening. Joy. Inspiration, even! Jumping up to call someone just to tell them how much I appreciate them in my life!
And – a sense of having so much. Abundance.
More than anything, we need a cultural attitude shift.
Let contentment come sit with you awhile.
It’s bad for consumerism.
And really, really good for our world.
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In recent weeks I, too, have found flashes of true contentment popping up in my life -- for the first time in my 70 years on this earth! I've never been content -- from my youngest memories -- always wanted more (of everything, material as well as emotional). Gratitude, abundance do indeed come along for the journey, fleeting though the journey may be. The moments seem to come more often, visit for longer. I observe, sensing the importance of the moment, don't try to hold onto it because there is also contentment in not grasping at this joy. The moments come and they go but overall, they're making a difference inside, where it counts. There's a sea change going on in my mind, and I'm just watching, going along for the ride, never blase and often downright awed by this new parade.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this and all words of wisdom you post here -- greatly appreciated!