The Difference between Contentment and Complacency: A Reflection from an Old Yoga Mat

China philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the world belongs to you.” I remember this quote quite often, but one memory comes particularly clear—my inaugural yoga class.

A Surprising Start

I was a rugged old man stepping into a yoga studio for the first time, surrounded by seasoned yogis twisting themselves into pretzels. The feeling of discomfort was immense.

You may wonder – ‘how could someone of my stature derive any form of contentment amidst severe uneasiness?’ But that’s exactly when I discovered its meaning.

In this state of vulnerability and discomfort started my journey towards understanding contentment.

Finding Peace Amidst Unease

“Contentment,” our guru would intone as we stretched in ways I never thought possible, “is being at peace with where you are right now.”

And guess what? It worked! Despite being awful at it initially and struggling to match up with others more adept than me, coming out stronger after each session taught me true contentness arrives not from external factors but intrinsic growth.

The Misunderstood Cousin – Complacency

This story wouldn’t be complete without clearing the air around complacency—the misunderstood cousin of contentness.

• Complacency- satisfied with current progress or achievements even if they’re inadequate or lead to stagnancy because there’s no hunger for self-improvement
• Contented- satsified architectural=constructor-tab.microsoft.HoldCTRL/with their current situation while striving for better gradually without clinging onto future hopes anxiously.

So how did yoga bring about these revelations?

The Closing Pose – Savasana (Corpse Pose)

By stimulating slow contemplation during savasana—a pose mimicking a motionless corpse—that oddly sparked life inside.

In parting terms:

This ancient practice showed how accepting ourselves wholly—with all flaws embraced—could help reach deeper states within oneself’s reservoirs. No constant yearning after tomorrow’s potential excellence overshadows today’s achieved self-fulfillments—a