Contentment is an underestimated virtue. It is often mistaken for passivity or lack of motivation, whereas it is really a state of stability and fullness in which one is free from desires and expectations, and is not influenced by any situation.
It is a power that enables one to resist temptations and distractions and remain steadfast on one’s chosen course. One who has any kind of desire, be it for love, sympathy, praise, fame, wealth or possessions, is always seeking, consciously or unconsciously, to fulfil it. The thoughts and actions of such persons are guided by their wants. They are constantly looking to fill the void within them from outside, and as a result they are always wanting or expecting something from other people or situations. When others do not act according to their wishes, or situations do not turn out the way they want, they are disheartened, disappointed or angry.
Since they do not realise that their desires are the cause of their sorrow, they blame others, situations, or their fate, for their woes. They may even fall into a pattern of negative thinking and begin to attribute motives to others, imagining that they are deliberately trying to hurt them. Such thinking breeds mistrust in their relationships and they end up lonely and miserable as they lose the sympathy and cooperation of others.
Material desires put one on a roller-coaster ride of short-lived euphoria on the fulfilment of a desire, followed by a feeling of emptiness as another desire crops up. Those who are slaves to desires are never happy, even if they have all that they need and more. Distracted by their wants, they cannot enjoy what they have or focus on what they are doing, as their mind is set on the next object of desire.
Contentment frees one from such bondage. A contented person looks at the best part of any situation and makes the most of it. Having no expectations from others, they are patient, understanding and peaceful, and look for solutions instead of complaining or apportioning blame.
They are not stuck on a selfish or self-centred idea in any situation, and are flexible, adopting the best course of action that is of benefit to all, without having their judgment influenced by personal wants or needs. Being unselfish, they win the cooperation and goodwill of others, which helps them solve problems and get tasks accomplished.
One who is not burdened by his own needs and wants is also in a position to help others, who welcome assistance from a person who they know does not have a selfish motive.
In this way, contentment helps forge close relationships that are free from dependencies. In such relationships, there is lightness, joy, trust and cooperation. Wherever people have such happy relationships, it transforms the atmosphere of a place.
This energy can change any situation. It acts as a shield that wards off sorrow and makes one problem-proof. That is not to say one will not face problems, but in a contented state of mind one is not disturbed, and is able to take the right decisions to solve them.
B.K. Sheilu is a Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.