Many of us come to yoga seeking relief. Relief from pain, from restlessness, from uncertainty. And sometimes we find it. But over time, what we discover is more lasting than relief. We discover presence. We discover steadiness. We discover a kind of joy that doesn’t have to shout. It only has to be. So we practice. Not to get rid of pain, but to know it. To meet it with clarity and care. And in that meeting, we find something remarkable: joy is still possible.
It is a joy that knows sorrow. A happiness that is not threatened by difficulty. This is the depth of saumanasya. Saumanasya is defined by Patañjali as cheerfulness—it could also be translated as “mental clarity,” “gentle gladness,” or even “spiritual contentment.” But this is not about putting on a smile or chasing a feeling. It’s the natural radiance of a mind that has become unentangled. In Pāli, the same word appears as saumanassa, and it’s spoken of as a kind of mental vedanā—a feeling tone that arises not from external stimulation, but from deep, internal stillness.
It’s not the kind of joy that explodes in celebration or depends on everything going our way. It’s the joy that arises when the striving quiets down. When the noise fades. When the heart is unburdened. And perhaps most beautifully, it’s a joy that does not replace suffering, but includes it.
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