Stable and comfortable

Yoga Sutra 2.46  "sthira-sukham-asanam"

The website Yoga International states this verse of Patajali's Yoga Sutra is "most commonly translated, 'posture (asana) [should be] stable (sthira) and comfortable (sukha),' but is more literally translated as 'resolutely abide in a good space.'"

We play with these concepts of sthira (stable) and sukha (comfortable) in our yoga practice because we come to the mat as a different person each and every day. Depending on what is happening in life, we find that it can be simple or difficult to find the steadiness and ease in most, if not all, of the postures we take during practice. For example, those of us coming to our mats at the beginning of our yogic journey may deem savasana, or corpse pose, at the very end of class to be the most challenging because we struggle with being truly still and letting go.

It is important to remember that yoga practice is just that: practice. Allow yourself to explore the stability you may or may not feel in asana, then breathe into the pose to find the ease if it is available. Be present and accept what you feel each day on the mat, then take these concepts out into the world to see if you can find the sthira (stability) and sukha (comfort) there as well.

The light in me honors the light in you - namaste.