Sthira (steady, firm, strong, resolute) and & Sukha (ease, gentle, mild, delightful). We need both. Effort, and non-effort. Strength, and softness. In our yoga practice, we constantly seek to find balance between these two concepts. Ok, maybe not *constantly*... much of the time our yoga practice is just rolling around on the floor and chillin' in Child's Pose...and that's fine! But we need both! We need to be able to be strong, steady, and resolute, so that those qualities are there when we need to call upon them- and we need to be able to find a sense softness and ease, too.
This idea is detailed in Yoga Sutra 2.46: sthira-sukham asanam.
Commonly translated as, “posture (asana) [should be] stable (sthira) and comfortable (sukha),” but according to Yoga International, this is more literally translated as “resolutely abide in a good space.”
Abiding in a good space. I like that a lot.
This challenging class from Oct. 2020 asks you to practice abiding in good space. To toggle between sthira and sukha. To manage your flexibility with smart, controlled movement. In it, we incorporate lots of abdominal strengthening and twists, and end with a "steadiness and ease" meditation from Jack Kornfield. Let me know how it goes!
Hope you enjoy.
