Steady & Comfortable
Hello my friends,
We've been working on our transitions these past few weeks - working to stay in the present moment so that we can weather the changes that surround us. We have been focusing on our breath, paying attention to our foundation, expending energy, and yet finding calm in each moment.
One of the yoga sutras (writings about the theory and practice of yoga) explores steadiness and ease.
“Sthira sukham asanam.”
Sthira=steady; sukham= comfortable; asanam=posture. Or, a rough translation into our own language would be: "Asana is a steady, comfortable posture."
It makes sense! When we are on our mats, we want to find stability in the pose - we certainly don't want to fall. That's why we focus on our foundation before we start adding in anything else. Steadiness in our physical body translates to ease in our breath.
After we've found the ease in the breath, it is time to relax into that moment. This is where the real change can occur, our parasympathetic nervous system can turn on and we might see a shift in the nervous system - a movement towards calm.
Now what happens when we take these concepts off our mats and out into our world? It's the same idea, but a different platform.
Once again we need the steadiness to ground us - but not just physically. Off the mat, we want to be grounded in our true selves. We want to offer ourselves honestly to those around us. In this case, sthira will keep us focused and anchored.
The more time that we spend anchored in our own truth, the more sukha or ease we feel in external situations. Each social interaction that we have offers us the opportunity to fine tune the balance between our steadiness and our comfort. It's that balance that allows us to remain fully present in our daily lives. From that place we can begin to shift towards calm.
Join me on your mat and let's find steadiness and ease together.
Love,
Nina G