“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create. ” – Jana Kingsford
Weekly Focus: Stira sukham asanam (balance of effort + ease)
Stira sukham asanam roughly translates as “postures should be stable and comfortable.” Stira refers to stability, intent, and strength. Etymologically it arises from the root stha, which means “to stand, to be firm”. Sukha refers to comfort, ease, and openness, and the literal meaning is “good space,” from the root words su (good) and kha (space). Often, we see this sutra in reference to the asana practice of postures on our mat.
This sutra is more literally translated however as “resolutely abide in a good space.” What does it mean to abide in a good space? The rituals we keep, the intentional living we follow, all help us to cultivate a good space through which our prana and energy flow smoothly. When we feel aligned and cared for in both body and in mind, we may find that dealing with the discomfort of life can be more manageable.
To nurture our prana and energy, we take steadiness and ease off of the mat and into our daily lives. As a season of change, autumn is a perfect time to put rituals into place, perhaps for the first time or as a reinvigoration. These routines allow us to be nurtured and steady in the depths of winter, as an anchor and a care for the Self.
What routines are we starting or returning to at this time of year?
Routines to create balance don’t have to be complicated. Consider small things you might naturally lean into as the weather starts to change:
- Switching up your food intake — you may naturally gravitate towards warmer, earthier foods at this time of the year, such as soups or root vegetables. The act of moderating on consumption based on the change of season is a simple routine that can help us feel more aligned with the seasonal changes around us.
- Adjusting your bedtime — shorter days and longer nights invite us to take more rest. Consider allowing more time for sleep at the darkest part of the year.
- Start your morning with warmth and invigoration — as we arise in cold weather, we may take longer to feel alert and alive in our bodies and mind each day. Consider building in 15 – 30 min each morning to sit with a warm drink and read something stimulating. Consider choosing a book that challenges your mind. OR, start with a puzzle, something to tap into the thinking part of the mind.
Passive Pose of the Week: Urdhva Mukha Pasasana (Thread the Needle)
Pacify cold and windy vata energy and find balance in this thoracic rotation.
- Being in a tabletop position, from hands and knees.
- Wide your knees slightly outside of the hips. Move your left hand more towards the center of your mat.
- As you inhale, stretch your right arm up towards the ceiling, turning your chest and gaze to the right.
- As you exhale, reach the right arm underneath of the body, turning your chest and gaze with it.
- Allow the outside of the right shoulder to drop to the floor, and relax the head and neck down.
- Breathe for 5-7 breaths before switching sides.
This is a posture that we really want to soften into. However, depending on our individual anatomy, relaxing the neck or getting the shoulder to the ground may not feel comfortable. Try offering support to these areas of the body for more ease. A folded towel or blanket underneath of the head creates a nice cushion and reduces the gap between head and the floor. This may allow for more relaxation in the pose. Additionally, a towel or blanket underneath of the bottom shoulder will offer the same benefit. By giving a complete space to land the body, we signal that it is OK to soften and relax, which may allow us to hold the posture for an even longer length of time.
Active Pose of the Week: Virabahadrasana III (Warrior 3)
Practice finding your balance and settling into your effort and your ease.
- Begin in a standing Mountain pose (tadasana).
- Focus on shifting weight into your right foot. Imagine yourself stamping through the floor while also lifting up from the knee.
- Find your drishti — focus on a fixed point in front of you. The lower your gaze, the more aid it brings to the balance. We really like the horizon or baseboard as a spot to focus.
- Bring your hands to your hips and step your left toes behind your slightly.
- Imagine the body, from the top of your head to the tip of your left big toe, like one strong plank — similar to a see saw. Begin to tip the body forward as your lift the left leg up.
- Only lower the torso to the degree you lift the leg, so that the body keeps its strong see saw shape.
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths and switch sides.
There are many positions you can take with the arms in Warrior III. One is not better than the other, but the each provide different points of interest for the posture. Keeping your hands at your hips will help you focus on squaring your hips to the ground, so that you can feel your weight distribute and level. Keeping your hands in prayer at heart center will help with the balance. You can press the hands together as a reminder to keep all of your energy drawing into the midline. Reaching the hands back behind you or even finding a bind at the low back will invite space for a backbend in the pose. The energy of your arms reaching back can help you lift and lengthen the spine. Reaching the arms forward will add an extra level of challenge and strength / stability building within the posture.
Join us in class this week to connect to practice finding the ease to balance you effort! See the full schedule HERE.
