Ease and Steadiness

ByAaron Fleming

This week we were discussing the third limb of yoga: Asana.

Sutra II.46 is sthira sukham asanam.
sthira = firm, steady
skham = happiness, ease
asanam = postures, poses

This sutra defines asana as a posture that is done with steadiness and ease or comfort. In his book The Core of the Yoga Sutras, BKS Iyengar says that it is incorrect to first look for comfort in a pose. He says that we are to use our intelligence to cultivate proper actions and this in turn creates a sense of lightness and then ease.

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