Sthira and Sukha

One of my favorite concepts in yoga is sthira and sukha. I interpret these as stability and sweetness, though there are others who would differ adding many more words to those basic definitions, like steadiness and comfort and a thousand other synonyms basically saying that sthira is a feeling and intention of being grounded, rooted, secure, and sukha is a feeling and intention of being at ease, expansive and light.

These words come from what is, arguably, the only real yoga sutra on asana (poses): sthira sukham asanam (sutra 2:46)

What you take from this is simple. Every pose has an element of each. You need to feel grounded into the earth whether you’re sitting, standing, balancing, twisting, inverting, backbending, etc. What is your foundation, your root? Hands pushing into earth? Sits bones equal and grounded? Feet firm? And what is your outward expansion, your rising motion? Crown of the head? Arms open? Chest to the sky?