Commentaries around
“Sthira Sukha (Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46) should both be present in Āsana.
It also implies one should be able to choose the breath ratio.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1980
Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46 Sthira Sukham Āsanam
“Means what happens before and after a posture.
One should be able to move to another posture with ease.
– TKV Desikachar England 1980
“Sthira is the absence of Rajas.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46
“Āsana, according to this verse, needs to correlate the
two qualities of steady attentiveness and spacious clarity.
However, we are being offered qualities that are actually
the fruits or outcome of the practice guidelines in the next verse.
Hence this verse is a definition, but one that arises as an outcome
of an attitude around the way we go about exploring Āsana.
Although it could be added that this definition also relates
to the direction of one’s Āsana practice as a whole.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46
“The experience known as Sthira Sukham Āsanam,
described in Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46,
arises as a fruit of Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 47,
from melding the mastery of outer stillness in the world,
described as Prayatna Śaithilya, or relaxation of continued effort,
with the mystery of inner openness to the beyond,
described as Ananta Samāpatti, or unity in the infinite.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46
“Without Āsana,
Prāṇāyāma cannot become accomplished.
Without containing Prāna,
the mind cannot achieve steadiness.”
– From T Krishnamacharya’s composition,
The Yoga Rahasya Chapter One verse 45
“Where do Āsana lead us?
1. For seated practices
(Adhyātmika Krama or Yoga Practice as a Self-Inquiry)
To stay in a stable posture with the spine erect,
for Dhyāna or preparation for Dhyāna.
2. For health.
(Cikitsā Krama or Yoga Practice as a Self-Healing)
They do something for the energy flow of the body.
3. Ability to master the body
(Śakti Krama or Yoga Practice as a Self-Empowerment)
Not necessarily to promote health,
but to show that we can master the body.
Often these are good for health,
though many are only useful as challenges.”
– TKV Desikachar
Further Reading – What is the Yoga of Krishnamacharya?
Different Types of Postural Activity in Āsana Practice
“Furthermore, the consideration of movement
or stasis sits within a relationship to the
deeper purpose of Āsana within our journey
through the body and the breath, to the mind
and beyond, through considerations such as:
In relation to the dual concepts of Sthira and Sukham.
Dynamic can be too much effort, as in overly Sthira,
and Static can be too relaxing, as in overly Sukham.
Thus, the use of movement and stasis in Āsana needs
to consider how to correlate these two qualities, namely
that of steady attentiveness with that of spacious clarity.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated
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