Sthira Sukham Asanam

Asana must have the qualities of alertness and relaxation; just enough effort as you work, but a quality of relaxation. At the same time, you must be relaxed while striving to achieve effort. Asana literally means "easy seat".

Those who do not practice yoga but run, swim, or practice other aerobic sports may have experienced the "zone", a feeling where effort feels effortless and one can do more than usual and feel great doing it and even better afterwards. Physical activity is important for the human body, not just to keep the joints and muscles in top condition but to condition the mind - mood is elevated, blood pressure is lowered, cholesterol is moderated; so many benefits come from exercise and yet we find so many excuses not to move. This lack of movement can and will literally kill us over time, as new research is now showing - studies into the effects of obesity are indicating that improvements in the lifespans of Americans will be undone if the ever expanding waistlines continue. Obesity will overtake all other threats to human life, including smoking, cancers, accidents, etc. once the effects on children are taken into account; they are becoming obese at younger and younger ages as they become sedentary at younger and younger ages.

In ancient times, movement was built into the daily lives of all cultures. Celebratory dances, walking everywhere, farming or other labor intensive work ensured that many calories were burned and muscles worked and stretched. Only the elite lounged around and were waited on hand and foot. Today, we must make an extra effort to park the car a little farther away and walk a few extra steps, take the stairs instead of the elevator, join a health club (and be sure to go there before we go home) and work out at least 30 minutes daily; we could also walk around the block with our kids or the family dog, garden for an hour, learn to ride a bike, anything enjoyable that we will keep up on a regular basis. Your practice need not be gumby like to be like "Yoga" to be beneficial on a physical level - if you don't have access to a good Yoga teacher, there are now excellent videos and DVDs out there (the Yoga Journal line with Rodney Yee are good for beginners) in a multitude of styles. If one doesn't suit you, try another! The important thing is to get moving and keep moving!