dṛḍhatā, Steadfastness

My teacher said that the practice of yoga has its seasons. I remember how my yoga practice used to be when I was in my 20s and how it is now. It has gone through so many seasons.

Discipline allows us to establish a structure and practices to regulate our behavior. Patience develops the capacity to remain composed and endure the difficulties of those practices, and steadfastness develops the firmness of our commitment to the practice.

This commitment has deep roots. It is what allows us to recognize every day that, whether practicing feels easy or difficult, it remains important to us, so we do it. Steadfastness does not mean rigidity; otherwise, it can turn into stubbornness. It is a very dynamic engagement with the practice. Every day, we assess what needs to shift, what needs to stay, and so on. What remains constant is the practice. 

Hence the seasons: sometimes it feels like summer, and we do a lot. Sometimes it feels like winter, and we adjust accordingly. 

Steadfastness is not how tightly you hold on to something. It is how difficult you are to uproot from what you have deeply recognized as important. 

I look forward to seeing you in class as we continue to develop steadfastness, one pose, one breath at a time.

Breathe easy,

Blessings,

Jorge Nihāl