“sthira sukham āsanam”

Written By dr amielle zay marcotte abshire
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Dr. Amielle Zay Abshire, (Dr.A+), 375hr Certified Jivamukti Yoga Instructor has something to share from Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Chapter 2, Sutra 46.

“sthira sukham āsanam”

“Āsana is the embodied equilibrium where structure and grace meet — the architecture of presence.”

Manorama, founder of the American Sanskrit Institute

translates it very precisely from the Sanskrit roots:

• sthira = steady, firm, stable, alert

• sukham = easeful, comfortable, joyful, spacious

• āsanam = seat, posture

“Āsana is a steady and comfortable seat.”

The emphasizes something deeper in the Sanskrit grammar:

The sutra is not merely descriptive — it defines the quality of embodiment.

It suggests that posture becomes āsana when steadiness and ease coexist simultaneously.

Not rigid.

Not collapsed.

Not effort alone.

Not comfort alone.

But the

union of stability and spacious ease.

Namaste.

dr amielle zay marcotte abshire

Dr. Amielle Zay Marcotte Abshire, Dr. A+, is a 375 certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher where love and reverence for all sentient beings exist ~ specifically

“We inspire awareness that recognizing the consciousness in sentient beings, beings with a face, deepens our coherence to life and commences access to an infinite intelligence awaiting the observance of awareness.”

Dr. A+ is initiating “Project Ganesha” an Africa based Yoga project to make available the Jivamukti Yoga method to the African communities who are interested in YOGA to integrate the ancient teachings into their culture, land, and the beings and resources that inhabit it.

“When Humans have access to their own inner resources, which are unlimited, naturally they don’t feel they are missing anything, or in a constant state of survival. In the state, they know better and can do better. We create the space to cultivate the inner energy in the hands of the yoga Practicioner. Our aim isto make accessible the Jivamukti Yoga method, which is a path to enlightenment through compassion for all beings, to whomever is called to Yoga.”

Ganesha is the ancient remover of obstacles and guardian of new beginnings, traditionally invoked before any sacred work or journey. Born of the Divine Mother and given the head of an elephant—a symbol of wisdom, memory, and immense strength, Ganesha represents the union of intelligence and grounded power. The large ears of the elephant signify deep listening, the broken tusk symbolizes sacrifice for higher knowledge, and the presence ensures that pathways open where there was once resistance. For Africa, invoking Ganesha is powerful because elephants are indigenous keepers of ancestral memory, revered across many African traditions as symbols of leadership, protection, and continuity. Project Ganesha therefore represents the conscious clearing of barriers and the awakening of collective wisdom, allowing communities to move forward with dignity, sovereignty, and spiritual alignment.

The Yoga Asana practice uplifts each individual person, heightening their sense of responsibility to the Divine, their families, themselves, and their respective communities.

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