Effort and Ease
I've always loved the sea. I moved to Nova Scotia to be near the Atlantic Ocean. Picking a name for this site was not a difficult decision.
"Sthira sukham asanam." — Patanjali, Yoga Sutras 2.46
I've always loved the sea. I moved to Nova Scotia to be near the Atlantic Ocean. I am blessed to live close to the water. I watch it every day, watch the waves when it's angry, watch the reflection of the moon on the water on nights when it is calm. I am constantly amazed by its strength: the rise and fall of the tides, how in a storm, it tears through sandy beaches and brings them back when it's ready. I swim in it whenever I get a chance, even in the winter when there’s snow on the ground and ice in the water, because I can feel the strength, I feel weightless and part of it. Picking a name for this site was not a difficult decision. Darya, meaning sea/ocean in Persian, my first language, is such a great metaphor for yoga, and for life.
A pose is meant to hold both Sthira and Sukha, Effort and Ease. Just like the ocean. Some days it’s stormy and some days calm. Practice works the same way. A strong flow where you're sweating and out of breath, and a yin class where you stay in one shape for four minutes, are not two different things. Neither one is better or more advanced. It’s just what is. Just like life, we can’t change what happens, we can choose how we react, sometimes strong and steady and sometimes calm and at ease. That’s how we weather the storms of life, that's how we get through a yoga practice, that's how we sit through a meditation session. Like the ocean.
Tides rise and fall, just like thoughts, whether or not you're ready. The ocean doesn’t try to control them or resist them, neither should you. The ocean is constantly shifting, changing, adapting, moving, same as life. Trust the tides and move with it. Listen to your body and do what feels right. Allow your body to breathe naturally and let the thoughts come and go.
What I really love about the ocean is that it’s beautiful and powerful at the same time. Calm and Strong. Calm isn't softness, beauty isn't weakness, rest isn't the absence of strength. You need rest to be strong, quiet to listen, and to draw back before you can come in with any force.
I don't have a tidy ending for this. I picked the name because the water makes me feel alive. Everything else here is what I noticed on reflection. I'm sharing this to explain how I practise and how I teach.
May your thoughts be kind, may your words be caring, and may your heart be filled with love and gratitude.