We enter the new year observing four principles of progress: Shtira, Sankalpa, Sukha, Dukha.

Shtira is a unified wholeness. It observes balance, strength, alignment, breath, and three planes of engagement. It is neither passive nor aggressive. It is the alert wholeness and fulfillment of every posture. Shtira can be present whether you stand or sit, kneel, lie on you back, in every starting position that you find yourself. When we recognize Shtira then we set our intention, Sankalpa.

Sankalpa is to decide our movement, our direction. To de-cide means to “cut away.” We cut away everything except our intent. It is a concentration. We decide and concentrate to move, to carry our Shtira. To carry Shtira well is to move with grace, with the appropriate energy required, with an effortless effort we call Sukha.

Sukha is the effortless effort. It carries wholeness. It uses not too much energy nor does it try with insufficient strength. Of course, as we begin we may drop Shtira. We may feel awkward or imbalanced and weak. However, we begin. We find Shtira and carry, and go back to Shtira and carry again. The difficulties, the resistance, the limitations are called Dukha, or pain. Pain is the teacher to awaken the Shtira.

We move in three planes, open the lymphatics, mobilise the joints all with breath. Let your lungs fill, let the breath fill the posture, every inhale awakens and identifies, every exhale liberates.

Ok! Come on in. . . .