By Raquel Issenberg
Using theory in our yoga practice is never fruitless.
We can always embody the union of body and mind with a little help from Patanjali’s Sutras 2:46 and 2:47, from Sadhana Pada.
When we think about full expression in our yoga practice the first thing that might come to mind is the way we look in our postures.
However, the daunting idea of “perfection” is more about grounding, comfort, and easy breathing than looks, according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras 2:46 and 2:47.
2:46 translates as “A stable and comfortable posture is asana.”
We aim to root and relax in a pose.
2:47 reads as “[Perfection in asana is attained] by loosening of [tension caused by] effort and by [mental] absorption in the infinite.”
We aim to ease the breath instead of focusing on the aesthetics of our pose.
There are no perfect poses but just an effortless effort in our practice.
Full expression in asana can start by building up stability, strength, and relaxed breathing. In reality, we are just prepping the body to accept prana so we can reconnect with ourselves and do yoga.
We can actually manifest full expression by just practicing and letting go of all expectations.
