Finding Stability in the Unstable: A Lesson from the Bhagavad Gita and the Mat
The battlefield stretched endlessly before him. Dust swirled in golden clouds, rising from the restless feet of thousands of warriors. The sun burned hot overhead, but inside, Arjuna felt cold. His hands trembled around the bowstring. His breath was shallow, his mind racing.
How could he do this? His cousins, uncles, and teachers stood in the opposing army, their eyes fierce, their weapons ready. These were not faceless enemies. These were his people.
He turned to Krishna, his charioteer, his guide, his friend. “I cannot do this,” Arjuna whispered. His voice wavered like a candle in the wind. “I cannot fight. My body is weak, and my mind is unsteady. How can I move forward when everything I have ever known is crumbling?”
Krishna, ever steady, looked at him with knowing eyes and said:
"Happiness and distress come and go like the seasons. They are not permanent. They arise from your senses, from your mind’s perception. The wise do not let them shake their spirit. Stand firm, not because life is easy, but because your true self—your soul—is unshaken, beyond all change."
Arjuna’s heart pounded. The world around him was chaos. He was afraid to step forward, afraid to fall. He looked down at his hands, still trembling, and then at Krishna—so steady, so grounded.
"But what if I fail?" he asked.
Krishna smiled. “Then you rise again. The world may shift, but you… you are eternal.”
When the World Feels Like a Battlefield
We may not stand on a battlefield with arrows flying, but recently, it has felt that way. Executive Orders, press conferences, removing pronoun statements, dismantling DEI, protests, lies, gaslighting, fear-mongering... and that was just last week.
The world is shifting. For many of us, it feels unsteady, unstable.
Like Arjuna, we all ask: How can I move forward when I feel unsteady? How do I find stability in the unstable?
Finding Our Ground in Times of Uncertainty
This answer is different for everybody. Some find stability in their routines, in their communities, in their breath. Others seek it in stillness, in movement, in resistance.
For me, the answer has become clearer recently. Right now, I am finding stability within myself first—through yoga. And as a byproduct of finding stability in the unstable through yoga, I am also able to find and build community.
Yoga is not just about physical movement. It’s not just about stretching or balance poses or flexibility. Yoga is about learning to steady yourself, even when everything around you wobbles. It’s about personal growth and transformation, not just on the mat, but in the way we move through the world.
Steadying the Mind, Steadying the Body
This week in my classes, we will explore what it means to find steadiness, even when we wobble.
How do we breathe through discomfort rather than run from it?
How do we root down and find strength, even when we feel uncertain?
How do we recognize the part of ourselves that, like the soul Krishna speaks of, remains unshaken no matter what comes our way?
This is not about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about showing up—whether you feel firm, wobbly, grounded, or uncertain.
You are not alone in this journey. We are a community, supporting each other.
Through movement, breath, and presence, we’ll tap into that place inside us that remains unshaken. You are welcome here. You are enough, exactly as you are.
Let’s find stability in the unstable—together.
Join Me This Week
Come move, breathe, and explore with me. This week, we’re diving into this theme in all of my classes.
With steadiness,
Aza
Pay What You Can Vinyasa Thursdays @ 12:30 & Fridays @ 4
Queer Flow Thursdays @ 4:30
Limitless Vinyasa Fridays @ 12 & Sundays @ 1:30
