“The man who is sthira is able to hold the light and power than enters into him without stumbling or being dazzled and blinded by the shock and to receive & express the divine gunas in himself without being carried away by them & subjected to the blind, rushing stream of Prakriti.” — Sri Aurobindo
Sthairya — steadfastness, strength, stability — is integral to your personal growth. This quality becomes especially crucial when facing life’s constant challenges and distractions.
Temptations are everywhere, testing you at every moment. And they get in the path of your personal growth. Giving in to them will make you feel good for a few minutes. But what will follow is regret and self-berating. (“I knew I shouldn’t have done it. Why can’t I do anything right?!”)
Meanwhile, choosing sthairya might feel like punishment in the moment, but you feel incredibly proud of yourself later.
Control yourself when you feel tempted to text your ex. (They are your ex for a reason.) When an embarrassing memory threatens to derail your thought process, bring yourself back to the task at hand. Soak in your victories, but let them fuel your desire to become better, not your ego.
“That which tastes like poison at first, but tastes like nectar in the end — this is the joy of sattva. . . Pleasure from the senses seem like nectar at first, but it is bitter as poison in the end.” — Bhagavad Gita [18:37-38]
It’s okay if you fail at this; what matters is that you tried, and that you don’t stop trying. Remember, you are training yourself. The more you sweat in the beginning, the less you sweat later on. Even if you get it right two times out of 10, it’s two times more than zero. With practice, that number will rise to three, four, and seven. And you will become better at steering your ship through any storm.
Consider the practice of meditation: On day one, your mind might wander every three seconds. But with sthairya, you will gradually extend your focus to one minute, then five, then twenty.
Going from novice to pro at anything is not an overnight move. It’s a journey where you err, do better, make mistakes again, learn, and try again. And through all of it, you maintain sthairya – that steady flame that burns brighter with each challenge you face.