Strong From the Inside Out

True strength is quiet, steady, and rooted in awareness.

While in Japan last month, I found myself in an unexpected standoff with a sumo wrestler (well… a cardboard one). And as playful as the moment was, it also made me think about the kind of strength that’s not overpowering, but comes from being grounded, present and intentional.

In sumo, as in yoga, it’s not about force- it’s about being fully there. Steady. Focused. Rooted. The kind of strength that shows up when we’re aligned in body and breath, anchored in the moment and open to whatever comes next.

Theme of the Month: Grounded Strength (Drdha)

In yoga, we call this kind of deep, steady strength Dṛḍha, pronounced drid-ha. This Sanskrit word means firm, stable, or resolute. It’s the strength that comes being consistent, clear and grounded. Not forceful!

Dṛḍha is the strength you build not through force, but through a consistent, grounded presence. It holds you steady in balancing poses, supports you through life’s transitions and reminds you that true strength doesn’t shout, it simply shows up.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” Eleanor Roosevelt