Stability rather than flexibility

One of the many misrepresented and misconceived ideas about practising the poses of Yoga is having to be or wanting to be flexible. The more appropriate direction one may take when starting out a practice is to create more and more stability - both body and mind. A stiff person can have stablility in his body if all sides of his body maintain an equilibrium of strength and flexibility (or "stiffness"). A flexible person may not have stability in his body if all sides of his body may lack an equilibrium of strength and lotsa elasticity. Most of us, through lack of understanding the structural usage of our body, usually put our body in many lack of awareness and thus weaken certain muscles, overuse many more, leading to an inequilibrium of strength and flexibility, creating instability in the joints, causing discomfort and pain. If one is to start an Asana(pose)-based practice, one does not rush to present the poses due to one's impressions of a photo one last saw, or a teacher's demo, or co-students' presentations of the poses. More appropriately, attentively listen for the instructions and allow oneself to recognize one's limitations and strengths in the body coming from each and every pose.