Tree Pose: Used to promote balance and centering
Sanskrit Name: Vrksasana (vrik-SHAH-suh-nuh)
The How:
- Begin standing with feet together your inner ankles and knees should be touching-hands by your sides, also known as Mountain Pose
- Feel a straight and steady line of energy flowing through your entire body, from the arches of your feet to the crown of your head
- Ground through both feet, feeling supported and held by the floor beneath you
- Bring hands to the center of your chest, pressing palms together
- Take a deep inhale and a deep exhale
- Shift weight into your right foot and slowly pick up your left leg, moving it towards your chest, knee bent
- Clasp your left ankle and place the sole of the foot on the inner thigh
Tip: Never place the sole of your foot on the knee, this can result in injury of the knee joint
- Engage your core, lengthen through your spine, tailbone reaching towards the floor; find stillness here
Tip: Find a focal point (drishti) directly in front of you to rest your gaze, this will help with concentration and balance
- Square both hips to the front of your mat, keep your left knee pushing towards the left
- Engage right thigh, lift chest, shoulders melt down back and engage core
- Once you feel grounded and stable you can choose to lift your arms up and out in a V shape
- Enjoy the stillness, smile, relax your face, take 5 deep inhales and 5 deep exhales
- Slowly release arms and left leg down to the earth
- Repeat on other side!
Variations:
With arms lifted sway from side to side, as if a tree in the wind, branches bending, and trunk rooted firmly
Instead of foot to thigh you can start by keeping toes on ground and sole of foot pressing into ankle, or sole of foot pressing into calf muscle
Extra support needed? No problem! Practice with the support of a wall, Standing leg and supportive arm will coordinate (if you are standing on your right leg, balance on the wall with your right hand)
Benefits:
Builds strength and balance in the legs
Strengthens and tones the entire standing leg
Helps you feel grounded and steady
Helps to achieve overall balance in all areas of life
