Vrksasana – Tree Pose
Bring Balance and Grounding to your practice with Vrksasana
An excellent pose for both beginner and seasoned practitioner; Tree pose improves your balance, focus, and mental clarity. Feel free to use a wall, chair, or poll to steady yourself or practice in the center of the room. Yoga is about self care. Practice your Drishti by focusing your gaze on a spot out in front of you this isn’t moving. Tree will build confidence, it can boost your energy and often calms the mind.
Benefits:
- Improves posture and sense of balance
- Strengthens chest, shoulders, gluteus, thighs, knees, and ankles
- Calms the mind and is relaxing to the nervous system
- Increases awareness
Muscles Used:
- Erector Spinae (Iliocostalis, Longissimus, Spinalis)
- Trapezius
- Glutes
- Quadriceps
- Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Rectus Abdominis
How to do it:
- Stand with feet hips distance apart.
- Find your Drishti – That spot out in front of you that you bring your attention and gaze to.
- On an inhale lengthen up through the crown of your head. As you exhale shift your weight to your left foot lifting your right knee and draw your right foot alongside your calf or inner left thigh. Resist resting your foot against your knee, only above or below it.
- Adjust your hips so your right hip and left hip are aligned.
- Bring your palms together in front of the heart with your thumbs resting on your sternum.
- Use your Drishti.
- Inhale as you extend your arms overhead, reaching your fingertips to the sky. Rotate your palms inward to face each other. If your shoulders are more flexible, you can press your palms together in prayer position, overhead.
- Hold for 3-6 breaths.
- Repeat on the other side.