Vriksasana : Tree Pose

I thought that we could start the new year with a strong balance, rooting ourselves into the earth , connecting with our layers, a strong trunk and allowing our branches to reach out and to explore the energy around us. Maybe a time to make changes , to be adventures , instinctive , to let go, to be curious …..

Since ancient times, the yogis made the forest their favourite place for a yoga practice. The trees provided a home, shelter, shade , a place of contemplation and to be with nature.

There is a verse that they would be recited

“My dear trees, creepers, insects and animals, please excuse me for taking a little piece of land to build my hat on. May we live together in harmony and peace”

Our Practice an individual journey, who we are.

We approach all asanas and pranayama with respect and intention. Standing asanas teaches us to feel the earth below , to build our foundation , to be present , to trust ourselves. The moment we hear that the next asana will be a balance our head take over and we hear “Oh no I can’t balance , I am terrible at this practise “.Our mind takes over, we put doubt there and then the foundation starts to crake before we have started.

So before me move ourselves into a balance, perhaps spend time with:

Ajna ( in between eyebrows): Stillness of the mind. I always think that we should start with this Chakra, to unable us to understand the other beautiful wheels of energy, of consciousness. Allowing us to be present and to be steady.

Vriksasana

Lets start with Tadasana :

In yoga, there is a principle called satya (the practice of truthfulness) that teaches yogis to think, speak, and act in alignment with what is true. Because it’s a challenging balancing pose, Tree Pose offers an opportunity to practice this principle by aligning yourself with the truth in your own body.

We can take all this on whilst we focus and connect with Ajna , whilst in Tadasana.

It helps to imagine that your body is centered on an invisible plumb line dropping from the crown of your head, through the middle of your torso and pelvis, and straight into the ground beneath you. You want to remain centered around that plumb line even though you’re on only one leg. To do this, strengthen the trunk of the tree—your core—and firm your standing leg by hugging the muscles of your inner thigh in toward your midline. Your standing leg is like the roots of your tree, and your stable pelvis carries energy from your roots up into the spine and torso, creating a strong trunk. Your arms reach up and out like branches expanding into the sky.

Come back to Tadasana , feel the strength below you, the connection with the earth. The strength within your trunk and the energy above you. Perhaps visulise the pose within ajna. Awareness of your Drishti(to look outward while bringing awareness inward)

Tree Pose is a chance to experience the magic of yoga practice: If you are willing, try to stand on one leg becomes an inquiry into your own truth. Honouring your truth might mean lowering the foot to a place below the knee or even to the floor, bringing the lifted knee slightly forward in space to align the hips, or gently engaging the abdomen to remove the arch from the lower back. Through honest inquiry, you can discover your true alignment and find your balance, no matter where your knee ends up pointing!

Practice satya (truth) in all of your poses by being honest about your own limits. When you align yourself in a way that’s truthful, you create a strong and balanced foundation from which your poses will grow and flourish.

Become playful with exploring your pelvic alignment and rotating your thigh outwards and placing the sole of the foot to the inside of the standing leg. This can be explored by lying on the floor observing the pelvic alignment or by a wall.

Final Pose: Vrksasana

Stand in Tadasana Pose. Spread your toes, root down through your feet, and firm your leg muscles. Raise your front hip points toward your lower ribs until you feel a gentle lift in your lower belly. Inhale deeply, floating your chest up, and exhale as you draw your shoulder blades down your back. Look straight ahead and find a drishti, or steady gazing spot (see sidebar above).

Place your hands on your hips and raise your right foot high onto your left thigh. Pause as you settle into the pose, and soften if you are hardening anywhere. Next, press your right thigh open as far as you can until your pelvis just begins to rotate with the leg. Play with how far you can open your knee without twisting your pelvis to the right. Open the knee and then bring your pelvis back to neutral, squared to the front. Go back and forth like this several times. Pause when you find your true pose and bring your hands to your heart. If you feel stable, stretch them overhead. Don’t take them too far back, which might cause you to fall backward. Stretch your arms like branches reaching to the sun. Breathe into your Tree pose, embodying the roots below, the strong trunk, and the full flowering above. Feel the strength and its lightness, allow the prank to flow.

Cautions

Never bring your Foot to the inside of the standing leg knee. This put pressure on that knee and could cause damage

Low Blood pressure : you may feel dizzy

High Blood pressure : take hands to pray infant or Anahata or wide. Not recommend to take arm overhead

Preparatory Poses

Hip openers : • Baddha Konasana

Trikonasana

Virabharasana 11

11 thoughts on “Vriksasana : Tree Pose

    • maxine Post author

      Thank you. Always good to have some feedback.. namaste Maxine

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    • maxine Post author

      Thank you. I try to make things simple and clear.. When I read blogs, I want to read the content not too many words

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    • maxine Post author

      Thank you. Yoga to me is about sharing. Would love to know how this helped you. Please share. Namaste Maxine

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    • maxine Post author

      Family yoga.. Is a powerful tool and Vriksasana is a very powerful asana/ posture. The Roots are out legs, The bark is our core and the branches our arms, for ever reaching for more knowledge.

      Enjoy. Namaste Maxine

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    • maxine Post author

      Balance poses are very difficult to achieve , as it depends on where we are at that moment. The mind finds it’s stillness and we can then find our balance. Thank you for your message. Please do keep reading the blogs. Namaste Maxine

    • maxine Post author

      Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. aS i have mentioned to another yogi, balance can be challenging and yet so educational.I teach many people and I believe we should be able to practice individually but together. namaste Maxine

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