Tadasana is one of those poses that seems very simple. Of course anyone can do it; it’s a simple standing pose. But perfecting it is an art. This is a posture that helps us realize what perfect standing posture is. Use tadasana as a tool to bring your awareness to all the different muscles needed to re-align your body. Each movement you’ll make is subtle, but important.

Steps

1. Stand with your feet close together, insides of the big toes touching, heels apart one to two inches so that the outside edges of your feet are parallel to each other. Your knees should be straight, but not hyper-extended. Draw the tail bone down toward the ground and lift the torso up out of the hips. The muscles of your legs are firm and strong. Your arms relax by your sides.
2. Press your shoulders down, away from your ears. Draw the shoulder blades in to hug the ribs, and then down toward the hips. Lift and broaden the sternum, then pull the floating ribs back toward the spine. Lengthen the back of the neck, and pull your chin in slightly. Relax the throat, the mouth, and the eyes. Gaze straight ahead.
3. Inhale and imagine the breath going down through your legs and into the earth. Feel yourself firmly rooted. As you exhale, lift the crown of the head, imagining you’re creating space in between each vertebrae. As you breathe, keep gently drawing the shoulder blades and the lower ribs back in toward your core. Feel what it feels like to have your head, shoulders, hips, knees and feet stacked one on top of the other.
4. Breathe long and deep in tadasana for 30 seconds to one minute.

Comments

Practicing mountain pose helps to improve posture and strengthen the muscles of the legs. If you suffer from sciatica, a regular practice can help to realign the hips and legs, taking pressure off the sciatic nerve. On days when you feel spacey and need to be grounded, remember … it only takes a minute to feel your body all around you.