Tree Pose aka Vrksasana requires focus and balance. To stay balanced in this posture try to listen for the quietest sound around you and keep your gaze steady. This will automatically slow down your breath and consequently keep you balanced.
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Step 1
Start in mountain pose with your arms alongside your body. Equally distribute the weight across both feet and ground down evenly through the inner ankles, big toes, pinky toes and the heels.
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Step 2
On an inhale, shift the weight into your left foot ensuring your weight is equally distributed through all four corners of your foot and you are not gripping the toes.
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Step 3
Bend the right knee into your chest and reach down to grab hold of the right inner ankle. Guide the sole of the right foot to the inner left thigh or inner calf. **Avoid resting the left foot on the inner knee.
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Step 4
Press the sole of the right foot into the left inner thigh and the left inner thigh into the sole of the right foot to create stability.
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Step 5
Rest your hands on your hips and encourage them to be at the same height and squared forwards towards the front. Then bring the palms to prayer at your heart center.
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Step 6
Lengthen the tailbone towards the earth.
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Step 7
Engage the belly gently by drawing the naval in and up towards the spine.
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Step 8
Root down firmly through that left foot as you lengthen through the spine and the crown of the head.
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Step 9
Soften your gaze to a non-moving point in front of you on the horizon.
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Step 10
On an inhale you can reach the arms up above head with the hands active either shoulder distance apart or palms pressing together. Relax the shoulders away from the ears.
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Step 11
To release, bring the right foot back down to the ground and the arms back alongside the body into mountain pose. Repeat on the other side.
- Stretches thighs, groin, spine, and shoulders
- Strengthens the ankles, calves, abdominal muscles
- Therapeutic for sciatica
- Promotes balance and coordination
- Headaches, insomnia, low blood pressure
- Lightheadedness and/or dizziness
- If you have high blood pressure refrain from lifting the arm up above head
