Tree Pose for Balance

Sanskrit - Vrksasana

In this strange new world where we are all currently finding ourselves quarantined at home it's so important to keep up our fitness levels and do what we can at home to stay healthy.

In my attempt to keep my girls active, we have been participating in P.E. With Joe on YouTube every morning from 9-9.30. As a result, I can barely walk! But I feel good for it and it only took half an hour. Aside from some kind of movement exercise it is also a good idea to keep our balance in check. Not being able to leave the house can make us feel lethargic and less likely to do those things that we know we should and as a result our balance can suffer. Practicing balance poses helps us to develop our focus as well as giving us the ability to keep an even keel despite the current life issues that we are all experiencing. Tree Pose was probably the first balance pose that I ever practiced in class all those years ago and it often features in my classes and my own practice. Once more, this photo was probably the last photo taken from 156 attempts. I'm terrible at agreeing to a photo of me so it came to the point when Olivia basically put the camera down and point-blank refused to take any more. (sorry honey). I am going to stop fussing over this point because, really, who cares anyway?!

So... Tree Pose

Amazing for strengthening the legs and creating a grounding and steady focus.

Step-byStep

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Start to shift your weight into the left foot and bring your right foot off the floor.

2. Bring the sole of your right foot either to the inner calf or to the inner thigh - making sure to avoid the knee joint at all times. If you feel like you need to stand near a wall for support, please do so. Roll your right knee towards the right as far as is comfortable. Place your hands together at heart's centre and balance for a breath or two. Find a focal point and gaze softly at it. Imagine you are growing roots through your standing foot into the ground, keeping you balanced.

3. Draw the tailbone down towards the floor and feel lifted through the crown of the head (towards the ceiling) to get extension and length through the whole of the spine. Keep the standing leg strong and either stay here or reach your arms up like tree branches towards the sky.

4. Stay for several breaths (if you fall out, pop right back into the pose) before releasing the right foot back to the floor and switching sides to bring up the left foot.

Enjoy!!