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Vrkshasana, or the tree pose, is one of the iconic yoga postures. It is recognised by many who don’t practise yoga and certainly one of the postures that I aspired to as a beginner.  It is a standing balance that tones the abdominals and leg muscles and like some of the more advanced postures, you just know when you have got it right. It’s as though everything has just fitted into place and you can’t imagine how you ever managed it before.

1. Master  Tadasana

It is important to be centred and, as B K Iyengar said, “it is vital to master the art of standing   correctly”.  This means truly understanding and mastering Tadasana (Mountain pose) and feeling grounded and strong.  You have to be centred and balanced on two feet before you can be centred and balanced on one which is the start point for Vrkshasana.

2. Use your core strength.

If you don’t think you have any, don’t worry, you have.  It helps you sit up and stand. It may just need to be honed and it will improve as your yoga practise develops.  Engaging your abdominal muscles strengthens your core and provides a strong mid line base for the posture.  It is at the centre of the body and therefore will help you balance in this posture.

3. Start with the beginner modification.

Those relatively new to yoga will often attempt the full expression of the posture straight away and, inevitably, fail.   These are the lumberjacks. If you aren’t fully focused they will fell your tree.  Seeing and hearing others in the class flailing their arms and thudding their feet to regain their balance on two feet, will distract you.  It’s always best to listen to the modifications the teacher gives you.  If you are new to yoga, or simply still attempting Vrkshasana, bring the foot to calf first, and from there develop the rest of your focus for this posture. If your hips are stiff, it can take several years (in my case) to get the pose right.

4. Fix your gaze point.

Look ahead at eye level and stare at a point in front of you. This will help you avoid the lumberjacks.  It means you won’t look at anyone else and that you won’t look down which can unbalance you and then you join the lumberjacks.

5. Still the mind with the breath.

All postures work with the breath in yoga (otherwise it’s just stretching) and if you’ve had a busy day and your mind is ‘chattering’ away about other things you have little chance of being an upright tree. Think about your breath so that the mind, too, has its focus.

6. Slippery clothing.

This is not a reason your tree falls over.  I tried for several months to blame the fact that slippery leggings meant my foot couldn’t ‘grip’ the thigh, until one day in class, I tried really hard to pull up the muscles in the thigh of my standing leg and to pushing the raised foot into the thigh.  It was then I realised how Vrkshashana should feel and actually how comfortable it could be.

7. Listen …..

To your teacher, and keep listening. Until one day, like me the penny will just drop and the tree becomes one of the most natural postures for you to practise, without falling over.

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