TADASANA

(Standing Mountain Pose)

Tadasana is the foundation for all poses. It establishes the fundamentals of placement and alignment in all standing poses. Tadasana improves posture, builds strength and develops stamina.

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Focus on elongating the toes to stretch the sole of your foot. Press down into your heels at the same time you press forward with the base of the big and little toes, grounding forward with the ball of the foot. Think of it as stretching the sole of the foot like a drum. This can improve circulation, pumping blood and lymph back toward your heart, and potentially stave off edema and varicose veins.

The way your feet connect with the earth can correct foot and ankle problems that have repercussions throughout your body.

Continue to align your posture:

Contract your thighs to lift and protect your kneecaps.

Keep the pelvis in a neutral position.

Relax your abdomen.

Lift all four side of the rib cage, lengthening the spine.

Flatten the shoulder blades against your back.

Drop your shoulders away from your ears, releasing down through the arms.

Lower your chin slightly and draw it in, centering your head over your shoulders.

Lengthen up from the feet and out through the crown of your head.

Cultivate the feelings of being solid and tall. Your feet are planted firmly on the earth and your head is stretching toward the sky.

Aid:

Stand with your head, shoulders, buttocks and heals against the wall. Observe whether both sides of the body touch the wall in exactly the some way.

Aid

Practice Mountain Pose facing a full-length mirror. Are your knees pointing directly forward? Is one shoulder higher than the other? Is your head tilted to one side? Etc.

Aid

Stand side ways in front of a full-length mirror. Observe your back. Your spine should have 4 gentle curves.

            *The cervical spine (neck) is concave.

            *The thoracic spine (upper back) is convex.

            *The lumbar spine (lower back) is concave.

            *The sacrum (tail area) is convex.

Your ear should be inline with your shoulder; your shoulder inline with your hip; your hip inline with your ankle.

 When you are standing upright in correct alignment, your center of gravity lies behind your navel and your weight is evenly distributed along the length of your spine.

When  you stand with your shoulders stooped, or your head drops forward, too much pressure is put on the front part of the vertebrae rather than being evenly distributed over the vertebral surface. This uneven weight distribution increases the chances of back problems, interferes with digestion, elimination and constricts breathing.

When you walk, move consciously and deliberately, mindful of how your body position affects your balance.