-- more poses --

Tadasana

--- the Mountain Pose

Stand with your feet together, the inner edges of you big toes and heels touching.  

Lift, spread and stretch your toes to stretch the soles of your feet. As you lift your toes, lift your inner ankles to raise the arches. Bring equal weight to all four corners of your feet – the big toe and little toe side of the foot, and the inner and outer heel.

Firm your thigh muscles, drawing energy upward so that your kneecaps lift. Turning the tops of your thighs inward, shift your hips back until they are directly above your heels. (inner spiral)

Keeping your thighs firm and lifting, draw your tailbone down and forward while drawing your lower belly in and up. Extend down through the bones of your legs through your heels, grounding yourself like a tree rooted in the earth. (outer spiral)

As you inhale, let your breath lift and open your ribs on all sides.

Draw the tops of your shoulders back, until they are in line with your hips. Turn your arms out, so that your palms face away from your body, and feel how your top chest broadens and your shoulderblades firm into your back. Keep that opening and turn just your hands to face inward toward your body again.

Without letting your shoulders slump forward, relax your shoulders and release any holding in the back of your neck. Lengthen the back of your neck and let your head float upward from the base of your neck, the crown of your head rising toward the ceiling as if gently drawn upward by a string. Soften your throat and relax your face, keeping your breath free and even.

The ideal in Tadasana is that the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and ears are lined up vertically in a straight line.

-- Doug Keller

-- more poses --