Vryksasana
Tree Pose
|
variation - half lotus |
Benefits:
Physical:
Emotional:
Contradictions:
Method:
Hint: push the foot into the thigh and the thigh into the foot, in an oppositional force to help the foot stay up.
The focus we find in balance poses travels with away from yoga class into our lives enabling clearer focus on tasks.
Mythology
The Demon king Ravana kidnapped Queen Sita the wife of Rama. She refused his advances and lived in the gardens under the protective branches of a grove of healing Ashoka trees. She was guarded and tormented by a harem of rakshasa women, monstrous creatures with the faces of goats, fish, and dogs with hair sprouting from unlikely places and unusual numbers of eyes and limbs. To overcome her torment, Sita a daughter of the earth, stood beneath the trees breathing and focusing on a dristi point. Rama sent Hunuman, the Lord of the monkeys to search for Sita. He eventually found her in Sri Lanka. A battle ensued when the Demon king 's forces were defeated and King Ravana was killed. Sita was rescued and reunited with her husband, Rama.
When we practice Vryksasana, it is an indication of how well grounded we are, especially while going through times of change and uncertainty. Remember to breath and stay focused.
Physical:
- Improves balance and posture
- Strengthens core
- Strengthens ankles, calves and knees and thighs
Emotional:
- Calms and focuses an active mind.
Contradictions:
- arthritis
- obesity
- vertigo
- Be aware of the surroundings in case the tree falls
Method:
- Stand with hands on hips
- Shift body weight to one leg and place the heal of the other foot on the ankle
- Pull up your trunk and plant the toes into the ground
- Focus the eyes on a dristi point
- Lift the foot to either the calf or above the knee to the thigh
- Bring hands to heart center
- raise arms above the head
- You can open the arms and relax the shoulders if you wish
- Bring hands back to heart center and point the foot forward and then down
- repeat on the other side
Hint: push the foot into the thigh and the thigh into the foot, in an oppositional force to help the foot stay up.
The focus we find in balance poses travels with away from yoga class into our lives enabling clearer focus on tasks.
Mythology
The Demon king Ravana kidnapped Queen Sita the wife of Rama. She refused his advances and lived in the gardens under the protective branches of a grove of healing Ashoka trees. She was guarded and tormented by a harem of rakshasa women, monstrous creatures with the faces of goats, fish, and dogs with hair sprouting from unlikely places and unusual numbers of eyes and limbs. To overcome her torment, Sita a daughter of the earth, stood beneath the trees breathing and focusing on a dristi point. Rama sent Hunuman, the Lord of the monkeys to search for Sita. He eventually found her in Sri Lanka. A battle ensued when the Demon king 's forces were defeated and King Ravana was killed. Sita was rescued and reunited with her husband, Rama.
When we practice Vryksasana, it is an indication of how well grounded we are, especially while going through times of change and uncertainty. Remember to breath and stay focused.