Breaking Down Mountain Pose 

By Terry Shaw

March 1, 2021

It certainly looks as if, when we’re in Mountain Pose, we’re just standing still in an upright position. Nothing could be further from the truth when in this muscle engaging  posture. Tadasa (Mountain Pose) builds our yoga foundation from the ground up. 

Instructions:

1. From a standing position, bring the feet hip width apart (feet together is more challenging), parallel. Lift up the toes, spread them wide and place them back on the floor. Root your feet evenly from the balls to the heels into the earth, not leaning forward or back.

2. Engage the muscles of the legs mindfully pulling up the knee caps rooting and rising like a tree. Feel the hips align directly over the ankles. The legs are straight, but the knees are not locked back.

3. Inhale and lift out of the waist, pressing the crown of the head up towards the ceiling, feeling the spine long and straight. Additionally, we cultivate our awareness of our center in the belly. 

4. Exhale and drop the shoulders down and back as you reach the fingertips towards the floor. Gently press the chest / sternum towards the front of the room without popping out the ribcage. Reach down through the fingers, up through the crown of the head while simultaneously rooting through the fee. Whew!

There’s a lot going on in Tadasana and practicing it with this expanded awareness and engagement is where we develop the foundations needed for all other poses.

Benefits: Mountain pose is the foundation for all of the standing postures and improves posture, groundedness, stability and confidence.

Contraindications: Recent or chronic injury to the shoulders. (Depending on arm placement using variations.) 

Variations: There are multiple variations on the placement of the hands: A) Fingers interlaced with index finger pointing up, B) Arms down with the palms resting against the outer thighs, C) Palms together in front of the heart in Anjali mudra (Samasthiti / Equal Standing pose).

I wish you all, love light laughter, health and happiness - Namaste,

Terry