Featured Pose: Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

by Baxter

Tree pose (Vrksasana) is typically one of the first “balancing” poses a new yoga practitioner encounters, and the pose has staying power! Not only does it continue to be challenging and relevant for more experienced practitioners, but it also happens to be one of the oldest Hatha Yoga poses in recorded history, according to Richard Rosen, author of Original Yoga. In fact, it is one of only two standing poses from the earliest texts on yoga postures; the other one is a form of Powerful Pose (Utkatasana), also called Chair pose in modern yoga. And although Tree pose has shown up on our blog in a bunch of our yoga sequences over the years, it has never received its solo moment—that is, until today. 

Tree pose is a great pose for the obvious purpose of challenging and improving balance, as requires both downward rooting and upward stretching, and commands your full attention, lest your tree topples to the ground! If you have trouble balancing in the classic version of the pose, our three variations will allow you to gradually improve your balance in the pose as you work your way toward the full pose.

In addition to helping you maintain and improve balance, Tree pose is also a strengthening pose. Standing on one leg helps strengthen your standing leg, ankle and hips, and holding your arms overhead helps strengthen your upper body and arms.

I prescribe this pose for:

• Improving balance
• Building strength (in the ankles, legs, and hips as well as in the upper body)
• Improving mental focus and concentration
• Improving flexibility (in the hip of your lifted leg and shoulders and upper back)
• Recovering from ankle sprains
• Cultivating equanimity with success or failure

Cautions: If you have poor balance, please use practice the second version of the pose with your knee on the wall. If you have an acute ankle sprain, you may need to wait until swelling and pain have resolved to try this one out. For everyone, avoid placing the heel of your raised foot against the inside of the knee joint; it should always be either above or below that landmark. If you do not know where the inside of your knee joint is, ask your teacher show you.

When you loose your balance in this pose—which is almost inevitable at first—simply step your lifted foot back the floor as efficiently as you can, as you lower your arms.

1. Classic Version of Tree Pose

Start by coming into Mountain pose (Tadasana) with your feet just a few inches apart. Then shift your weight onto your left foot and bend your right knee a bit, coming onto the big toe of your right foot. Swing your right knee out to the right about 45 degrees. Then, lift your right foot up and place it against the inside seam of your left thigh, with your heel somewhere between your left groin and your mid-thigh and with your toes pointing straight down the inseam of the left leg.

Place your hands on your hips for and check to make sure your hip points are even with the wall in front of you and that the top edge of your pelvis is parallel with the floor. Don’t try to force your raised leg out to the side a full 90 degrees if that comprises the alignment of your hips; instead, allow your raised leg to turn out to the most comfortable angle you can maintain with even hips, even if that is less than 90 degrees. To keep your raised leg from slipping, press the sole of your right foot firmly into your inner left thigh and firm your left thigh back into your right foot.

When you are settled in the pose, move your gaze straight forward in front of you and chose an item in the room or on the wall to focus on. Then inhale and bring your arms overhead, moving them in line with your ears if your shoulder flexibility permits. Keep your breathing even and your entire body as steady as possible. Create an internal feeling of rooting down into the floor with your left leg and foot, while simultaneously lengthening up from hips to hands towards the sky, like a tree searching for life-giving light!

Stay in the pose for 5-6 breaths the first time, and gradually work your way up to 1-2 minutes. To come out the pose, on an exhalation release your arms and lifted leg back to the starting position. Take a few breaths to notice the effect of the pose, and then repeat on the second side.

2. Knee on the Wall Version 

Standing with your knee against a wall is a great version for beginners and those with generally poor balance, as it eliminates fear of falling and allows you to work on the key leg, arm, and chest actions.

Start by standing perpendicular to a wall with your right hip about one foot or so away from the wall. Now shift your weight onto your left foot and bring your right foot into position as in the classic pose, using your right hand on the wall to stabilize yourself. You can place your right foot anywhere along the inseam of your left leg that works for your hip openness and ability. Don’t feel compelled to get your heel high towards the groin right away, especially if your hips need tip up dramatically to get it into that position.

Now you are ready to place your knee on the wall. Ideally, you will be just a few inches away from the wall when you initially bring your right leg into position, and I usually use my left foot to heel-toe my body a bit closer to the wall until my right knee can press into the wall while I still maintain the hip alignment of the classic pose. This means your right knee will probably be a bit forward of perpendicular to the wall. You might gaze down to make sure your left foot is slightly under your pelvis and not directly under your left hip.

When you knee is on the wall to stabilize you, bring your arms overhead and work on your foot-thigh squeeze and your rooting-lifting action. With the wall support, you may to able to stay up longer, but be reasonable the first time you try it, staying for 6-8 breaths. Then bring your right foot down and your arms to your sides. Turn to the other direction to do the second side.

3. Foot to Calf Version

For those with stiffness and tightness in the hips who cannot easily take the leg position of the lifted leg in the classic pose (this requires combination actions of a combination of hip movements—flexing, abducting and externally rotating—whihc are not possible for everyone). This version can also be a good starting version of the pose, or just a stage in learning as you try to bring the lifted foot a bit higher. Practice this pose the same way as the classic version, pose, except that you will place the foot of your bent leg against the inner calf muscle of your supporting leg (the shape of the bottom of the foot and the calf fit like a hand in glove for many!) instead of your upper thigh.

4. Ball of the Foot on the Floor Version

For people with balance issues, keeping the ball of your foot on the floor is even easier than keeping your foot on your calf, because having your toes and the ball of your foot on the floor help stabilize you. This is also a good version for those with weak or recently sprained ankles.

Start in Mountain pose (Tadasana). Shift your weight to your left leg, turn your right leg out to about 45 degrees and lift your heel so you’re only the ball and toes of your right foot are on the floor. Then slide your right foot up against the inside of your left ankle, placing your right heel just above your left ankle bone but keeping the ball of the foot and toes on the ground. Press your right heel firmly into your left ankle and your left shin back into the right heel. From here, practice the pose the same way as the classic version.

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