Pose of the week

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
One gift of yoga is learning to be centred. This isn't just an interesting philosophical idea; it's a real mental and physical discipline you practice every time you do a pose. And the best poses to develop that sense of centre, of course, are balancing poses. The moment your mind starts to wander you lose your balance and that is one of the reasons I love them!

While there are a great variety of balancing poses in yoga, it's usual to begin with standing balances. In all balance poses, the part of the body that touches the ground forms the foundation of the pose, and this foundation is vitally important. If the foundation is misaligned it becomes tricky to maintain healthy alignment throughout the body. Vrksasana is a great pose to practice these principles.

Practice: Don't be in a rush to get your lifted foot to your inner thigh. Take things slowly and build the pose from the feet up. This article is a great focus for beginners. 
 
Sequencing: Nice poses to practice before include Baddha Konasana, Trikonasana and Virabhadrasana 2, Vrkasana is also nice placed before a sequence of standing poses.

Benefits: Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine, Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders, Improves sense of balance, Can help relieve sciatica and reduce flat feet.
 

Cautions: Raising the arms above the head for any length of time may involve risks for persons with high blood pressure. The arms can be held at chest height in anjali mudra for those at risk.


image from designshifts