Mountain Pose – Tadasana

About the pose

‘Tada’ = mountain, ‘Sama’ = Upright or straight and ‘Sthiti’ = standing still. Tadasana therefore implies a pose where one stands firm and erect as a mountain. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) is considered as a basic standing pose or the foundation pose for any other yoga pose (asana). E.g., Sun Salutation series starts and ends with Tadasana or otherwise called Samasthiti. Mastery over this asana with firmness of the feet, toes and the shoulders and chest will benefit in the practice of all other yoga poses.

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
• Feel your feet, lift and spread the toes then lower them back down and connect with the ground.
• Lift knee caps, without locking the knees back.
• Lift the thigh muscles up and back. Inner thighs slightly turn in.
• Imagine softening the skin of the lower back and the flesh of buttocks down (dropping the tailbone rather than tucking it under) so the pelvis is in a neutral position.
• Draw the pelvic floor muscles together and draw your abdomen slightly in and up to engage Mula Bandha (the pelvic floor muscles) and Uddiyana Bandha (the abdominals up to the diaphragm).
• Open your chest, top of sternum lifts towards the ceiling. Keep ribs soft.
• Broaden your collarbones, firm your shoulder blades onto your back.
• Ears over the shoulders, crown of the head lifting up.
• Soften the face, especially the eyes and the jaw.

Beginners tips

• If you find it difficult to get your pelvis in a neutral position, try bending your knees slightly. Drop the tailbone, then once you feel you have it, straighten the knees again without changing the position of the pelvis.
• Take a block between the thighs. Squeeze the block and roll it slightly backward to feel the engagement and rotation of the thighs.

Benefits

• Prepares the body for all other standing poses.
• Helps to identify imbalances in the body.
• Improves posture.
• Calms the body and mind.

Watch out for

• Avoid tightening or clenching in this pose. Make sure that your chest is soft. Don’t allow this pose to become stiff and ‘soldier like’.
• Try not to speed through or skip Tadasana. Although it looks like simply standing up, practicing the correct actions in Tadasana and staying for a few breaths will set you up for the rest of your practice as well as daily living.

FURTHER READINGS

• The complete yoga teachers’ guide – How to learn, earn & grow
• Free yoga resources – eBooks, music, asanas
• Yoga mat quiz – Which yoga mat is the best for me?
• Understanding about yoga

Variations

• Bring the palms together in front of the chest into Anjali Mudra (prayer position). Close your eyes and use this as a time to pause between poses, feeling the effects in your body.
• Interlace your fingers, extend the arms straight in front of you for a shoulder stretch.
• Try practicing this pose with your eyes closed. Rock the weight slightly back into your heels and then forward into the balls of your feet a couple of times to find your balance point.

Credits