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Yoga Posture of the Month – November
November 09th, 2016
November Posture of the Month – Tree posture, Vrksasana
During the autumn months our attention is drawn to the trees as their leaves change colour and the orange, brown and red colours produce wonderful, ‘Old England in the Fall’ scenes. As the leaves begin to fall away we can see this as a process of letting go, conserving energy and preparing for the winter months ahead.
The Tree posture is a balance and can be done simply and developed as your confidence with performing balance increases. If you feel unsteady, you can stand with your back against a wall or within reach of something stable you can hold on to while you master the posture. A windowsill, worktop or solid piece of furniture make good sources of support.
Benefits
- Improves concentration and focus
- Strengthens the ankles and legs
- Increases focus on lengthening the spine
- Improves balance and core strength
- Strengthens and tones the feet
How to do it
- Begin in a standing position – Tadasana is best
- Settle your gaze ahead of you
- Breath gently and quietly
- Move your weight onto your right foot
- Slowly lift your left foot from the floor, turn your knee out to the left and place your left foot against the inside of your right calf or thigh
- When you feel steady, bring both hands in front of you, palms together
- Relax your shoulders and lengthen your neck
- Maintain your focus and steady breathing for as long as you are comfortable
- When you finish, replace your left foot on the ground
- Repeat the posture, balancing on your left foot
- Stand quietly before moving on to other postures
Things to watch
- Avoid locking the supporting knee back
- Slightly tighten the buttock muscles so that they support you fully
- Try not to push the hip of the supporting leg out to the side – keep it tucked in
- Keep your spine long and you may find it helpful to tuck your tail bone in – this will slightly lengthen your lower back
- As your balance improves you can try more advanced versions of the posture
Link for more info: http://www.bwy.org.uk/yoga-postures/ – it’s the 7th posture on the list
Izzy Ixer
British Wheel of Yoga Dip Yoga Tutor and Coach
You can find out more about Izzy here and about yoga at the Centre here
Twitter @IzzyIxer or @IzzyYoga