Tadasana, the Mountain Pose

We have all been inspired by images of majestic mountains. Mountains have greatness and dignity. In Tai Chi the pose “Return to the Mountain” symbolizes a return to inner stillness and the power to climb beyond the ego. In Hatha Yoga practice, Tadasana is a very important pose. It's a place to start. All other standing poses have their beginnings in Tadasana. This pose symbolizes the climb towards the goals you want to achieve.

In Tadasana the body is perfectly still. When we become still, we become aware of what is happening in our body, mind and spirit.  To someone watching there is not much happening, but to the person doing Mountain Pose, there is a lot going on.

Some tips for doing the Mountain Pose:

• Standing on your feet feel the ground. Feel the weight of your body (from the back of your waist) sinking into the ground. Breathe and become connected to the earth.
• Notice the weight distributed evenly on both legs. Exhale and feel grounded.
• Now notice how the upper body can become light, free and straight. Exhale and feel a lengthening moving up the spine to the top of your head. Relax the weight of the shoulders.
• Stand and feel the strength; the balance in the body and the power of the pose.
• Visualize letting go of the things you don’t need.

Mountains appear to stand solid and strong forever, not moving. But we know that mountains do experience change.  With each season there is change; there may be avalanches, summer winds moving the trees, animals being born in spring, people hiking on the mountain.

Recently while practising the Mountain, I noticed how easy it was to find not only a feeling of being grounded and strong, but also a feeling of being calm and open to insights.  Simply following the breath, taking my time and being in the moment as the Mountain.

As you stand in Tadasana, what strengths do you have? What do you wish to change?