Yoga for Stress: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Tadasana, or Mountain Pose is a simple (potentially boring) yoga pose. However, if you feel bored there is a good chance you are not doing it right. It is simply standing tall, and stable, like a mountain. But there is more to it than meets the eye. Tadasana has some amazing benefits for mental health care. In our technology driven world, constantly on the computer or texting, it also has some remarkable benefits for the body as a counter pose.
When you practice Tadasana, it is important to be sure that your body is in good alignment and that you are standing as tall as a stable mountain. A lifted chest and the crown of the head extended gives you a sense of nobility or confidence. The feet are firmly planted perfectly parallel to one another with toes pointed directly forward. This gives you a sense that you are connected to the Earth and helps you feel grounded when life feels a little hard to grasp, or experiencing symptoms of anxiety. Your abdomen and pelvic floor should be engaged to fire up your center of will power and help you feel even more grounded decreasing feelings of inadequacy, or weakness, or other feelings of depression.

Mental Benefits

1. Centering, and calming for stress and anxiety
2. Grounding for feelings of flightiness, wishy washiness, or fear
3. Mental clarity and focus

Physical Benefits

1. Align spine
2. Counter pose to “computer pose” by opening the chest, and engaging the back.
3. Creates stability and strength in legs and torso

Contraindications

1. Trouble standing: This pose can be practiced in a chair with the feet planted firmly on the floor or yoga blocks

Off The Mat

Once you find a strong mountain posture, this is where it get interesting. As you focus on a quiet, even breath in this pose, you can gain an idea of the emotions or tension existing within you at that moment. With awareness, take a moment to accept it all as a perfect part of you at that point in time. Next take a moment to decide what you need in that moment “joy through my body”, “love”, “compassion for self or others”, “forgiveness”.  As you inhale, extend your arms above your head almost as though you are asking for what you need. As you exhale, draw your hands together, pull your belly in, and bring the mantra to you in between your hands and hold it at your heart center. Using mindfulness and presence, repeat this 2 or 3 times. See? There is a lot more to just standing there than you thought, huh? You can practice Tadasana anywhere when you a feeling anxious, or out of control.