Tadasana Uttihita Hastasana (Volcano)
Go stand in front of a mirror, just do it. Stand as you normally do as if you were waiting in line at the store. Now look at your posture. Now don't fix your posture, be honest with yourself and note what you see. Do you slouch? Do you take your body weight in one or both hips or maybe down one leg? Do you turn one foot out?
It's common for people to not pay attention to the way they stand, forcing the structure of the body out of its natural supportive alignment. The end result commonly is chronic back and hip pain, which also has a negative effect on the mind.
Today we're going to work on fixing all that. And we'll do that by going through the 'grandfather' of all poses, Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and Tadasana's son, Tadasana Uttihita Hastasana. I call Tadasana the 'grandfather' because the genetics of Tadasana can be found in all other yoga poses. Tadasana Uttihita Hastasana is the son since it's just a slight variation of Tadasana. We'll actually get to this pose by doing Tadasana first.
Tadasana teaches us everything about balancing the structure of the body while standing. It strengthens thighs, knees, ankles, abdomen and buttocks. It relieves pain from sciatica. It helps build the arches of the feet. It induces an attentive mind as well as a buoyancy and suppleness to the body. Most importantly, it helps us improve our posture and bring everything back into balance.
So now, lets correct our posture with Tadasana. Stand tall and upright with your feet together or slightly apart, whichever feels more stable. Have the inner edges of your feet parallel to each other. Lift your toes, spread them wide, feel your arches lift up toward your hips. Now, softly place your toes back on the floor. Feel your weight balanced on each foot: between the heels and toes and the inner and outer sides of each foot. Feel the support of your legs underneath you, let them ground you to the earth.
Tuck your tailbone and push it through your heels. Firm your lower belly in and up. Now, inhale and lift out of your waist, the top of your head rises towards the sky. Use your inhalation to lengthen and lift your rib cage on all sides. Feel the space between each of your vertebrae increase as your spine becomes elongated and straight. Your chin should be horizontal with the sides of your neck straight.
While keeping this lift, exhale and broaden your shoulders and draw your shoulder blades together and down. Let this action create a widening of your collarbones and a lift to your sternum. Reach your fingers to the floor to lengthen your arms.
Now, close your eyes and feel the pose. Scan your body and notice what muscles are working. It's ok if your inner thighs and lower buttocks are active, but not your lower back or knees. Consider the structure of your body in the pose and find a natural balance. Feel your knees balance directly over your ankles; your hips over your knees; your shoulders over your hips; and your head over your shoulders. When you're in proper alignment, the structure of your body will provide effortless support and a natural balance.
Now open your eyes and we'll shift to Tadasana Uttihita Hastasana. The pose resembles Tadasana, but with our arms extending upward, lifting our torso. From Tadasana, raise your arms over your head in a "V" position, palms facing forward. Think of your arms as being straight extensions from your spine, shooting out from the middle of your back. Feel the lower half of your body ground to the earth, while the upper half rises out to the universe.
What does your posture tell you about where you are in life? Does the grounding of your feet to the earth reveal your sense of foundation and security? Does your upper body echo a sense of openness and receptivity? Find the inner meaning of these poses to you. Let your mind and body identify with the union of complete awareness, focus, relaxation, and strength within these poses.
Amir