Tadasana is a seemingly innocuous posture- “I’m just standing still- doing nothing!!” You are doing something, you are cultivating awareness in stillness. When we stand in Tadasana, tall and solid like a mountain, we become more aware of our own balance (or
imbalance!) Tadasana is the foundation for all standing postures. Through it, the yogi learns to plant the four points of the foot— the base of the toes, the heel, the inner arch, and the outer arch— into the floor. Tadasana is the first stop on an express train to the essential self; when one assumes the posture of the mountain— still, solid, and unmoving, she activates her awareness to those very aspects of her own being. Once the practitioner has learned to stand still in this asana, she will find it quite meditative and soothing.

Practice: Stand with feet together and arms extended along your sides. The fingers will be active and pointing toward the floor. Many practitioners choose to stand with the feet slightly apart, this is perfectly acceptable as long as the feet are aligned. Make sure to avoid ‘duck feet’ or ‘pigeon toes.’ The feet should be absolutely parallel and the weight of
body distributed evenly on the four points of both feet. Bring mindfulness to each of the four points of the foot. Activate the thigh muscles so that the front thighs are pressed back and rolled inward, and the knees are lifted. Do not tuck the buttocks so much that you flatten the lumbar, you want to maintain the integrity of the natural curve of the spine. Roll your shoulders back, pull the shoulder blades in, and down. Open your chest and lift your sternum so that you are erect. In Tadasana you are standing with attention rather than at attention. Check that you are strong but soft. Bring your mind to your shoulders and chest to see that you are open but relaxed. Your head, neck and spine
should be aligned. Stand still. If you have an itch, ignore it! Bring your mind to your breath: focus on the breath coming in through the nose, down the throat, into the chest and finally to your belly. Feel strong and tall. Connect with your core strength. Stand in Tadasana for at least one minute- or more!

Notes: Tadasana ia a wonderful posture for individuals suffering from anxiety, insecurity, or ‘ants in the pants.’ This posture improves balance and the alignment of the body. Tadasana brings the practitioner inside their body and mind. The Mountain Pose is a good asana to begin your practice with; it becomes even more powerful when combined with breath awareness. You may also practice this posture to rest and center between
more advanced standing asanas. If you are attempting to perform a balancing posture, which you find difficult and frustrating, back off from the frustration and assume Tadasana. When calmness has settled into your mind and body you may revisit the more challenging asana. Tada means ‘mountain’ in Sanskrit. Asana means posture. This asana is sometimes referred to as Samasthiti; sama means ‘upright’ and sthiti means ‘erect.’