Mountain Pose/Tadasana

Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, is the foundational standing pose, and the principles of alignment you learn through its practice apply to many of the other standing postures. At a quick glance, you might think that someone in this posture is “just standing there,” but there’s more going on than meets the eye. In the properly aligned and executed posture, many muscles are activated, and the practitioner is balancing the engaged muscles with areas of ease.

Sanskrit:
Tadasana (tah-DAHS-ah-na)
Tada = mountain
Asana = commonly translated as pose; but more literally means seat (as in “take the seat/energy of a mountain”)

You may also hear this pose referred to as Samastithi (suh-muh-sthi-ti)

Sama = Equal, same
Stithi = Standing

Benefits of Tadasana:
This pose improves posture and muscle tone by bringing the body into correct alignment. It helps you develop concentration, coordination, stability, strength, poise, and balance. When you are standing in Tadasana, you are taking on the energy of a mountain—majestic, tall, and stable.

How to practice:

1. Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart.
2. Press down through the soles of your feet, at the “four corners.” Distribute your weight evenly side to side, between the inner and outer edges, and between the ball and heel of each foot.
3. Lightly engage your quadriceps. Press the top of the thigh back to reduce hyperextension at the knee.
4. Extend your tailbone down to elongate your lumbar spine and lengthen your waist. You’ll feel your belly firm as you do this.
5. Roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Reach down through your fingertips, and press up through the crown, lengthening the neck.
6. Reach out through your fingertips as you raise your arms into a V position overhead. Keep your arms extended just outside the ears.
7. Lengthen the body from hip to armpit, pulling up out of the waist.
8. To release, reach out through your fingertips, and lower your arms to your sides. Relax your torso and legs.

Possible Modifications or Variations:

• Keep your arms down or hands in prayer position (anjali mudra) at heart center.
• Hands on the waist, pulling your elbows back to open the chest.
• Bring big toes together, with a slight space between the heels.​

Precautions
With heart conditions or high blood pressure, keep arms below the head, using one of the modifications above.

As always, if a posture causes pain, come out of it immediately. Ask a qualified yoga teacher for assistance.