Mother of all Asana- Tadasana

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Tadasana is a standing asana in modern yoga as exercise.  Tadasana is not described in medieval Hatha yoga texts. It is the basis for several other standing asanas.

Tadasana is also known as the mother of all asana. Tadasana is also known as mountain pose. Whilst not the most exciting of yoga poses, Tadasana or Mountain Pose is simple and un-technical.

For that reason ego, most yoga practitioners ignore or pass over this pose. Tadasana is a basic posture from which one can move into other poses.

Tada means a mountain. sama means upright, straight, and unmoving like a mountain. Mountain pose conjures up a pose where one is tall, erect, firm, and sturdy. Joseph Pilates complained that we do not pay enough attention to the correct posture, even from standing correctly.

Through not standing correctly we shift our body weight and center of mass, causing issues in our spine, not to mention faulty muscle recruitment and bad posture.

Origin of Tadasana

The pose is unknown in hatha yoga until the 20th century Light on Yoga but the pose appears in 1896. Vyayama Dipika which is known as a manual of gymnastics as part of the “very old” sequence of danda exercises. Norman Sjoman suggests that Tadasana is one of the poses adopted into modern yoga as an exercise in Mysore by Krishnamacharya and forming the “primary foundation” for his vinyasas with flowing movements between poses.

The pose would then have been taken up by his pupils Pattabhi Jois and B. K. S. Iyengar

Steps to do Tadasana

Some of the steps to do Tadasana are:

• You should stand on the ground barefoot with your legs and feet joined together. Bend your knees slightly and then straighten them to help loosen your joints.
• It is also said that you should focus your concentration on a particular spot in front of you to avoid distractions. This is known as Drishti. It encourages mental awareness.
• Yous should firm your thigh muscles and turn them slightly inwards while lifting your knee cap. Keep in mind not to harden your lower belly. Strengthen the inner arches of your ankles while lifting them.
• You should lengthen your tailbone and imagine a line of energy passing through your body.
• Going up, lift your chest up and out and push your shoulder blades back. Widen your collarbones.
• You should raise your head, lengthening your neck in the process. Keep breathing deeply. While inhaling, you will feel the breath traveling through your toes, stomach, and up to the head. As you exhale, feel your breath going down from the head to the stomach and finally your feet.
• Breathe in and raise your toes gently and try to balance your body on your heels. Stretch your shoulders, arms, and chest upwards while your toes bear your body weight. Feel the stretch in your body from the head to the feet. Hold this pose for about 5 to 10 seconds and then gently exhale. This is a variation to the Tadasana known as the Palm Tree Pose.

Benefits of doing Tadasana

Some of the benefits of doing Tadasana are given below:

• Tadasana is the best exercise to increase height.
• To do this asana, the problem of flat feet is reduced.
• This Tadasana helps to improve body posture.
• The regular practice of this asana your thighs, knees, and ankles become stronger.
• It helps to improve balance.
• This asana is good for regulating the menstrual cycle in women.
• The asana provides strength and expansion to the lungs.
• Activates the nerves of the entire body.
• Improve the problems related to indigestion.
• Tadasana helps to remove lethargy from the body. And gives strength to the vertebral column and heart.

Precaution before Doing Tadasana

Some of the precautions before doing Tadasana are given below:

• Tadasana is best for those people who are suffering from headaches, low blood pressure, and insomnia just avoid this asana.
• Its good for the pregnant women, during the pregnancy duration just skip this asana.
• If you are lightheaded and or dizzy just avoid doing this asana.

Why Tadasana is called Mountain Pose?

Mountains are solid and grounded but they soar toward the sky. Think about what you do to get into tadasana. Feet are firm and energized on the mat.

Legs are pulled up. Thighs are back so that the pelvis is centered over your heels. The side body is long, with ribs lifting up away from the pelvis.

Frontal hip points are pulled up, ribs are soft, collarbones wide, and shoulders are positioned over the pelvis. Arms are externally rotated and strong. Finally, the crown is stretching toward the ceiling, and the head pulled slightly back so that it is centered over your spine.

Modifications & Variations of Tadasana

Since Mountain Pose is the foundation for all other standing poses and inversions, it’s important to learn the correct alignment. Often, this means changing habitual patterns of alignment in your body. Some of the modifications and variation if Tadasana follow:

• If it’s difficult to balance with your feet together so stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Gradually step your feet closer together as you gain balance in the pose.
• The women who are pregnant should widen their stances as much as necessary to feel stable.
• Beginners can practice the pose backed up against a wall. There will be a slight curve in your lower back, but your heels, buttocks, and shoulders should gently touch the wall. You should keep your head away from the wall, keeping your ears in line with your shoulders.
• For a greater challenge, close your eyes in the pose.
• Your arms and hands can be placed in a variety of positions. To learn the correct alignment, keep the palms facing inward. To open the chest and shoulders more, turn your palms forward. To calm your mind and find center and balance, place your palms together in prayer position at your chest (this is called Anjali Mudra).