Full Moon Yoga - Tree Pose

Tree Pose

This is an open, welcoming pose for the Full Moon, or for any time when we want to look outward and find some balance. The pose is called Vrksasana in Sanskrit, and is one of those iconic “yoga” poses, which is instantly recognisable.

The nature of the pose requires us to ground, or root, down into the earth to find stability, from which we then reach the whole length of the body up towards the sky, like the trunk and branches of a tree. This is a powerful pose, symbolising not just balance and stability but also strength and focus. If we wobble a little, well, the trees sometimes bend and waver too, but, like them, we can remain flexible and resilient and if we keep focus and draw ourselves up to meet shifting circumstances then we will regain our balance and find stability again.

Tree pose

Tree pose combines balance, strength and focus, and as always there are options which will help make this pose more accessible for many people. The pose provides hip opening and flexion of the knee for the raised leg as well as strengthening in the ankle, calf and thigh for the supporting leg. The abdominal and back muscles are engaged to keep the posture upright and open, and the arms also work, particularly in the shoulder area when the arms are raised above the head in the classic stance. The abdominal and chest areas are decompressed giving more space to breathe and helping us to look out, finding focus and balance.

How to find Tree pose

We get into the classic version of this pose starting from Mountain pose with the feet parallel and the toes pointing forward. Let’s find the pose on the left leg first like the main picture, so spread the toes of the left foot as wide as you can, and feel all four corners of the foot anchored into the floor. Pull up through the muscles of the left leg and feel the spine lengthen and straighten as you stand tall, and subtly shift your weight into the left foot. Then draw the right foot up the inside of the left leg, opening up the right knee to the side as you do so. Engage the gluteus muscles in the right buttock to help to open the hip and knee and to help stabilise the pelvis. The sole of the foot can slide right up so the heel is at the top of the inner thigh, or the foot can stop below the knee. Wherever you settle, avoid placing the foot on the inside of the knee in order to protect the knee of the standing leg. The amount that the knee opens out to the side will depend on hip flexibility – try to keep the hips facing to the front and use the buttock to open the leg out, rather than twisting the pelvis to force the knee more open. This will help with the balance.

The back remains upright and strong using your core muscles, with the chest opening and the shoulder blades coming together at the centre of the back. Try to drop the shoulders down away from the ears, too, as you extend the arms out and up, bringing the palms together in Anjali mudra (a prayer gesture), bending the elbows if needed. Keep the neck long and the gaze out in front, finding a point in the mid-distance as a focus will help but try to do this without staring. The lift and length through the body, and the engagement of muscles in the supporting leg will help with keeping your balance.

When you’ve held the pose for several breaths, don’t forget to take the pose on the other side.

Other options

There are variations of the pose that we can take, both with the leg and with the arms.

The arms can be raised with the palms together as described above, but you could raise them and leave the hands wide, either opening the palms up or maybe taking another hand gesture, perhaps with the thumb tips touching the index finger tips – another classic yoga mudra. Another option would be opening the arms to the side with elbows bent in a cactus shape, as shown in the Goddess pose blog. Or of course you could take the palms together in prayer position at the heart centre, lifting the elbows and actively pressing the palms together – this is surprisingly helpful with any balances. You could also take the hands to the hips, particularly if the shoulders need some extra care today.

If balance, or hip and knee flexibility, is something you feel makes Tree pose a challenge, there are several variations which could help you find your happy version. Instead of drawing the foot right up the inside of the leg to the thigh, you can just open out the knee and let the toes stay on the floor and the heel rest near the supporting ankle. This version with the hands in prayer at the heart is probably the most stable standing variation of the pose. The foot could come a little higher up so the toes come off the ground and the foot rests on the ankle, or perhaps the foot comes up to the calf and rests there. Ultimately, it is not the height of the foot which is important, it is finding the balance and opening the hip and knee out to the side, which is the focus of the pose.

Still on a standing version, then of course you can take the pose close to a wall, either with the wall directly behind you, or with a wall or chair back beside you on the supporting leg side, placing the hand on or close to the support.

If the standing version is not right for you today, then starting from a seated position one foot is firmly planted so the heel is below the knee with the thigh facing straight forward. The other knee is opened out to the side, with the foot placed on a block or big book, lifting the heel if possible to engage the muscles in that leg. The body is held upright and tall, but of course can also be supported by the chair back if needed. The same arm options can be taken as for the standing versions.

Finally, the pose can be taken supine, lying on your back, on the floor. Keep one leg straight out along the floor with the toes and knee facing up to the sky. Rotate the other leg from the hip joint so the toes and knee face more out to the side, and then draw the foot up the inside of the straight leg as high as is comfortable, letting the knee open out to the side. The choice for the arms is the same as above. To work the core and leg muscles more, you can take this supine version with both legs just slightly lifted off the floor. The supine version won’t develop your balance practice but will still build flexibility and body awareness.

Whichever option you take, do remember to do both sides!

Breathing in the pose

Using the breath in a balance like Tree pose really helps with calming and finding serenity, thence assisting steadiness and balance. The chest and upper body are lifted and open, so breathing in all parts of the lung is possible. As you gradually move into the pose, you can explore slowing the breaths down, and once settled in the pose try to deepen the breath down into the ribs and belly, letting the shoulders release with every out-breath. The in-breaths can serve as a reminder to lengthen the back, lifting the body and crown of the head upward, and you can work towards finding an even length of both in and out breaths. You can stay breathing in Tree pose for 3-5 breaths, and over time maybe that will extend to more and a longer period in the balance.

Moving on

The way out of Tree pose is to bring the knee back round to the front and then lower the foot down to the ground, releasing any arm position taken, and finding Mountain pose, stable on both feet before taking the pose on the other side.

From there you can move on to most other poses. After an upright balance like Tree pose, it can be nice to take a Standing Forward Fold, creasing at the hips and letting the body and head be heavy. Alternatively, a Downward-Facing Dog or a Child’s pose will also allow the focus to relax and help to release the lower back after the engagement needed for the balance. From there you can come back to standing or move to a floor-based pose. Wherever your practice takes you today, breathe and enjoy 😊

Make sure you always look after yourself when doing yoga.

It’s important to always listen to your body and only work within your personal limitations. You are fully responsible for your own safety and wellbeing. Make sure your surroundings and your practices are safe. Do not attempt to take a physical posture that is outside of the scope of your practice. If you have any specific medical conditions, injuries, surgeries or are pregnant you should check with your GP or appropriate medical professional before starting any exercise. Keep in mind that yoga might be challenging at times, but it should never be painful. You must stop if you experience any pain, and you should consult your GP if you experience anything untoward such as dizziness or feeling faint. Rest or leave anything out that you need to avoid or that does not feel right.