Firm foundation

I have been reading about the anatomy of the body and how it all works with yoga in today's life. We have evolved as a civilized society to walk on paved roads, in high heels, and we rarely connect with the uneven earth.  Thankfully, yoga poses are done barefoot allowing us to re-connect with the earth, while strengthening the feet and muscles in our legs.  One of the most important poses in practicing yoga should probably be, standing upright-which we have all been doing since about a year old.  The basic fundamentals of standing firmly and evenly on your two feet can have great benefits on your other asanas. Many traditional yoga teachers start their practice with Tadasana because of its grounding effect on the entire practice.

Nothing lasting can be built on a shaky foundation

I know for myself personally, if I don't start my practice by becoming centered and grounded, then the rest of the practice feels a bit off. This also happens in my daily life, if I don't start my day with my spiritual routine, mediation, and some yoga My day will not flow as nicely as the mornings I started off right. Interesting how this all works. Our bodies constantly nee nourishment in so many ways and I feel like we can never really learn it all in our short lives.

You can ask your self these questions to see if how you naturally stand.

• Do I stand more on one leg than the other?
• Do I stand with more weight on the front of my foot than the back?
• Do my arches drop?
• Can I feel all 5 toe mounds? Why are some easier to feel than others?
• Does my inner heel press the floor?
• Is the nail bed centered on the toe?
• Does the outer edge of my foot drape down and cut the floor?
• What happens when I walk? Why do the outer heel side of my shoes always wear out first?
• Are my toes gripping? 

Tadasana--Mountain Pose

 

1. Stand erect with the feet together and the big toes and the heels touching.  See that the weight of the body is neither on the heels nor on the toes but in the center of the arches.
   
2. Do not tighten the toes, but stretch them from the bottom and keep them relaxed. (This is the position of the toes in all standing postures.)
3. Keep the ankles in line with each other.
   
4. Tighten the knees, pull the kneecaps upwards and tighten the quadriceps.  Keep the shin bones in line with the thigh bones.  Breath normally.
   
5. Compress the hips and tighten the buttocks.
   
6. Keep the spine erect, raise the sternum, expand the chest.  Do not protrude the abdomen but lift it upwards.
   
7. Keep the neck erect and the head straight; do not tilt forwards or backwards.  Look straight ahead.
   
8. Keep the arms by the sides of the body, extending downwards and keep the palms facing the thighs, in line with them.  Do not lift the shoulders.  Keep the fingers together.
   
9. Stand still for 20-30 seconds and breathe normally.
    
    
    
   
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