Tadasana or Mountain Pose

Tadasana or Mountain Pose is the foundation of all standing poses.  In Light on Yoga, Mr. Iyengar writes, "People do not pay attention to the correct method of standing. Some stand with the body weight thrown only on one leg, or with one leg turned completely sideways. Others bear all the weight on the heels, or on the inner or outer edges of the feet. This can be noticed by watching where the soles and heels of the shoes wear out. Owing to our faulty method of standing and not distributing the body weight evenly on the feet, we acquire specific deformities which hamper spinal elasticity. Even if the feet are kept apart, it is better to keep the heel and toe in a line parallel to the median plane and not at an angle. By this method, the hips are contracted, the abdomen is pulled in and the chest is brought forward. One feels light in body and the mind acquires agility. If we stand with the body weight thrown only on the heels, we feel the gravity changing; the hips become loose, the abdomen protrudes, the body hangs back and the spine feels the strain and consequently we soon feel fatigued and the mind becomes dull. It is therefore essential to master the art of standing correctly." (p. 40)

How to do Tadasana?  Begin standing with your feet together, big toes and inner heels touching. The feet are the base of the mountain, so we want to spread them out as much as possible.  Also see that both feet are pressing down evenly, the ball of the foot to the heel, inner edge to the outer edge.  Lift the kneecaps up and press the thighs back. Bring the navel in toward the spine and lengthen the back waist down. Lift the sternum and roll the shoulders back and down so that the shoulder blades press in toward the sternum. Keep the chin level, the throat soft. eyes soft.  Breathe easily.  You can also do this pose with John Schumacher, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher:  John Schumacher teaches Tadasana.

Practice this pose whenever you can -- at the grocery story, in a ticket line, etc.  All of the instructions you learn for this pose can be applied to each of the other standing poses.  In each pose, ask yourself, "Is there Tadasana in my feet? in my legs? in my torso?" 

Beginning a Home Practice

There are lots of ideas on the internet about how to start doing a yoga practice at home, but I like John Schumacher's suggestion best:  Just do one pose a day and you've begun a home practice.  It can be any pose.  Maybe you did a pose in class that felt good and was fairly easy for you to do.  Start with that one.  Or maybe there's a pose that you didn't do as well as you'd like and you want to make it better.  Practicing at home will help.  The nice thing about doing one pose is that maybe you'll do another, and another, and another.  That's what happens to me.

I went to yoga classes for years before I started practicing at home.  And I really believe I missed out.  But a wonderful thing happened when I did start.  I learned how much I knew and how much I didn't know about the pose.  The next time we did that pose in class, I listened harder and tried to fill in the gaps in my knowledge.  I also found that I made more progress in my poses when I practiced at home.

Give it a try! 

Welcome to the Yoga for Alignment blog!

My name is Cheryl Ritter and I've been practicing Iyengar Yoga for the last 10 years. I love this form of yoga because of its emphasis on correct alignment. When the body is aligned – and it can be, with the use of props -- the student can achieve the pose safely and with a sense of grace. When the mind is given a break from its day-to-day distractions and instead is focused on that alignment, a sense of peace is attained.

I will be using this blog to inform you of upcoming classes, to share tips on beginning a  home practice, and to share quotes from people who have inspired and uplifted me in my yoga practice and my life.

I teach yoga classes on Tuesdays from 9:00-10:15 a.m. at the Koloa Neighborhood Center located on the south side of the island of Kauai.  Each week we will work on a variety of poses, but with a particular focus: standing poses, forward bends, backbends, inversions and/or restorative poses. Attending class will help you feel the benefits of yoga -- increased strength, stamina, flexibility, and discipline, as well as a sense of well being. Come and enjoy!