Exams looming?

Tired all the time?

Try standing like a tree

The Tree posture is one of Yoga’s most uplifting exercises. Although Yoga is an ancient practice originally from India, it offers many remarkable solutions for our everyday lives. This exercise gives you a new skill that will help you concentrate when you need to; boosting energy levels at times when you most need a natural ‘lift’.

Getting started

Clear some floor space. Practice with bare feet on a non-slip surface. For maximum benefits, practice SLOWLY – step by step. Trees don’t grow overnight. If you can practice outside – so much the better. Always listen to your body and release the posture when you need to. There is nothing to be gained by over-stretching. (If you have a balance problem, this posture can be practiced lying on your back.)

Step 1 Stand tall. Gently you’re your shoulders. Flex one knee joint at a time.

Step 2 ‘Plant’ both feet firmly - in contact with the ground. Lengthen upwards - – imagine a piece of string lifting the top of your head towards the ceiling. Breathe fully and deeply. Relax arms by your sides.

Step 3 Focus your gaze on something at eye level or higher.

Step 4 Transfer your weight into your left foot. Lift your right foot an inch or two from the floor and hold it there. Then rest the upper foot on top of the lower one (your upper toes can be in contact with the floor if you need them to be).

Step 5 Maintain your gaze. Lift arms to shoulder height – stretching them out to the side. (If you have High Blood Pressure or mobility problems don’t lift any higher.) Continue to lift arms overhead and stretch upwards. To develop your ‘branches’ further - widen the distance between your hands and draw your arms backwards a little so they are over your shoulders or back a bit further. Hold the posture as long as you can hold your balance.

Step 6 Release the Tree as SLOWLY as you went into it.

Practice Steps 1-6 standing on your right foot.

Once you have become confident with the posture you can add another dimension. Take yourself into the posture and breathe fully and deeply. Imagine that the sole of your standing foot has roots growing deeply into the earth. Your body is the ‘trunk’ of the tree. Arms are branches and fingers twigs – growing upwards and outwards to the light and warmth of the sun. With every inner breath, breathe strength and spring energy through your foot and up into your body. Every outer breath, imagine tiredness or tension releasing down through your body and out through your foot.

Swap over standing leg. Pause to notice how energised and focused you feel. Tiredness and tension released. You’ll feel calmer too and ready to apply yourself to whatever needs doing – but from a relaxed and strengthened perspective. This is the essence of Yoga. Enjoy. Practice SLOWLY.

Invite your friends and family to join you. Create a small forest in your living room!! ……. Let me know how you get on. This is one of many Yoga exercises designed to improve your health and well-being.