Tree and Alternate Nostril Breathing – Balancing 

This week we come to balancing. Finding focus and balance is a pursuit we engage in both on and off the mat. We look for the work/life balance, balance in our relationships, balance in our finances, in our diets and of course in our bodies and our minds. In yoga we even look for balance in our breath. So this week, here are two practices that will help you to explore balance.

Tree posture is a one legged standing balance and one that I am sure most of you will be familiar with.

To come in to tree posture:

Come to standing in Tadasana.

Draw the body up tall and shift the weight to the left side of the body engaging all the muscles of the leg and of the core.

Inhale and bright your right foot to your ankle, turning the right knee out to the side, keeping the back straight and the hips and shoulders square to the front bring the hands to prayer position at the heart.

Exhale as you settle into the posture and then hold for 3 breaths.

If you would like a little more of a challenge bring that right foot up to the left calf, you will feel the calf muscle in the instep of the foot.

Hold for 3 breaths.

For a more complete posture use the right hand to raise the right leg up to the inside of the left thigh and then press the foot there. You can hold the foot there with the hand and hold for 3 breaths.

OR press the foot into the thigh and bring both hands to prayer position.

Finally you can raise the hands in prayer position up above the head – keeping the spine long and dropping the shoulders.

To come down gently release the foot to the floor with control and bring the hands down.

Repeat the whole sequence on the other side.

Moving through each of the offered options in turn can be a lovely little sequence in itself, so even if the final posture is easy for you, it is worth moving through the variations one after the other any way. This will also mean you are likely to hold for longer and develop better balance at the same time!

Posture - Tree

Sanskrit name - Vrksasana

Benefits

*Strengthens legs and spine.
*Stretches the hips and inner thighs, chest and shoulders.
* Relives Sciatica.
*Reduces flat feet.
*improves balance.
*Helps focus and concentration.

Avoid if : You have headaches, low blood pressure, high blood pressure or insomnia.

Beginners Tip : Start your practice with the foot at the ankle and as your balance improves bring the foot up to the calf and only then the thigh. If the foot slips at the thigh try practicing with a yoga mat placed between the foot and the thigh.

The Balancing Breath I would like to introduce you to  is called Nadi Shodhana or Alternate nostril breathing. This breath is supposed to allow us to balance the opposing energies in our body (male/female sun/moon) through breathing alternately in through one nostril and out through the other.

We will learn a very simplified version of the practice, this practice can be made more complex as your practice develops.

Come to sitting comfortably.

Take the correct hand mudra with your right hand by placing the index and middle finger of the hand into the palm.

You will use the thumb and last two fingers to alternately pinch each nostril during the practice.

Inhale deeply and exhale fully while bringing the thumb up to the right nostril.

Inhale to a count of 4 through the left nostril.

Exhale to a count of 4 through the right nostril.

Next inhale to a count of 4 through the right nostril.

Exhale to a count of 4 through the left nostril.

This constitutes one round.

Practice 4 – 8 rounds.

Then bring the breath back to its regular pattern.

Enjoy your practice this week and I wish you balance in your yoga and in your life!

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Serena is a yoga teacher and the founder of The OM Space . She is a passionate believer in yoga as a life enhancing practice and runs several classes in Colombo including the very popular Yoga for Children and Yoga for Pregnancy. Serena trained in the UK with the British Wheel of Yoga and is a UK Yoga Alliance registered Senior Teacher.