TREE POSE

There is nothing like a balance pose to bring you to the present moment. Tree pose has the added benefit of also being very grounding and strengthening. We are reminded that the taller a tree grows the bigger its root system grows and as we grow as humans we must honor and nurture the darkness where the seed was planted. If you are feeling a little scattered and out of balance, tree pose can help bring you back to center.

From standing shift your weight over one foot.  Draw the other foot up the leg to your desired height and turn the knee out towards the side.  The foot can be drawn all the way up to the thigh, placed right under the knee or rest on your ankle with the toes resting on the floor.  Arms can be where you are comfortable.   Some options include prayer position in front of the chest, out to the sides or up over head with the palms together.

Tree pose has many physical benefits such as strengthening the ligaments and tendons of the feet, toning the standing leg and stabilizing the pelvis.  But most importantly it teaches us balance which helps to focus the brain and calm the mind. Once in the pose, you can add challenging alternatives such as moving the arms and/or leg to increase the mind/body benefit and train your proprioceptive abilities.

Proprioception is a term that refers to our ability to sense our body in space and react or simply it is the ability to know where a body part is without having to look.  It is a sense that we take for granted but one that plays a big part in our ability to transcend the symptoms of trauma and avoid re-traumatization especially in the case of complex trauma.