TADASANA: The Power of Standing Upright

Many eons ago, there was a massive drought on planet earth. The plants, animals and humans suffered. Nothing could grow. Vishnu, the preserver and protector of the Earth was distraught and went up to the heavens and sought out the river goddess, Ganga. He asked her to come down to Earth and help bring it back to life. Ganga refused and explained to Vishnu that the force with which she would descend onto the earth would break the Earth in two. Distraught by Ganga’s refusal to come to the Earth’s aid, Vishnu went to Shiva, the destroyer and original Yogi. Shiva lived in the Himalayan mountains and was often in a state of meditation. With his third eye, he was able to intuit that Vishnu would be coming to him for help. Shiva had a solution. Shiva told Vishnu to return to Ganga and tell her that Shiva commanded her to come to him and descend onto Earth. After Vishnu relayed Shiva’s message to Ganga, Ganga hovered over the Himalayan mountains, and although she was certain she would break the earth in two, unable to refuse Shiva, Ganga hurled herself down onto the Earth. In that moment, Shiva stood up, in you guessed it, tadasana, mountain pose. He stood so that Ganga’s might would fall right onto the top of his head. As Ganga met the crown on Shiva’s head, she slowed, transfixed by his yogic energy. She trickled down his dreadlocks and slowly down the rest of his body, past his feet and down into the mountains she flowed. Her presence on earth brought everything back to life. I read (the longer version of) this story in The Stories Behind the Poses by Dr. Raj Balkaran, and was instantly inspired.

Tadasana, is a grounding pose that invites us to consciously stand tall. It may seem simple, but there is a difference between standing on purpose and standing mindlessly. When we stand in tadasana, we begin with our feet hips distance apart. We ground all four corners of our feet onto the mat. We spread out our toes and soften our knees. We lift the front of the pelvis and allow the tailbone to descend. Our chest is wide and open, upper arm bones back. Elbows are softened and palms are open. Our neck is long, our gaze is right in front of us. The crown of our head reaches towards the sky. This asana is in so many ways, the foundation for so many, if not all the asanas that we flow through in a Vinyasa yoga class. It sets us up for proper alignment and form, and it immediately makes us aware of the mind to muscle connection. Standing in tadasana, your back, hips and legs are strengthened, your posture is improved, and your core muscles are toned.

Tada means mountain, asana means seat or pose. When the might of Ganga is about to shatter the earth, Shiva chooses to meet it in tadasana, mountain pose. It is an asana of strength and foundation, just like the mountain Shiva resides in. Without the sturdiness of the mountains, the river would not have channels to flow through. In life, we might sometimes feel like the world is raining down onto us. The simple act of standing upright can remind our body and mind that we are capable and powerful enough to withstand what life throws at us.