Tadasana – Mountain Pose: How To Do, Benefits, Side Effects

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Tadasana is an Asana in which the posture appears like standing in the form or shape of a mountain.Meaning –
Tada = Mountain
Asana = Pose, Posture 

Specialty of Tadasana

It is the mother of all the asanas and also forms the base of many asanas, i.e. many asanas start from Tadasana. Most asanas done in standing posture involve making shifts in certain part of parts of the body or an individual joint while other parts remain neutral. All these shifts in postures spring from or begin from Tadasana i.e. these asanas or poses are done with small shifts brought about in Tadasana. In short, many asanas representing standing poses or done while standing are started with Tadasana and later small shifts of parts of body or joints are made.

Method

Method of doing Tadasan – Mountain Pose:
Positioning –
Stand erect in a serene ambiance
Place your legs slightly apart, let your hands (upper limbs) hang alongside your body.

• Let the bases of your big toes touch each other.
• Keep your heels slightly apart.
• Lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet.
• Now slowly lay them back on the floor. Rock back and forth, later rock side to side.
• Gradually reduce this swaying.
• Stand still.
• Let the weight of your body be balanced evenly on your feet.

Performing the Tadasanam (next steps) –

• Stiffen your thigh muscles and make them firm
• Let the lower part of your belly be relaxed, lift your kneecaps gradually
• Strengthen the inner arches of your inner ankles even as you lift them
• Blending Visualization with posture – Imagine energy in the form of a stream of white light ascending through your ankles to the inner part of your thighs, gradually going up through your groin, the spine and neck, and all the way to your head, ending at this point
• Then gently turn the upper parts of your thighs inwards. Elongate the tailbone through stretch such that it is towards the floor.
• Lift the pubis such that it moves closer to the navel.
• Press your shoulder blades into your back. Widen them across and gradually release them down your back.
• Keeping yourself in this position, gently look upwards.
• Now breathe in. Stretch your shoulders, arms, and chest in upward direction, towards the ceiling, as you breathe in.

Finish and release –

• Slowly raise your heels. Make sure that your body weight is on your toes.
• Feel the stretch in your body starting from your feet to your head
• Keep yourself in this pose for few seconds.
• Now exhale and release yourself.

Deeper version of Tadasana

You can also practice this pose (Tadasana) with your eyes closed. By doing this, you can check and challenge yourself and verify your balance with the exterior. With this, you gradually learn to balance yourself without any reference to the exterior environment. You will feel more confident and balanced once you learn this. Initially you might find it difficult to do this, but you can master it with constand practice.

Advanced variations in pose

As an extended part of Tadasana, you could use your arms to deepen the stretch. You can do it as mentioned below

• Extend your arms upwards. Check if they are perpendicular to the ground. Also check if both your arms are parallel to each other with palms facing each other.
• Alternatively you can interlace your fingers of both hands and stretch your upper limbs (arms) in upward direction.
• As another variant, you can also cross your arms behind your back such that each palm holds the elbow of the opposite upper limb (arm). Repeat the pose by interchanging the hands.

Purva Asanas

Purva Asanas (Preparatory Asanas)
Before Tadasana, you can do one or more of the below mentioned Asanas –

• Adho Mukha Swanasana
• Uttanasana

Paschat Asanas

Paschat Asanas (Post-Tadasana Poses)
In all the standing poses or asanas, try to recreate the balanced sensation provided by Tadasana.

Preparation for Tadasana

There are no much restrictions to do Tadasana and you don’t need much preparation as well. It is good if you can perform this Asana on empty stomach, but it is not mandatory.
If you are planning to extend from Tadasana and perform other Asanas also, it is good to take food at least 4-6 hours before performing Tadasana.

Bowel should be evacuated and kept clean before doing Tadasana.

Time, precautions

At what time should Tadasana be practiced?
Tadasana can be practiced at any time of the day.

How many times shall Tadasana be done in totality?
Tadasana shall be done for 10-20 seconds at a stretch. It can be done as many as 10 times in a day.

Precautions in relation to Tadasana
Tadasana shall be avoided in the presence of one or more of the below mentioned conditions –

• Low Blood Pressure
• Sleeplessness (Insomnia)
• Headaches and Migraine

Health Benefits of Tadasana

Below mentioned are the benefits of Tadasana –

• Tadasana helps in improving your body posture
• It is one of the excellent asanas which helps you to improve your balance
• It provides good strength to your thighs, knees and ankles.
• It tones up the muscles of your abdomen (tummy) and butts
• Tadasana is a good remedy for those suffering from sciatica
• It makes the spine flexible and provides easy movements
• Tadasana, when practiced regularly reduces flat feet
• It is also said to help in increasing height when practiced in those years wherein the height variations are taking place (formative years)
• Provides strength to lower limbs, especially knee joints, legs (calf muscles) and ankle joints
• It helps in regulation of your digestive, nervous and respiratory systems effectively

Effect on Chakras
Tadasana effectively helps in balancing and stimulating Manipura Chakra, Anahata Chakra, Ajna Chakra and Sahasrara Chakra.

Related Video
Watch this video to follow the method of doing Tadasana

Contraindications, side effects

People with knee osteo arthritis need to take care, not to strain while doing this Asana.
It is best to take up this or any other Asana after consulting a Yoga expert.

Effect on Doshas

Effect of Tadasana on Doshas and their subtypes –

Vata-Kapha Balance during formative and developmental years – Tadasana brings stability and integrity of the body; it gives a perfect balance and helps in maintaining the body posture. Balance, stability and postural integrity is brought about by the balance of Vata and Kapha. Mainly Tadasana helps in increasing height in the formative years; this too is under the control of kapha (which helps in development) and vata (which helps in expansion of tissues, spaces, enhancing length etc). Thus Tadasana balances Vata and Kapha, more during the formative years or when there is an active physical development. Following this, it provides and maintains stability and balance of the body when practiced regularly.

Synchronizes Prana-Sadhaka-Tarpaka integrity – Functions of higher intellectual and wisdom territory belong to the best synchronization between Prana Vayu, Sadhaka Pitta and Tarpaka Kapha in the head. The integrity and balance of these 3 sub-types of doshas will help in our decision making, thought processing, memory process, higher skills of thinking and implementation etc. This benefit of Tadasana can be contributed to its balancing act on Sahasrara Chakra and Ajna Chakras which are the energy centers of these activities. On the contrary, the reverse is also true. By balancing these dosha subtypes, Tadasana brings a serene balance in the mentioned chakras. By balancing these dosha subtypes, Tadasana has a healing, regulatory and balancing effect on the nervous system.

Balances the Pachaka Pitta – Tadasana balances the activities of Pachaka Pitta and helps in proper digestion and assimilation of food. Thus the asana tones up the digestive system and digestive functions. While balancing Pachaka Pitta, Tadasana also establishes a balance between the mentioned Pitta with Samana Vayu and Kledaka Kapha which are also taking part in maintenance of digestive functions. Thus, Tadasana can be said to balance the Pachaka-Samana-Kledaka axis and integrity. This benefit of Tadasana can be blended with its stimulating effects on Anahata Chakra.

Balances Udana and Vyana Vayu – Tadasana balances the Udana Vayu and Vyana Vayu functions in the chest by balancing and stimulating the Anahata Chakra. Along with it, the balance of the local subtypes of doshas, i.e. Sadhaka Pitta and Avalambaka Kapha is also achieved. This brings about a balanced health of respiratory and cardiac health. Tadasana helps in balancing the breathing phenomenon and also aids proper blood circulation owing to its balancing act over the mentioned doshas in the uras or chest.

Effect on Dhatus

Effect of Tadasana on Dhatus –
Strengthens Mamsa Asthi Dhatu – Tadasana strengthens the bones and muscles, mainly those of lower limbs. These helps in enhancing the flexibility of joints in the lower limbs and lower back and helps in easy locomotion. This asana also tones up the muscles of the abdomen and butts. Since it tones up the muscles and bones, Tadasana helps in balancing the agni or metabolic process in these tissues. This in turn avoids accumulation of fat and aids fat burn-out. Thus Tadasana also balances the fat in the body, especially by preventing fat accumulation around the tummy, pelvis and thighs, which are main causes for many diseases.

Just Before Finish
Tadasana is a very important Yoga which helps you to balance yourself and be grounded. It strengthens your lower back and lower limbs and keeps you energetic. It is a good remedy for low back pain and sciatica.
Click to Consult Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ayu)