Tadasana
by Shandor Remete

Today's man has lost the ability to stand, walk, sit and lie.

According to Japanese Zen, when the four actions are corrected and understood by the individual the deficiencies of incorrect living and behaviour patterns come to an end. Through these four actions man is able to resurrect himself from the world of behavioural darkness. So it is the same within the structures of yoga. The very word Tadasana means Mountain Pose or Palm Tree, already gives rise to an image of what is required for the performance of the pose. A mountain is tall, erect, firm, still and powerful. How many people can stand in this way today? To take a gaze at a tip of a mountain we have to look up and resemble the mountain. This act, unconsciously brings us into an elevated state of freshness; with a momentary release of the burdens that we seem to carry on our backs. This is why Tadasana is the starting point in the practice of yoga. By learning to stand tall with straight legs and spine, open chest, head lifted and erect, unconsciously our thinking moves away from horizontal thinking, which connects us and takes us closer towards the heavens and the universal being.  Tadasana is the most difficult posture to learn and from it stems all the various other postures that are utilized for the upliftment of the individual. There are many hidden messages behind the meaning of each pose.

To learn Tadasana we have to bring forth the attitude of a mountain, which is uncompromising. It is here we learn to understand and respect the importance of positioning and alignment. Until we can stand in such a way that each and every part of the body is aligned and brought into one single tension with the feeling of ease on the inside, Yoga remains a far cry and a long lost dream.Learning this pose alone will reflect the inhibitions of the individual. When one is clear & free of these feelings of inhibition, one is able to think with a clear mind, feel with a clear heart, see with clear eyes, hear with open ears & taste the sweetness of their inner waters. Such an individual is the possessor of their own power where the activity of horizontal behaviour & the ascent of the vertical consciousness are evenly balanced. This gives them liberated space their forthcoming activities where they can perform their duties in the world, yet remain completely free & clear from the dross of the world. Just like the mountain which is the dwelling place of the gods, they see & yet remain clear & detached, while always supporting the needs & the functions of the world.

The performance of Tadasana -1st stage

Stand with the feet together placing the inside of the big toes & the inner ankles against each other. Then by tightening the knee caps into the joint, push the thigh bones from the front towards the back of the thighs, filling the space of the hamstrings. Keep the hips square & spine erect with the head evenly balanced on the top of the spine, where the chin is kept without being lifted or collapsed. Keep the base of the skull open in a posterior direction. The back of the skull, the back ribs, hips, back of the knees & heels should be in one straight line. The arms are held near the sides of the body, the elbows locked, & the fingers extended where the skin of the palm is fully stretched towards the tip of the fingers. Palms face the sides of the thighs, the diaphragm is passive, the waist line narrow & the top of the chest from above the nipples elevated. Breathing is thin, long & deep, but not imposed. The eyes are steady, directed & slightly higher than eye level, with eye-lids passive.

2^nd stage

To heighten the intensity of the energy in the pose, increase the downward pressure of the inside of the big toes to the floor, from the nail all the way to the centre of the arch of the foot. Then turn the top of the instep slightly inwards until it rests above the top of the inner arch drawing the outer arch of the foot deeper up from the floor. Then force the energy from the centre of the inner arch to the fleshy part of the inner heels to the floor. This will give the feeling of the arch drawing upwards making a clear separation between the balls of the feet & the heels. Thus the feeling of even pressure will be experienced from heel to toe by activating the arches of the feet. This movement requires an inward turn of the shins & draws the front of the groin in a circular action towards the sitting bones, broadening them from the anus. Due to this action the anus is drawn in & upwards, the pelvic floor is forced heavily down to the floor & the flesh of the inner thighs is cut backwards. Push the sacrum in towards the back of the pelvic plate without forcing the lumbar spine to the navel, turn the palms outwards while keeping the wrists heavy & difficult to turn, elbows locked. The turn must come from the back of the armpits pulling the bone of the upper arm in towards the crease of the biceps & the pectoral muscle. Then with an exhalation increase the work of the legs & the turn of the groin, while keeping the side ribs passive. Raise the arms above the head, the back of the arms touching the back of the ears & extending from the inner shoulder. Increase the pressure from the palms from the outer edge of the little finger side towards the base of the index finger & thumb. When the pose is looked at from the side, all the joints of the anatomical body will be in one vertical line. Maintain this pose for one to two minutes with even breathing.