Hatha Yoga
VRKSASANA – TREE POSE – INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED VARIATIONS –
Sanskrit: vriksa or vriksha (वृक्ष, vṛkṣa) meaning “tree” and asana (आसन) meaning “posture”.
Include variations to the tree pose to increase mind concentration. Work on balance, and flexibility of legs and hips.
Intermediate variation – In the classic pose, instead of the inner sole of the foot being placed into the inner thigh of the opposite leg, place the foot high as possible on the front of the thigh in a half lotus position. Palms can be joined in a prayer pose, then raised above the head. Maintain balance and concentration by focusing on a fixed point ahead. Focus on breathing slowly and rhythmically and deeply. Hold position as long as desired. Bring hands back to chest level prayer position and switch legs.
Advanced variation – With control, from standing in half lotus, slowly bend the standing leg knee and come down onto tiptoe of the standing leg, while keeping half lotus with the other leg, ankle over the thigh. Maintain balance. Hands in prayer position. Keep your upper body straight and your head level. Focus on a fixed point in front of you. Hold before resuming standing position very slowly and with breath control to aid concentration in getting back to standing position. Switch to the opposite leg.
Tip: It is best to practice the tree in stages. Before placing your leg in half lotus, get your balance on one foot, spreading the toes out and weight is spread through the entire foot. Keep the knee straight. Half raise the other leg while getting the balance rooted and then place the foot into the inner thigh, then half lotus. Maintain standing balance by keeping the standing leg straight and the weight through the entire foot, toes spread. Avoid distraction and keep the mind quiet. Fix the gaze onto a still point. Keep breathing slowly and deeply. Close the eyes once this pose becomes more effortless.
BENEFITS:
- Strengthens the leg and back muscles
- The bent leg opens the hip joint
- Improves balance
- Keeps the mind focused and improves concentration
- Brings feeling of inner peace
- Very conducive to meditation
This yoga asana is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram partly sourced and edited from the Sivananda Publication: “The Sivananda Companion to Yoga”. The Sivananda Yoga Centre, 2000.
Sing the song divine. Let thy face gleam with light. – Sri Swami Sivananda
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Glossary
INDRIYAS: The senses.
The Indriyas (senses) have two states, static and dynamic. When the desire begins to operate, the Indriyas are put in motion. This is the dynamic state. As soon as the desire is gratified, the Indriyas shrink through Tripti (satisfaction). This is the static or passive state of the Indriyas.
The Mind and Indriyas are one. Indriya is a prolongation of the mind. The sea is fed by the rivers; the sea cannot exist without the rivers. Even so, mind is fed by Indriyas and cannot exist without Indriyas. If you have controlled the Indriyas, you have already controlled the mind.
Eyes can only see. Ears can only hear. Tongue can only taste. Skin can only touch. Nose can only smell. But, the mind can see, hear, taste, touch and smell. Mind is the common sensory. The five senses are blended there. It can directly see, hear, smell, taste and feel independent of the senses. It is an aggregate of the five senses. All the sense-faculties are blended in the mind. You can see and hear directly through the mind by Yogic practice (clairvoyance and clairaudience).
Vasikaran – In this highest stage of Vairagya, the objects no longer tempt you. They cause no attraction. The Indriyas are perfectly quiet. Mind also is free from likes and dislikes (raga and dwesha). Then you get supremacy or independence. Now you are conscious of your supremacy.
Kaivalya (perfect independence) is when the Indriyas are drawn into the mind, the mind into the Mahat, and the Mahat into the Purusha. – Sw. Sivananda
MAHAT: the Universal mind; the Cosmic mind
No one who is thirsting for name, fame, power and lordship and enjoyment here… or elsewhere, can achieve success in Yoga. – Sri Swami Sivananda