What is vrikshasana?

Vrksasana is a standing yoga asana that improves your focus, balance, and sharp mental clarity. The name vrikshasana comes from the Sanskrit word vrksa, meaning a tree, and asana, meaning the pose.

This asana requires the yoga practitioner to stand firmly on one leg with the other leg completely bent so that the foot completely rests on the inside of your thigh. Your hands are extended over your head with your palms touching each other. Vrksasana is also referred to as a tree pose when speaking in English.

6 Vrikshasana benefits

There are several benefits of practicing this vrikshasana pose when done in proper posture and for a regular period of time.

1) Vrikshasana Maintains the Overall Body Balance

Because this vrikshasana pose is primarily a body balancing posture, it helps you in bodily and find mental balance. The stance seeks to keep your mind and body from wandering and maintain a fine balance while being in performing this pose, similar to the manner in which a tree can balance itself while completely remaining securely anchored. Your body will become definitely more centered from the inside, which results in a sense of complete stability and

serenity.

2) Vrikshasana Tones Up Your Leg Muscles

Vrikshasana helps in building muscle throughout the leg, from your feet and ankles up to the shins, knees, calves, and to your thighs, because you are working only one leg at a time. So it strengthens and acclimates your legs to a much higher level of bodily endurance. It also helps in the improvement of your leg flexibility.

3) Vrikshasana Results In A Better Body Posture

Vrikshasana helps in strengthening your posture in one of the most organic and natural methods ever conceivable, as it entails standing correctly in the posture for a longer amount of time, with your spine completely straight, your feet will feel powerful, and your upper body in a relaxing position yet erect. It prevents you from putting too much of your body weight on one leg, that's why it strengthens both of your legs equally.

4) Vrikshasana Strengthens Up Your Hips and Pelvic Region

The hips are opened out while performing vrikshasana, which promotes their flexibility and strength at the same time in that area. Because of the weight-bearing characteristic of this posture, the bones of your hips and the pelvic region, as well as the muscles involved in this pose, are strengthened to another level while preventing hip osteoporosis.

5) Vrikshasana Helps Reducing The Risk of Sciatica

Sciatica is characterized as the pain that sharply radiates down the length of your body from the sciatic nerve itself. Lack of regular exercise and living a sedentary lifestyle are among the prime causes of this problem. Similar reasons for its occurrence are your spinal disc degeneration process and sleeping on quite a lumpy mattress. Burning or tingling sensations on your feet, weakness, and persistent level of discomfort are some of its symptoms. The discomfort can be quite crippling, but the frequent practice of vrikshasana can help you in easing down the symptoms and heal that pain to a much larger extent.

6) Vrikshasana Helps with Enhancing Your Concentration level

Because vrikshasana yoga poses promote a sense of fine balance in your body, it also has a positive impact on your mental health, as it helps in improving your concentration and focus, making your mind much sharper than before and less prone to frequent wandering. It also aids in the stabilization of your neurological system to a much larger extent, allowing you to perform at its best.

Apart from enhancing your mental performance to a greater extent, vrikshasana pose is also beneficial for your self-esteem and prevents melancholy and frequent mood swings. It may also help in the prevention of various severe diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Steps of vrikshasana

Keep your back completely straight and stand in a straight position.
Now lift your right leg and balance it firmly on your left leg such that your right leg must be bent at your knee.
Now place your right foot on the inner side of your left thigh. Make sure that your right foot's toes should be facing completely down.
At your chest level, join your both palms in the prayer position. Also, raise your arms completely above your head such that your hands must be stretched upward.
Hold this pose for a while by taking a deep breath periodically.
Now separate your both palms after lowering your arms to your chest level.
Return to the earlier standing position by straightening down your right leg.
Now with your right leg, you can repeat this stance

How to do vrikshasana?

Any posture in Yoga be it Vrikshasana must be done using the correct technique or under the guidance of an experienced yoga trainer, to reap the maximum health benefit. Following the proper method of doing Vrikshasana as mentioned above also helps to avoid any serious injuries.

Doing Vrikshasana by maintaining a proper posture like standing firmly on the ground on one leg and putting another leg in the inner part of your thigh of another leg then putting your hand in a prayer position and then repeating this pose with the other leg helps you to achieve complete peace of mind and other health benefits to those people who are facing problems such as depression and anxiety. This vrikshasana pose also increases your concentration and boosts your immunity and physical stamina. Moreover, it also helps to build great self-confidence and self-esteem.

3 Contraindications of vrikshasana

If you have any recent knee, leg, or even back injury in avoiding performing this vrikshasana.
It may be very hard in performing this vrikshasana in the initial stage to place one leg above the other knee, so one can also place your leg below the knee. But you should never put it on your knee since all the pressure of your body will be centered towards your knee which can cause any injury
If you suffer from the problem of insomnia, migraine, or even high or low blood pressure, do not perform the vrikshasana unless it is recommended by the doctor.

Conclusion

Vrikshasana or the tree pose which is a common yet powerful standing Yoga asana has numerous health benefits for your brain, spine, immunity, legs, and bodily stability. One may practice this yoga posture regularly, more preferably under the guidance of a trained yoga practitioner who will advise you regarding the necessary precautions and the proper posture to be taken care of.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is it called Vrikshasana?

The name Vrikshasana is derived from the Sanskrit word Vrksa which means tree. Hence, it is also referred to as a Tree pose or vrikshasana. It is a single-legged firmly standing pose for beginners.

2. Does Vrikshasana increase height?

The Vrikshasana or the popular Tree pose is an effective yoga asana that is able to increase your height when done properly and regularly. This pose activates your pituitary gland, which in turn is responsible for the production of your growth hormones.

3. How long does Vrikshasana take?

Initially, in vrikshasana pose, it is not possible to keep your position for more than a couple of minutes when done by beginners. For the purpose of doing meditation, one can extend the duration of doing this yoga pose even for up to three hours.

References

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease: Similarities and Differences