It’s common knowledge I ADORE tree pose (vrksasana)… i do it while making dinner, in line at the grocery, or talking with friends at the coffee shop. I notice that I tend to balance on one foot when I get impatient in line, when I am making stir-fry, or when there’s no seat at the coffee bar. I like to think it’s my way of grounding back into my-self or finding balance between being in the moment and my urge to be center of attention. Yes, this is my ego battle, as an extrovert, I like to be the center of attention.

For me, yoga truly helps in the letting go of this need and it allows me to look at the bigger picture. Now because I do tree pose often (and because i usually need to exert some energy too), I have incorporated tree into my sun salutations!

I love saluting the sun, it helps build up some heat (i hate being cold), the flowing helps wake up my body, and the sequence helps me connect to my sweet breath. From YogaJournal.com has a beautiful description of sun salutations: “One of the means of honoring the sun is through the dynamic asana sequence Surya Namaskar(better known as Sun Salutation). The Sanskrit word namaskar stems from namas, which means “to bow to” or “to adore.” (The familiar phrase we use to close our yoga classes, namaste—temeans “you”—also comes from this root.) Each Sun Salutation begins and ends with the joined-hands mudra (gesture) touched to the heart. This placement is no accident; only the heart can know the truth.”

So, we take some of the same movements, but start with tree, hands at the heart and finding the ability to balance on one foot while the rest of the body “soaks up the sun” reaching up into the sky! There are two videos, the first is how I like to teach the sequence and the second is a modified version, in case you have trouble balancing or there are poses that you are not ready for yet (but will be over time  ). Enjoy!

tree salutations

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