Tadasana: A Deeper Look into Posture

“It is essential to master the art of standing correctly.” – B.K.S. Iyengar

You may be surprised at how much pain and discomfort can be caused by prolonged poor posture, and our surroundings are constantly evolving in ways that continue to exacerbate it. The tech that we use, the furniture that surrounds us, and even our clothing and accessories change the way that our bodies hold themselves in space. That feeling that causes you to shift in your seat every few minutes is having an accumulative effect on your body over time.

Tadasana is the most basic posture in yoga as it is the starting point for movement, very similar to anatomical position. It is also a fantastic demonstration of how you can “do more” in a pose and throughout your practice.

Starting out I struggled to embody tadasana as a pose, it felt more like a break between poses. I used to work front desk at a hotel, I could stand all day and most days I did. But all of that standing came with a lot of shifting and leaning, twisting my spine and hips over time. By becoming aware of my alignment and developing postural muscles, my posture naturally improved over time.

Tadasana is so convenient to work into your day because to anyone else, you’re just standing. You can bring yourself into better posture and stand with purpose and energy any time that you find yourself standing: standing in line, standing while you cook or do dishes, waiting to cross the street… The more that you practice energy and alignment in this basic pose, the easier it will be to implement in other postures.

Follow along with the steps in the video and feel your posture change from within.