This last week it’s been incredibly hot in Wellington. So my yoga classes have focused on other ways to work on balance and strength that don’t create heat. Tree pose is a great balance pose for staying cool and in many cases the focus required to balance helps calm your mind.
Tree might be an old familiar pose, but try it again with these suggestions for how to balance with your eyes closed…
- Start standing with your toes pointing straight ahead. It might help to start near a wall, tree or something else you can rest your hand on to help you balance.
- Hands on your hips or out to your sides.
- Lift your right foot and bring it to your left ankle, calf or thigh (not anywhere on your knee). Be active with your right leg, pressing your right foot it in to your left leg.
- Lift up through your chest.
- Now pick a spot to focus on that is quite a long ways away – think of looking at the horizon.
- Try closing one eye. When you’re ready try closing both eyes, but keep focusing on looking to the horizon past the bridge of your nose.
- Did you keep balancing?
- Don’t forget to try the other leg as well.
Tree pose (vrksasana) with your eyes closed
