Tree Pose

Vrksasana

vrksa = tree

asana = pose

v-reek-sah-ah-sah-nah

Benefits

Come to stand with your feet a couple of inches apart.
Begin with your hands at heart center.
Steady your gaze by finding your drishti, a still point to hold you steady as you find your balance. This point should be a bit in front of you, perhaps on the studio floor.
Begin to shift your weight to one foot and lift the other from the mat or floor.
Option to use your hands to place your foot somewhere along your inner leg line, avoiding the areas directly surrounding your knee.
Place your foot inside of your calf or inner thigh.
Keep your hands at heart center, or grow your branches by extending your palms up overhead.
Direct your bent knee behind you to open your hips.
Maintain a slight bend in your standing leg.
Exhale to find your way out, drawing your hands and your knee back through to center before returning to a neutral standing pose

Kickstand your foot outside of your ankle, with your toes resting on the mat or floor, instead of resting your foot on your leg.

Before:

After:

Keep your weight in the center of your foot
Notice if your toes are squished or looking a bit white. If this is the case, shift your weight back toward your heel and then slightly forward until you find a centered space to balance from.
If you extend your arms up overhead, your chest might reach out forward. Engage your core to protect your low back and maintain spinal length

Kickstand with your toes on the mat rather than on your leg
Standing Lotus with your foot resting atop your front thigh and knee bent, pointing down towards the floor