1. MOUNTAIN POSE TADASANA

Place your feet together or up to shoulder-width apart, inner edges parallel. Balance your weight evenly over each foot, perhaps swaying from foot to foot until you sense the central position. Spread your toes and root through the base of your big and little toes. Lift your inner arches by drawing your ankles away from each other.

Check your kneecaps are in line with your mid-toes, gently lift them and draw your leg muscles towards your bones. Align your pelvis over your feet, relax your buttocks and allow your tail and sitting bones to release to the floor, bringing your pelvis into neutral. Breathe.

Draw your navel towards your spine, then inhale as you open your chest and, on an exhale, release your shoulders back and down your spine. Let your arms fall naturally to your sides and allow them to extend gently through to your fingertips.

Lengthen the back of your neck and soften your throat. Let go of any tension in your jaw and let your gaze be soft.

As you inhale, ground through your feet and feel the corresponding lift in your spine as you lengthen through to the crown of your head. Let your breath be gentle, feeling the length and lightness of each in-breath, a sense of grounding and stability on the out-breath. Become still like a mountain for up to one minute.

Exhale to release and take a moment to absorb the effects of the pose.

Benefits

Calming

Grounding

Steadies the breath

Hand variations PRAYER HANDS

Bring your hands to your heart, elbows down, palms together and fingertips pointing upward. Softly, but actively, press each palm into the other. Release and lengthen the back of your neck.

SALUTATION SEAL

From prayer, gently draw your thumbs away from each other and open your palms towards the ceiling, as if making an offering to the sky.