Pose library · Vrksasana · reviewed by a teacher
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Vrksa means tree and asana means posture, so the name is simply tree posture. You stand on one leg, rooted through the foot, and grow tall through the crown of the head.
Pronunciation and meaning
Vrksasana: vrik-SHAHS-uh-nuh. The first syllable is short, and the stress falls on the second.
Vrksa means tree and asana means posture, so the name is simply tree posture. You stand on one leg, rooted through the foot, and grow tall through the crown of the head.
How to do Tree Pose
- Stand in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart and your weight spread evenly across both feet.
- Shift your weight into your left foot. Press the big toe, little toe and heel down, and keep a soft bend in the knee rather than locking it.
- Lift your right foot and place the sole on your inner left calf or inner left thigh, above or below the knee but never on the joint itself.
- Press the foot and the leg into each other, and turn the right knee out to the side without letting the right hip lift.
- Bring your hands together at your chest, or reach them overhead if your shoulders are happy there. Rest your gaze on one point that does not move.
- Stay for five to eight slow breaths, then lower the foot with control and repeat on the other side.
Teacher's note from Joahnna Lee
“Grow the standing leg down into the floor as if it had roots. The more you press down, the taller you get.”
“Keep both hip bones pointing forward, like headlights. I would rather your knee turned out a little less than have your hips swing open.”
“Wobbling is part of the pose. Let the ankle make its small corrections, and keep breathing through them.”
Make it easier
- Keep the toes of the lifted foot on the floor and rest the heel against the standing ankle, like a kickstand.
- Stand with one hand on a wall or the back of a chair until the balance feels steady.
Pregnancy and after birth
Pregnancy. Adapt. Your balance shifts as the belly grows, so practise next to a wall with a hand ready to steady you, keep the foot low on the calf, and widen your stance a little if you need to. Check with your OB or midwife before you start.
After birth. Adapt. Once your doctor or midwife has cleared you to exercise, start with the toes on the floor and a hand on the wall. Your balance and your core may take a while to feel familiar again, and that is normal.
Read Joahnna Lee's notes on yoga in pregnancy and after birth.
Common mistakes
- Pressing the foot into the side of the knee. It puts sideways pressure on a joint that is not built for it, so go above or below.
- Letting the standing hip jut out to the side. Draw it back in line so the weight sits over the middle of the foot.
Tree Pose is one of the first balancing shapes most people learn, and it turns up often in a Vinyasa class between the standing postures. It asks very little flexibility. What it asks for is attention, and a standing leg whose outer hip keeps the pelvis level, the muscle trained by bodyweight glute exercises such as clamshells.
When you practise Vinyasa at home, a wall nearby makes the first attempts calmer, and the lifted foot can rest at the ankle like a kickstand.
When Tree feels steady, Dancer Pose, a balance with a backbend asks the same standing foot for a little more.
A simpler balance with the knee lifted in front is Flamingo Pose, a modern standing variation. To practise with movement, Tree with moving arms is one of the balance exercises to do beside a wall.
Tree Pose questions
Why can't I balance in Tree Pose?
Almost everyone wobbles, especially at first and especially on one side. Tiredness, the time of day and where you look all change it. Rest your gaze on one still point, bring the foot lower, and use a wall for a while. Balance comes back with practice, not with effort.
Can I put my foot on my knee in Tree Pose?
No. Place the foot above the knee on the inner thigh, or below it on the calf. The knee is a hinge, and pushing into it from the side is the one thing to avoid in this pose.
How long should I hold Tree Pose?
Five to eight slow breaths on each side is plenty to begin with. It is better to come out calmly and go again than to hold on while the breath gets tight.
Which foot do you lift first in Tree Pose?
It does not matter, as long as you do both sides for the same length of time. Many classes start by standing on the left leg and lifting the right foot, but you can begin with whichever side feels steadier and then switch.
Where do your hands go in Tree Pose?
Start with your hands on your hips while you find your balance. Then bring the palms together at the chest, or reach the arms overhead with the palms facing each other or pressed together. Raising the arms makes the balance harder, so lower them if you start to wobble.