Mountain Pose is the foundation pose for all standing asanas. Its significance lies in its position as starting and finishing pose for most standing hatha yoga sequences. It acts as a restorative pose during practice and helps all students to regain clarity and focus after more challenging poses.
Etymology of Tadasana
The oldest surviving references to yoga and asan come from the Sanskrit language. All of the poses (asana) are traditionally and respectfully given their Sanskrit name.
Tada – Mountain
Asana – Pose or Posture
Tadasana – Mountain Pose
Variations of the Name Mountain Pose
According to B. K. S. Iyengar in his well loved treatise on yoga, Light on Yoga, Tadasana was traditionally performed with the arms stretched over the head. It seems that for convenience, and practical purpose, Tadasana, has come to be known as the basic standing posture, with the arms by the sides.
However, some yoga schools differentiate between Samasthiti and Tadasana.
Sama – upright, straight, unmoved
Sthiti – standing still, steadiness
Samasthiti – Equal Standing Pose
In most western yoga classes today, Tadasana is used to describe what was previously accepted as the Samasthiti pose.
Extended Mountain Pose is now used to describe the position of mountain pose with the arms extended over the head. The palms maybe pressed together, or the arms maybe directly in line with the shoulders.
Drishti in Mountain Pose
Drishti – eye gaze
The drishti in Mountain Pose is a soft, gentle gaze into the horizon. Think of Clint Eastward in a cow boy film, without the heat, the dust or the squint.
Stance Variations During Pregnancy for Mountain Pose
Pregnant women can decide for themselves when they need to widen their stance in Mountain Pose. There are no cut and dried rules. However, if you feel a strain or out of balance when the feet are placed together, its time to widen the feet so they are directly under the hips.
Also take notice of fluid retention and pay particular attention to tucking in the lower back to avoid strain on the lumbar vertebrae.
Understanding Mountain Pose
Once we have achieved a quite mind, and can be one with our body, its time to understand the significance of the name ‘mountain pose’.
Apart from standing correctly in tadasana, one can enhance their understanding of the pose by drawing inspiration from the name of the position. Allow the image, sensation, feel and atmosphere of a mountain to come to your mind and body. Let the qualities of a mountain pervade your pose.
Visualisation and Unity in Tadasana
Visualisation, and extending awareness throughout your asana practice will take your yoga beyond the physical into a communion with your vision – and in this case, with a mountain.
By remembering that yoga means union, we can utilise all of our senses within our capacity to create and manifest unity by visualisation.
Links for Further Investigation of Mountain Pose
For more details about exploring tadasana, take a look at these advanced tips from Focal Point Yoga, and if you are interested in experiencing the meeting point of two energies, you might like to look at this blog post from Patheya.
B. K. S. Iyengar Light on Yoga (2001, Great Britain) George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd First published in 1966.
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