Vrikasana, or Tree Pose, is one of my favourite asanas. The Sanskrit words “Vrika” mean tree and “Asana” mean posture. It is a balancing asana. This asana roots you and helps you be calm and centered. It keeps your body balanced and helps you be in the moment. You feel more centered from within, which creates a sense of calm and equilibrium.
A tree reminds us of qualities like calmness, resilience, and vitality, while also remaining steady in sun and rain. Similarly, this asana creates a sense of balance within the body, which also translates into mental wellbeing by building focus and concentration and making your mind focussed and less prone to distractions. It also helps stabilise the nervous system, which in turn calms the mind and restores a sense of balance and centeredness.
In Ananda Yoga, the main purpose of asana is to promote the free flow of energy throughout the system and assist in the elimination of toxins from joints.
This posture exerts a beneficial pressure on various glands and internal organs, flushing and stimulating them. Since the joints between the ankle and calf, knee joint, and hip joint get pressure on cartilage, organs, and glands around the pelvic area which leads to cleansing toxins trapped in those joints and surrounding organs. With prana, the gentle pressure tries to remove the toxins and vitalize the body.
For people who have vata dosha, this asana helps turn their mind inward and makes them feel more grounded and calm.Vrikasana also increases flexibility and strength in the hips by opening them up. This weight-bearing nature of the posture strengthens the bones of the hips and pelvic region, along with the muscles, preventing hip osteoporosis. It also strengthens the glutes and is good for uterine and ovarian health. It could also help prevent the onset of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s according to scientific research.
Sciatica is pain that radiates from the sciatic nerve down the length of the body. The causes vary, ranging from a lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle to degeneration of spinal discs or sleeping on a lumpy mattress. It is characterized by burning or tingling, weakness, constant pain, and so on. Regular practice of Vrikasana can significantly alleviate the symptoms and heal the pain, even though the pain can be extremely debilitating.
In conclusion, we can safely say that Vrikasana gives us many fruits, just like a tree in nature. Grow a regular practice and try to hold the asana a little longer each time to experience full benefits for the body, mind, and soul. One thing I’ve noticed in my practice is that it relaxes and slows my thoughts, helping me embody a sense of serenity and peace. As you practice, mentally affirm, “I am calm, I am poised.” This affirmation will help you take your practice deeper and help you relax the mind even more.