This asana is the foundation for all the other poses. It's intention is to align the spine and body in relation to the earth and the sky without pulling to the front, the back or either side.

It is also called Tadasana or Mountaion Pose and it teaches the student to stand with strength and ease while feeling the subtle shifts that are invloved in discovering balance. This experience is not limited to physical balance in the pose, nor is it limited to balance in the yoga practice, but it expands to include balance in ones life.

Practice Samasthiti with Michael's online video now.

ACTIONS & CUES:

• Begin with the toes touching and heels slightly apart.
• Lift and spread your toes off the floor, engaging the arch of the foot. 
• Rock from side to side and then front to back finding the centers of your feet and establishing grounding.  
• Engage the thighs and calf muscles, lifting the inner arches of your feet. Feel the line of energy rooting down and lifting up. 
• Rotate your things in and slightly tuck your tailbone, causing a firming in the lower abdomen. Roll your shoulders up towards your ears, shift them back and lower them down with the lower tips of your shoulder blades reaching towards each other. This opens the chest, be careful not to arch the back and stick the lower ribs out.
• Align your head over your center and release your arms to your sides spreading the fingers with the palms facing your thighs.
• Gaze softly in front of you with your chin parallel to the floor.

VARIATIONS

• Stand with feet hip distance apart
• Stand at wall 
• Lying down (supta samasthiti)
• Squeeze a block between upper thighs 
• Turn palms facing out
• Extend the arms overhead perpendicular to the floor and parallel to each other
• Interlace your fingers and extend your arms in front of you or over your head
• Clasp your opposite elbows with your forearms behind your back