By Soraya (Sudevi) Pereira 

My all-time favorite pose is Vrkshasana (Tree Pose).  I love doing the pose as well as teaching it.  

I especially love practicing it outdoors beside a tree. In the midst of trees, I feel like one of them.  When the ground allows, I take my shoes off and feel the grounding effects of being barefoot on dirt or grass.

I feel deeply rooted as my straight leg leans into the ground. At the same time, I’m uplifted by the upward-moving energy (udana prana).  It starts to rise as I lift my arms towards the sky. Engaging my abs a bit releases my spine and lets the udana prana flow freely.  The balance between this downward rooting and the upward lift feels amazing!

With my bent knee wide and the straight leg and hip facing forward, I find a balance between right and left.  Finding balance, I feel at ease, clear-headed, invigorated, positive and in touch with my Self.

I feel the light of my own Self transmuting any mental or emotional contraction and negativity into openness, ease and deep understanding.  This is very much like the light of the sun allowing the tree to transmute carbon dioxide into life-giving oxygen.

Just like trees, Vrkshasana is pure magic!  But don’t take my word for it, try it yourself.