Tadasana or Mountain Pose is an asana

Asana

Asana is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still, with the spine as a conduit of biodynamic union...

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Etymology

The name comes from the Sanskrit words tada meaning "mountain" and asana (आसन) meaning "posture" or "seat".

Description

It is a very basic standing posture with feet together and hands at the sides of the body. Yoga practitioners consider it a pose that promotes confidence and happiness as well as improving posture and creating space within the body. This creating space within the body may allow internal organs to work more efficiently thus improving respiration, digestion and elimination. The pose strengthens the abdomen and the legs. It may help relieve sciatica

Sciatica

Sciatica is a set of symptoms including pain that may be caused by general compression or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots that give rise to each sciatic nerve, or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves. The pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, or...

 and reduce flat feet. Poses that help prepare for Tadasana include Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

thumb|right|Downward-Facing DogAdho Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Shvanasana , Downward-Facing Dog Pose, Downward Dog, or Down Dog, is an asana.- Etymology :...

 and Uttanasana

Uttanasana

Uttanasana|thumb|113pxUttanasana, variation|thumb|113pxUttanasana , Intense Forward-Bending Pose, Intense Strech Pose, Standing Forward Bend, Standing Forward Fold Pose, or Standing Head to Knees Pose, is an asana.-Etymology:...

. Although Tadasana is a very basic pose it is the basis for many standing poses. Urdhva Hastasana

Urdhva Hastasana

-Etymology:The name comes from the Sanskrit words urdhva meaning "upward", and hasta meaning "hand", and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".-Contraindications and cautions:...

is a very similar pose with the hands raised above the head.

Further reading

• Bikram Yoga, Bikram, Choudhury (2007). Bikram Yoga. HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN 0-06-056808-9

External links

• Step by Step Instruction
• http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/492_1.cfm
• http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/tadasana.htm
• http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/urdhvahastasana.htm
• http://fitnessfundaa.blogspot.com/2008/08/tadasana-mountain-pose.html
• Tadasana at Flash Mavi