Yoga Poses-Mountain Pose

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Mountain Pose is one of the most common Standing Yoga Poses. Beginners who want to learn Yoga Poses can easily practice this Yoga Pose as it is one of the most easy to learn Yoga poses.

Intention

There are some Yoga Poses which has common intentions. Mountain Pose and Half Moon Pose are the Yoga Poses which have some common intentions including maintaining the integrity of the inner arch of the foot and increasing flexibility.
  • To create standing postural integrity and postural integration
  • To gain the ability to integrate the foundation of the feet to the pelvis, the foundation of the spine
  • To maintain the integrity of the inner arch of the foot
  • To experience and gain the ability to create a neutral vertical pelvis
  • To use Maha Bandha to create an inner core and support the spine
  • To reintegrate the lumbar, thoracic and cervical curves of the spine
  • To lengthen the spine
  • To connect the feet, legs, pelvis, spine and skull in a vertical line


Benefits

There are some Yoga Poses which have some common benefits. Mountain Pose, Back Pose and Half Moon Pose are some Yoga Poses which have some common benefits.
  • Postural Integration of the standing body
  • Corrects the standing posture of the body
  • Calms the body
  • Enhances the ability to create Maha Bandha in a standing asana
  • Realize the interplay of the pelvic floor and transverse abdominals
  • Creates a neutral vertical pelvis
  • Connects the feet and legs to the pelvis
  • It is a resting pose

Contraindications

Most of the Yoga Poses have some contradictions. One needs to be careful about these contradictions while practicing Yoga Poses. 
  • Extreme lordosis of the lumbar spine and an extreme anterior-tilted pelvis


Teaching technique


  1. Stand with the inner feet together, feet parallel and activate the inner arch to support the ankles
  2. Co-activate the muscles of the legs to support the knees, do not push back and lock the knees and create a vertical line from the outer ankle to the head of the femur.
  3. Activate Mula Bandha to draw the pelvis into a neutral vertical position and tense the transverse abdominals
  4. Create Uddiyana and Jalandhara Bandhas to lengthen the spine and reduce the lumbar, thoracic and cervical curves
  5. Laterally create a vertical line in the body from the outer ankle bone to the centre of the knee to the head of the femur to the shoulder capsule to the ear on the skull
  6. Tuck the floating ribs in and lengthen the torso laterally stretching the obliques
  7. Looking towards the horizon and gazing at the tip of the nose (Nasikagra Mudra)
  8. Extend the fingers towards the floor drawing the shoulders down away from the ears
  9. Extend the crown of the head towards the ceiling, lengthening through the back of the neck
  10. Slow the breath and focus upon the exhalation to calm the body and to promote the parasympathetic nervous system
  11. Use Thoracic Horizontal Ujjayi breath so you do not disturb the inner core of Maha Bandha in the torso that you have created

Modifications

Most of the Yoga Poses have some modifications and one should know these modifications.

  • If wide hips are causing the weight of the body to be carried into the outer blades of the feet collapsing the inner ankle then the feet should be placed one foot-width apart into the asana Samashiti, pronounced sa-mahs-thee-tee.
  • This allows the feet, which are the foundation of this pose, to realign with the legs, which are the columns that support the pelvis, which is the foundation of the spine.

Common Misalignments


  • The weight of the body is carried into the outer blade of the foot allowing the ankles to distort.
  • The inner feet are not parallel but twisted.
  • The knees are pushed back and the knees are locked.
  • The pelvis is allowed to tilt or twist out of alignment with the torso .
  • The pelvic floor or Mula Bandha is ignored.
  • The sternum is lifted arching the upper lumbar spine.
  • The floating ribs are lifted forward creating tension and contraction in the lower thoracic spine.
  • The lateral vertical line from the outer ankles to the knees, to the hips, to the shoulder, to the ear is lost.
  • The head is held forward with the cervical spine bending forward like the incorrect pose below

Incorrect:


  • Lordosis Kyphosis


Counter pose


Savasana, an asana where the postural integrity of the body is supported by the floor and the correct alignment can be created with much less effort.

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