36 YOGAJOURNAL.COM YOGA TODAYw
hen you stand with two feet on the floor, as in
Tadasana (Mountain Pose), your weight is evenly
distribut ed on either side of your midline—that
imaginary plumb line that runs from the crown of your head
down to the floor. It’s pretty easy to balance here. But the
moment you lift your right foot off the floor and start to draw
your right knee out to the side for Tree Pose, everything changes.
Your base of support becomes narrower; now it’s just your left
foot. And the weight of your leg swinging out to the right moves
your center of gravity to the right, so it’s no longer on your mid-
line. To compensate, you automatically shift your whole body
to the left, working to bring your center of gravity back onto
the new plumb line that runs through your new base of support.
To find balance, you must distribute your body weight inequilibrium on either side of the plumb line. But that doesn’t
necessarily mean placing equal weight on each side of the line.
Think of two people of unequal weight trying to balance a see-
saw. They can balance if the lighter one sits farther out and the
heavier one sits closer to the center. In yoga, the same principles
apply: A light part of the body farther from the center of gravity
can counterbalance a heavier part that’s closer to the center. As
you raise the weight of your right leg higher off the floor, you
shift your hips and torso slightly to the left.
You may notice that Vrksasana becomes more difficult
when you bring your hands to heart center or overhead. That’s
because each of these movements raises your center of gravity.
When the center of gravity is high, just a few degrees of tilt can
move it far enough off the plumb line to upset your balance;
when it is low, there’s more room for error. If you have trouble
balancing in Vrksasana, try lowering your center of gravity by
practicing the pose with your standing-leg knee slightly bent
and your arms in a lower position. You can also enhance your
equilibrium in these poses by spreading the toes and the ball
of the standing foot. The broader your base, the more stable
you are, and even the slightest widening of the sole of the foot
is surprisingly helpful.
If you’re wobbly in Vrksasana, you can try actively pressing
down into the big-toe ball of the foot and the inner heel. This
causes a re bound up through your body and shifts your center
of gravity toward the outer edge of your foot. Such skillful use of
your muscles is an important part of balancing. Your bones can’t
put themselves into line with gravity; they need the muscles to
move them into position, hold them there, and reposition them
as needed. This is where strength comes into the picture.Alignment
the physics of balance
MODEL: SARAH POWERS; STYLIST: KAREN ZAMBONIN; HAIR: NICOLE PETERS/KOKO REPRESENTSVrksasana
(Tree Pose)
Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), lifting your spine. Spread your
toes and broaden both feet on the floor. To find your center of grav-
ity, bring your attention an inch or two below your navel and deep
inside your body. Shift this point slightly forward and back, then
from side to side, making ever smaller movements until you come to
rest at center. When you’re correctly aligned, you’ll feel weight placed
evenly on the heels and balls of the feet and on the inner and outer
edges of the feet. You’ll also feel a sense of lightness.
Then shift your pelvis to the left until your center of gravity lies di-
rectly above the middle of your left foot. Lift your right foot and place
it as high as possible on your left inner thigh, toes pointing down.
Press your right foot against your left thigh, and your thigh against
your foot. Lower your right hip until it is level with the left; this move-
ment will require you to again shift your hips significantly to the left.
Contract your right buttock, draw your right knee back without
drawing your right hip back, and bring your hands into prayer position
at your heart. Keep your gaze soft and level. As needed, firmly but
gently press the inner or outer edge of the foot into the floor to shift
your center of gravity directly above your left foot. When your center
is properly placed, you’ll feel a sense of lightness, just as you did in
Tadasana. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds (or even longer as
you grow stronger and more stable).