TADASANA OR TADA ASANA OR PALM TREE POSE

The Sanskrit word Tada means palm tree hence Tada Asana means Palm Tree
Pose. It is also often known as the heavenly stretch pose because this is exactly
what you do in this Asana i.e. you stretch the body upwards towards the heavens.

TECHNIQUE

Stand erect with your feet about 15 cms apart.

Keep your eyes open throughout the practice.


Gaze at a point directly in front of or above you which may be on the wall or
ceiling or in the distance. The object of your attention is not important but you
must keep your gaze fixed on it throughout the entire practice.

Interlock the fingers of both hands. Then hold your arms directly above your
head.

Gently adjust your hands so that the palms face upwards. Then stretch your
whole body upwards as far as possible.

Straighten your arms, but keep the hands interlocked.

Raise yourself on tiptoes, all the time trying to stretch up as high as you can.

Remain in the final position for a few seconds.

Then lower the body and bend and relax the arms. Allow the backs of your hands
to rest on top of your head.

Rest for a second or two.

Then repeat another round, stretching your whole body, arms and legs, as much
as you can.

Breathe in deeply as you raise the body.

Hold your breath in the final raised position, and breathe out as you lower your
body. The breathing should also be coordinated with the raising and lowering of
the hands.

Direct your attention to any fixed point.

For Shankha Prakshalana do eight rounds of this Asana otherwise, for general
health purposes, you can practice as many rounds as you wish.


BENEFITS

This asana develops a sense of balance.

The whole body is stretched which loosens up the entire spinal column from top
to bottom.

The abdominal organs and muscles are toned up.