In this upcoming section, we will be discussing about Downward Facing Tree Pose also known as Adho Mukha Vrksasana. Yoga Novices have no idea Adho Mukha Vrksasana. This is one the most challenging Yoga pose for stretching and balancing. This inversion yoga pose can help you release tension and find balance. We are going to discuss the same in upcoming section.
What is the Downward Facing Tree Pose?
Downward Facing Tree Pose (Adho mukha vrksasana) is considered one of the most challenging asanas in yoga. The name come from the sanskrit words that is Adho means,” downward “,Mukha, means,”facing”, and vrksasana means, “tree pose”. Downward Facing Tree Pose is the named as such because it is inversion of tree pose. To perform Adho Mukha vrksasana , the practitioner balancing on the feet and lifting the arms to the sky and balancing on the hands .Adho mukha vrksasana is also known as headstand pose form part of arm balance sequence, which requires for the engaging physical and mental body. While practicing headstand pose requires strong foundation of arms and shoulders, the ability to lift up your body and getting out of the fear of falling. It helps to have a better control of the body and promoting a sense of calmness.
Since the most challenging part is for practitioner to overcome with the fear of falling, a beginner can overcome this by practicing same by the support of wall. But the most important thing to keep in mind despite the use wall, is alignment of the wrist and shoulder is very important. These variation will helps to building confidence, and familiarize our body with stacking hips on the top of the shoulders and wrist in one straight line. Downward Facing Tree Pose helps to boost energy in body hence it can be included in yoga sequence.
Preparation of Adho Mukha Vrksasana:
- Adho mukha vrksasana should be done on empty stomach. Therefore food should be taken 4-6 hours before practicing the asana. It is good if you can do it 10-12 hours after taking food from optimum benefits. That’s why you should do this asana early in the morning. Having food well before the asana will enable proper digestion of food. This will in turn provide your energy and strength to perform this asana to perfection.
- Keep your bladder and bowel clean and empty before performing this asana.
- It should be beneficial if this asana practicing in early morning. If this is not possible due to unavoidable circumstances, you can very well do it in the evening time.
How to Perform Adho Mukha Vrkasana?
Here is the step by step guidance of the Downward Facing Tree Pose:
Step 1. Start by assuming downward facing dog pose.
Step 2. Place your hands about 6 inches away from the wall if you are a beginner that you can practicing with support of a wall.
Step 3. After positioning make sure that your shoulder are exactly placed over your wrists and slowly walk towards your hands.
Step 4. As the vertical leg which is off the floor take the support of a wall and slowly lift the other leg also off the floor.
Step 5. Hold the position until you feel relax and comfortable.
Step 6. Ensure that your head is in right between your arms.
Step 7. Now gradually take your feet off the wall.
Step 8. Engage your leg in air. You can helps yourself by concentrating your vision on a fixed point of the floor.
Step 9. Now you can standing upside down, by balancing your hands and the whole body weight transferred onto your hands, like a tilted tree.
Step 10. Now you are in a Adho Mukha Vrkshasana pose.
Step 11. Release gradually from this asana and coming back to the point of start.
Step 12. Hold yourself in this pose for a while.
Step 13. Breathe deeply and slowly.
Step 14. Release yourself slowly and come back to the downward facing dog pose.
This is the simple and effective way to practice the Downward facing Tree Pose. There are multiple benefits of the Adho Mukha Vrksasana that we are discussed below.
What are the Benefits of Downward Facing Tree Pose(Adho Mukha Vrksasana)?
Here we explore the some of the key benefits of the Downward facing Tree Pose:
- Improves strength and flexibility: The practicing handstand pose is combined efforts of muscles group like core, upper body and pelvic floor. Hence, the repeated performance of Downward Facing Tree Pose will help to improves strength and flexibility.
- Focus and Balance: The practicing Adho Mukha Vrksasana requires balancing skills that come with focus. It helps for concentration to keep your shoulders aligned with wrists. It helps with better focus and balance.
- Energy and Breathe Awareness: When upside down, the weight of abdominal organs press into the diaphragm and expanding it. This allow lungs for a deeper breathes. This means a large amount of carbon-dioxide is expelled from the body in one breathe.
- Stress and Calmness: The upside down position provide influx of blood and oxygen flow towards the brain, which helps to send signal to the body nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system activate, Downward Facing Tree Pose helps in reduction of the stress hormone.
- Spine and Bone: The practicing of Adho Mukha vrksasana practicing over time with better balance helps to lengthen and elongates the spine. So this will helps for healthy spine.
- Improves Texture of Skin and Hairs: Downward Facing Tree Pose helps for increasing the blood circulation in head and face, that improving the texture of the skin and hair.
Summary
So far, we have discussed the steps and benefits of this inverted Adha Mukha Vrksasana. This is best to perform this pose on empty stomach to attain all the Benefits of this asana.
