Tiryak Tadasana (Swaying Palm Tree Pose): Basics, Steps, Benefits & More

Tiryak Tadasana is a one-way bending asana, where there is expansion on one side and contraction on the other. While practicing this, the posture of the body looks like a folded palm, hence it is called Tiryaka Tadasana.

Dhanurasana Basics

Tiryak Tadasana Meaning

The name comes from the Sanskrit Tiryaka, meaning “oblique” or “swaying”; tada, meaning “mountain”; and asana, which means “posture” or “pose. In English, Tiryaka tadasana is known as the swaying palm tree pose or standing side bend pose.

Palm is the name of a tree. Pulling the whole body upwards like a palm is called Tadasana.

Tiryaka Tadasana is a variation of Tadasana and is a great stretching pose that is easy to do and very effective as compared to other stretching asanas. Tiryaka Tadasana or Palm Tree Side Bend is also used in the practice of Shankhaprakshalan (one of the five asanas is Tiryaka Tadasana).

In Tiryak Tadasana, the position of Tadasana remains the same but the body is pulled to one side.

Tiryaka Tadasana is also known as Parsva Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Bending Pose), but when distinguishing between the two postures, Tiryaka Tadasana is performed with the legs apart, and Parsva Urdhva Hastasana It is done by keeping the feet together.

In this pose, the lateral or stretching action of the spine lengthens the shoulders, chest, abdomen and sides of the back to one side. With attention and awareness to the chest, deep breathing lengthens the intercostal muscles from the hips to the tips of the fingers. However, taking deep breaths can be a bit challenging due to chest compression.

The pose brings balance and stability to the hips and shoulders when the upper body is in a lateral stretch. Side twists with meditation, in addition to opening up the sides of the torso and hips, can include this pose in the warm-up section of all types of yoga sequences to relieve tightness or stiffness.

Practice Guide For Tiryaka Tadasana

The practice guide to perform Tiryaka Tadasanaserves as a valuable resource for yoga enthusiasts seeking to advance their practice, offering a structured and detailed approach to mastering this asana.

Steps To Do Tiryak Tadasana

• Stand straight and try to keep your legs together. Also keep the palms beside you.

• Keep the entire body stable and keep in mind that the weight of the entire body falls equally on both the legs. Join the fingers of both the palms and place them on the head. The palms should be facing upwards.

• While inhaling, pull your hands upwards, your shoulders and chest will also get stretched. Along with this, raise the heels of the feet and maintain the balance of the body on the toes.

• While exhaling, bend the body from the waist to the right as much as possible.

• Try waiting for a few moments. During this your breathing will stop for a few moments. Stop as per your capacity and if you are unable to stop, come back while breathing.

• Do the same on the other side also. In this way a sequence will be completed. If you want, you can do this three to five times.

• Keep in mind that bending should be done only towards the side. Do not bend the body forward or backward nor allow any kind of twist in your body.

• While exhaling, concentrate on the movements of the body. Maintain balance and intuitively see and feel the stretch along the side of the body.

Tiryaka Tadasana Benefits

• You can return to Tiryaka Tadasana in between standing poses to focus on your alignment and balance.

• This asana is believed to increase body awareness so you can correct imbalances and improve alignment as well as stiffness.

• While practicing Tiryaka Tadasana can provide benefits for your emotions, mood and mental health.

• Additionally, it is easier to develop awareness of the present moment and make adjustments when you are in a more advanced asana.

• Tiryak Tadasana stretches the muscles of the armpits of the body, especially around the chest, and increases their strength.

• Swinging Palm Tree Pose is believed to open and balance the Anahata (heart) chakra, which is associated with love, compassion, and self-acceptance of others.

• This asana also stretches the spine. This increases the possibility of increasing body length and prevents the possibility of disc slipping.

• This asana is beneficial in body vibration diseases. Thighs, calves and toes become stronger. Due to which there is no feeling of physical tiredness. Due to stretching of the veins, the process of blood circulation continuously improves.

Tiryaka Tadasana may also help to:

• improve agility
• boost circulation
• burn extra calories
• building strength
• tone core muscles
• improve posture and coordination
• strengthen your back, hips, and legs
• relieve sciatic pain
• reduce love handles

Precaution

Well, Tadasana is a way to get continuous health benefits for people of all ages like children, youth, old people and women. However, in some cases it is advisable not to do so.

For example, people who have severe pain in their knees should avoid doing this yoga exercise. Also, women should avoid doing it during pregnancy. Whenever there is a problem of severe headache, in such a situation it is better not to practice Tadasana.

In the beginning, the body should be bent slowly, after several days of practice you can reach the hands till the toes. Those people who have problems with low or high blood pressure should also avoid practicing this yoga asana.

Conclusion

Tiryaka Tadasana is a basic standing yoga pose as well as a variation of Tadasana with side stretch. This is known as Swaying Palm Tree Pose or Standing Side Bend Pose.

Being a dynamic yoga sequence, it helps in burn extra calories as well as losing love handles. This will help in attaining a state of simplicity, alertness and health.

Keep in mind that yoga has to be practiced according to your capacity. During this time it is very important to follow special rules related to breathing and asanas or exercises. Along with this, it is also important to take the right nutrition in the right quantity. You can easily take care of your health only through subtle asanas. Along with this, you can also prepare your body for bigger asanas.