Standing
Mountain Pose
Tāḍāsanaताड़ासन· tah-DAH-suh-nuhmountain posture (tāḍa = mountain; āsana = posture); also Samasthiti, 'balanced standing'
Mountain Pose (Tadasana) is the foundational standing posture of yoga: you stand tall and steady with feet together, weight balanced, spine long and shoulders relaxed. It teaches alignment and steadiness for every other standing pose and helps improve posture, balance and body awareness. Suitable for all levels.
Step by step
- 1
Set your feet
Stand with feet together (or hip-width for a steadier base), big toes touching, heels slightly apart. Spread the toes and feel all four corners of each foot.
- 2
Ground and lift
Press evenly through both feet; lift the arches and gently engage the fronts of the thighs.
- 3
Lengthen the spine
Draw the lower belly in softly, lengthen the tailbone down, and grow tall through the crown of the head.
Breath: Inhale to lengthen upward through the spine
- 4
Release the shoulders
Roll the shoulders up, back and down; let the arms hang beside the body, palms facing forward.
Breath: Exhale to soften the shoulders
- 5
Steady gaze and breath
Soften the face, look straight ahead, and breathe slowly and evenly. Grounded below, light above.
Benefits
- May support better posture and spinal alignment
- May improve balance and stability
- Builds body awareness and steadiness
- Prepares the body and mind for all standing poses
Common mistakes
- Locking or hyper-extending the knees
- Letting the ribs flare and the lower back overarch
- Rounding or hunching the shoulders
- Holding the breath
Modifications & variations
- Stand with feet hip-width for a steadier base
- Practise with the back lightly against a wall, or a hand on a chair
- Explore your balance: with the feet grounded, gently shift your weight forward to the toes, back to the heels, then side to side — before settling it evenly across all four corners of both feet
- Arms overhead (Urdhva Hastasana), rising onto the balls of the feet, for a fuller stretch and a balance challenge
The story behind the pose, with Rohini
Rohini makes a striking point: the most advanced posture in yoga often looks like you're doing nothing. She shares the lesser-known story and meaning behind Tadasana, the simple standing pose, and how practising it fully — rather than passively — is what makes it powerful.
Story & meaning
In the yoga tradition a mountain is the image of steadiness — unmoved by passing weather. Tadasana trains that quality of grounded stillness.
Yoga & You's story video links the pose to King Bhagiratha, whose unwavering, mountain-like resolve (tapas) brought the sacred river Ganga to earth — a reminder that steadiness is patient, rooted strength, the seed of sthira the Yoga Sutras name as one half of a good posture.
Every classical pose carries a story. The story behind Mountain Pose →
Related poses
Video transcriptIn this session, Niranjani guides you through the alignment, weight-shifting balance drills, and benefits of Tāḍāsana (Mountain Pose).
Hello everyone, welcome to Yoga & You, my name is Niranjani. In this video, we will see how to do Tāḍāsana. Tāḍāsana is one of the basic fundamental standing postures. Tāḍāsana is called as the stable mountain posture. It is the starting point for all the standing asana practice. So let's get started.
Now moving on to the practice, let's bring our knees and our feet together. Let's make sure our big toe and our heel is in one line. Our toes are spread and active, our fingers are spread and active, our arms close to our body. Your shoulder blades completely relax away from your ears, your neck and your spine aligned in one line, your facial muscles completely relax and your pelvis is tucked in.
Now from here, fixing your gaze at one point, let's lean forward shifting your weight to your toes. Stay here for few breaths, breathe. Now slowly we'll come back to center, and now from here, without taking your toes off the mat, we lean back shifting your weight to your heels. Be careful. Now slowly coming back to center.
This time we'll shift our weight to the right side of our right foot, we lean towards our right side. Make sure you're not bending towards your side, you're just leaning. Slowly back to center. One last time, now this time shifting your weight to the left side of your left foot, let's lean towards our left side with your toes and your heels completely well rested on the mat. Slowly back to center.
Now observe your weight equally well shifted on all the four sides of your feet, well balanced, your body completely stable. And now from here moving on, let's raise our arms up. Inhale, raising your arms up, interlock your fingers, your palms facing out, fixing your gaze at one point. Inhale, raise your heels up, and on exhale slowly bring it down. Inhale, raise your heels up, exhale and down. Inhale and up, exhale and down. Inhale, exhale and down.
And now from here, if you're very comfortable, we're going to hold the posture this time. On inhale let's raise our heels up, let's stay there, breathe. The key here is to fix your gaze at one point and lengthen your spine, and if you're very comfortable we'll try to join our heels together; in case if that's difficult, it's okay, let's stay there. And then on the last exhale slowly let's bring our heels down, slowly we'll release our arms down and then we'll relax.
Now moving on to the benefits of Tāḍāsana, practicing Tāḍāsana helps us to create body awareness from our toes to the top of our head. It improves stability and balance throughout our body, it alerts our entire neuromuscular system, and it is also a preparation for all the standing asana practice. It improves our breathing, it improves our posture and aligns our spine, and it also corrects any imbalances in our body.
Now moving on to the limitation, there are no restrictions regarding Tāḍāsana, anyone can practice Tāḍāsana. I hope this video helps, thank you.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mountain Pose really a pose if you're just standing?
- Yes. Tadasana is active, not passive — feet grounding, legs engaged, spine lengthening, shoulders releasing. It is the template for alignment in every standing pose.
- What is the difference between Tadasana and Samasthiti?
- They are often used interchangeably. Samasthiti ('balanced standing') emphasises the even, attentive quality of standing; Tadasana ('mountain pose') emphasises the tall, grounded shape. Many lineages treat them as the same posture.
- How long should I hold Mountain Pose?
- Around 30–60 seconds, breathing slowly. You can also return to it briefly between other standing poses to reset your alignment.
- Is Tadasana safe during pregnancy or for older adults?
- It is generally gentle and accessible. Stand with feet hip-width for a wider base, practise near a wall for balance, and consult a qualified professional if you have specific concerns.
Keep exploring
References
- B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga — Tāḍāsana (Samasthiti) · Book — Classic modern reference on the posture's alignment, from the Indian Iyengar tradition.
- Patanjali, Yoga Sutras 2.46 — sthira-sukham āsanam · Classical text — The principle that a posture should be steady and comfortable.