How to Do Tree Pose: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Finding Your Balance

You find your standing leg.

Bring your other foot up.

Hands come together.

You focus on one spot.

And then...

Wobble.

Foot down.

Try again.

Maybe a bigger wobble this time. 😂

If you've ever practiced Tree Pose and wondered why everyone else seems to be standing there looking peaceful while you're fighting for your life...

Welcome. You're doing yoga.

Tree Pose Isn't About Never Wobbling

Tree Pose is one of those yoga poses that looks pretty simple from the outside.

You're standing on one leg. How hard could it be?

Well...

Some days? Pretty damn hard.

Balance changes. Your body changes. Your focus changes. And the Tree Pose you have today might look completely different from the one you had last week.

That's one of the reasons I love practicing balance.

The wobbling isn't necessarily something we need to get rid of.

It's information.

Can you notice what's happening?

Can you adjust?

Can you put your foot down without deciding you "failed" the pose?

And can you try again without needing the next attempt to be perfect?

That's a very different way of thinking about balance.

How to Practice Tree Pose

Start by standing tall and allowing your weight to settle into one foot.

Before you lift the other foot, give yourself a second to actually feel your standing leg beneath you.

Then choose the Tree Pose option that works for you today.

You might keep the toes of your lifted foot on the floor with your heel resting against your ankle.

You might bring your foot a little higher against your standing leg.

Or you might bring your foot to the inner thigh if that option feels comfortable and stable for you.

You don't have to choose the most advanced-looking version.

Seriously.

There is no extra yoga credit for getting your foot higher.

Choose the placement where you can explore your balance while still feeling supported and in control.

And if you'd feel more comfortable practicing next to a wall or chair? Do that.

Support isn't cheating.

Give Your Eyes Somewhere to Land

Here's one little thing that can make a surprisingly big difference.

Pick something in front of you that isn't moving and gently focus your eyes there.

In yoga, you'll sometimes hear this called a drishti or focal point.

You don't need to make it complicated.

You're basically giving your eyes somewhere steady to land while the rest of your body figures out this whole standing-on-one-leg thing.

Then notice your breath.

Notice your standing foot.

Notice where you're gripping or tensing more than you need to.

And notice what happens when you wobble.

What If You Keep Falling Out of Tree Pose?

Put your foot down.

That's it.

You haven't ruined anything.

Reset. Take a breath. Try again if you want to.

You can also choose a different version.

Maybe your toes stay on the floor today.

Maybe you use the wall.

Maybe yesterday you balanced beautifully and today you're wobbling all over the place.

Bodies aren't machines.

Your balance can be affected by fatigue, focus and what's happening in your body that particular day.

Instead of immediately thinking, Why can't I do this?, try getting curious.

What would help me feel a little steadier right now?

That's the part of yoga I care about much more than whether your Tree Pose looks like mine.

Your Tree Pose Doesn't Have to Look Like Mine

I'll teach you the pose.

I'll help you understand the mechanics.

I'll give you options.

But ultimately, I want you to start noticing you.

What feels stable?

Where do you feel supported?

What changes when you move your foot?

What happens when you soften your grip somewhere?

What happens when you stop worrying quite so much about whether you're "doing it right"?

Learning yoga isn't supposed to mean learning how to make your body copy somebody else's.

It's learning enough about the poses and your own body that you can begin making the practice yours.

Practice Tree Pose With Me

If you'd like to spend a little more time exploring balance, I've got a full 45-minute practice where we'll break Tree Pose down and play with different ways to make the pose work for you.

There are options.

There will probably be some wobbling.

And yes, you might fall out of Tree Pose.

You're still doing yoga. ❤️

Come meet me on the mat and let's find your Tree Pose today.

May you stay true to your intentions, true to your heart's desires, and speak loving truth to those around you.

Love ya,
Jennifer