The Tree of Life
How a simple tree pose can teach us so much if we approach it with the Four Cs: compassion, creativity, consistency and commitment. By Andrea Marcum
It’s easy to limit yoga asana, or poses, to just the physical aspect of what is a complete body, mind and spirit practice, but asana leads us to a more conscious and less reactive way of living too. Asana is a powerful gateway to ahimsa (compassion). What better time to remind ourselves of generosity than when we feel wobbly, impatient, weak or tight, times when we are least likely to exhibit grace and awareness in a pose? In our postures, as in life, it’s easy to be considerate when everything is going well, but it becomes magnanimous when it blossoms amidst the rubble. Compassion for our own foibles lends itself to a similar compassion towards others.
The immediacy of a posture reminds us to start right here, right now, with an attitude of creativity, compassion, consistency and commitment — think of these as the Four Cs. The physiology of our asana is the most tangible layer (kosha) of our self to access. Somatic (bodily) sensations are straightforward messengers that unite us instantly with the opportunity to see what’s really going on. I think balancing poses are particularly fantastic laboratories for our Four Cs. Take vrikshasana (tree pose) as an example, where compassion acts as deep roots for our tree.
Our tree grows out of our mountain (tadasana). With both feet evenly standing on your mat (samasthihi), place your hands on your chest to find your even breathing (samavritti). Feel free to add the ujjai textured sound to your breath here too.
Shift all your weight into your left foot and bring the bottom of your right foot into the inseam of your left thigh, calf or even ankle. Flexibility will have something to do with where this right foot ends up for you. It’s important not to feel that one expression of the pose is better than the other. We’re all unique combinations of genes, strength, balance and pliability. You yourself will be different depending on the day, what you’ve eaten, any injuries you’re working through, how much sleep you did or didn’t get. Over time and through the seasons, our trees will assume variegated shapes and forms. Enjoy your laboratory. Get excited about wearing your own genes, not frustrated by trying to fit into someone else’s.
“Plant your tree daily for the next two weeks and watch it grow. If we use our yoga for more than just a workout, it will educate us far beyond our muscles and bones.”
Appreciate the experience of all four points of your left foot rooting your tree into the soil — the big toe knuckle, pinkly toe knuckle and inner and outer heels. Since this small but mighty left foot of yours is not a whole lot of real estate to stand on, what you build above it is essential to balance — both in terms of physiology and focus. Tone your standing leg by feeling the outer hip hug in towards the midline. Sense a little energetic dance — outer left leg towards bottom of right foot and bottom of right foot into inner thigh, calf or ankle. Bring your hands into a prayer in front of your heart.
Find ekagrata, or single-pointed focus, gazing at one point either right out at the horizon or, if it’s helpful for balance, down towards the ground. Our drishti (concentration point) is our way of looking out while turning our awareness inward — our way of seeing the forest for the trees. Stay as long as you can on this first side and then try the same configuration on side two.
Using vrkishasana as our guide, we’re going to embark upon some playful compassion, creativity, consistency and commitment (Four Cs). With each of these creative add ons, find a healthy dose of compassion as gusts of wind inevitably challenge your commitment and most likely huff and puff and blow your tree down from time to time..
From our basic formation above:
1) Try extending the branches of your tree to the sky.
2) Shift your gaze up to your extended branches.
3) Play with coming on to the tippy toes of your standing foot as if you were wearing very impractical high heels — combine that with your gaze to the sky.
4) Still standing? Try closing your eyes.
Know that consistency will bring connections and a better understanding of your balance, body, brain and botanical bravura. Plant your tree daily for the next two weeks and watch it grow. If we use our yoga for more than just a workout, it will educate us far beyond our muscles and bones. It will guide us towards ahimsa (compassion), aparigraha (non-greediness) and asteya (enough faith to believe we can grow our own instead of stealing from others).
Ahimsa literally translates as non-violence. It also suggests that punishing ourselves with desires so far-fetched that they queue us up for feeling inadequate, inept and less-than is a form of violence too. For example, if what we want is to be 10 years younger, six inches taller, a PhD, or an Olympic gold medalist by the next week, and all rainy days to be sunny, we are failing to embrace the thoughtful precepts of ahimsa.
Aparigraha (non-greediness) means not clinging to anything that rings untrue. Conforming to traditions or expectations that are not our own prevent us from what Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras call a “life without undue burden, free to be who you are.” It also means non-greediness in a more material or external way, not hoarding things that are not needed. Aparigraha reminds us that achieving elaborate poses or the trappings of conventional success will not necessarily bring us happiness and contentment. Asteya (non-stealing) is our ability to find fulfilment within that which comes to us by honest means. What is ours will find us in its own extraordinary way if we make room for it.
We may never be able to balance on our tippy toes with our eyes closed, but we just might be able, one day in the ‘Four C-able’ future to thank our challenges and adversaries for what we’ve learned about compassion.
Andrea Marcum leads retreats around the world and is the author of Close to Om: Stretching Yoga from your Mat to your Life.
Practice with her at: andreamarcum.com
Om Magazine
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