How to Do Vrksasana Pose | Tree Pose

There is something so special about Tree Pose. It’s one of those poses that immediately brings us back to the present moment, mostly because if your mind starts to wander, your body usually follows! It’s a beautiful way to build lower body strength and find a sense of quiet focus.

Whether you’re feeling super steady today or a little bit like a willow in the wind, this pose meets you exactly where you are. We love how it encourages us to find our roots while reaching for the sky, reminding us that stability and growth go hand in hand.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to find your version of Tree Pose, with plenty of options to make it feel just right for your body.

How To Do Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

Find your foundation
Start by standing tall at the top of your mat. Feel your weight evenly distributed between both feet, and take a moment to simply breathe and arrive in your space.

Root down firmly
Shift your weight into your left foot, imagining roots growing from the sole of your foot deep into the earth. Keep a soft micro-bend in that left knee so you aren’t locking the joint.

Place your foot
Lift your right foot and place the sole against your left leg. You can rest your heel on your ankle (like a kickstand), on your calf, or reach down and guide it to your inner thigh—just avoid pressing directly against the knee joint.

Grow your branches
Bring your hands together at your heart space or, if you’re feeling steady, reach them up high like branches. If you’re feeling a bit wobbly, feel free to keep one hand on a wall or a sturdy chair for support—there is no “perfect” way to do this!

Focus your gaze
Find a still point on the floor or wall in front of you to rest your gaze. Soften your shoulders away from your ears and take 5 to 10 deep, nourishing breaths here, embracing any little wobbles as your body finds its balance.

Release and reset
Gently release your right foot back to the earth and give your legs a little shake out. Take a breath in stillness before moving to the other side to keep things feeling balanced.

The Benefits of Vrksasana (and Yoga in General)

Tree Pose is a wonderful way to build strength through your standing leg, toning the calves, ankles, and thighs while gently opening the hips. Because it requires us to engage our core to stay upright, it’s also a sneaky way to build that functional stability that helps us move through our daily lives with more ease.

Beyond the physical, this pose is a beautiful tool for calming the nervous system. When we focus on a single point and find our balance, the mental chatter tends to quiet down, leaving us feeling more grounded and centered. It’s a practice of patience and presence, especially on those days when we feel a little more “wobbly” than usual.

This is what we love about Yoga — it’s not just about becoming more flexible or strong. It’s about finding your steady centre amidst the wobbles of life and learning to grow exactly where you are planted.

Explore More Yoga Poses

If you enjoyed this pose, you might also love:

• How to Do Supta Parivrtta Garudasana Pose | Twisted Roots Pose
• How to Do Natarajasana Pose | Dancers Pose
• How to Do Tadasana Pose | Mountain Pose

Curious About Yoga Teacher Training?

This pose is one of 108 you’ll explore in our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training — along with yoga philosophy, breathwork, meditation, anatomy, and the confidence to teach.

You don’t need to be the most flexible person in the room. You don’t need to have been practising for years. You just need to be curious and willing to begin. Whether you want to teach professionally, deepen your personal practice, or simply discover more about yourself — this training meets you where you are.

Learn more about Yoga Teacher Training →

Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla