Hug a Tree Pose: How To

Medically Reviewed
August 13, 2014

Hug a Tree Pose: How To

Last week I walked us through a technique for deep breathing, today I will be showing you how to do the hug a tree pose. Now that you have mastered deep breathing, it is time to move on to more poses  for meditation.

This week I am teaching you a meditative posture commonly practiced in Tai Chi.
This posture is often referred to as “hug a tree” or “standing like a tree” pose. This pose is used to increase concentration and chi (qi) flow.
Balanced standing poses like “hug a tree” increase the flow of energy and actually help to build internal strength.
So good news for your quads and your overall wellness!
Let’s get started:
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your knees just slightly, allowing your weight to sink fully into your feet.
  3. Your legs and pelvis should be relaxed.
  4. Slowly raise your arms in a loose circle in front of you, the same level as your heart.
  5. Your arms should be relaxed and the elbows lower than wrists, palms facing your body, creating a circle with your arms.
  6. Your hands should not be touching, leave a few inches between and just gently extend your fingers – just like you are hugging a tree.
  7. Allow your shoulders to gently sink down.
  8. Breathe deeply (use the technique from last week)
  9. You can close your eyes or just allow yourself to relax your view.
  10. Use the breathing to release tensions through your body into the ground, as if your feet were tree roots.
  11. Relax into the position and focus on your breathing.
Your challenge for the week is to practice this pose daily, working to sink lower, and hold the pose for longer.
If you are doing this pose correctly you should not experience any lower back pain or impact to your knees.
We are two weeks into the August “Summer of Wellness Challenge” and you should be feeling calmer, more centered and less stressed.
Be sure to share below in the comments, how daily meditation is helping you to manage your stress and how you are incorporating meditation in to your daily routine. And now you know how to do the hug a tree pose. We hope you liked the Nava Center article you just read. Contact us today for more information.