Gruninger: Balance Pose of the Month - Holy Fig Tree

Gruninger: Balance Pose of the Month – Holy Fig Tree

Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on July 10, 2022
- 7:43 am

By JACCI GRUNINGER, MS, C-IAYT
Los Alamos

Balancing poses are a way to stay with our theme of “playing” this summer in our yoga practice. This of course means we must let go of our inner critic and let ourselves “fall out of our poses”.

Holy Fig Tree Pose is named after the holy fig tree in India and sacred to various religions in the area. The tree symbolizes the three Gods: Brahma, Vishnu and Manish who are said to dwell in the fig tree.

This is also the tree that the Buddha meditated under. In the Bhagavad Gita, the holy fig tree represents the many branches of our consciousness. Although I hold reverence for its origins, I also find it a fun summer pose as it reminds me of a marshmallow roasting stick. I recently did this pose in class and one of the students said, “Hey, thought we were getting marshmallows in class.”

Remember to keep the marshmallows near by…

This posture is not only a balancing, standing posture, but also helps to stretch and strengthen the body. The body is stretched in two different planes (sagittal and frontal) while one foot stays planted on the ground. The posture requires one leg to extend back behind the body, one arm to abduct away from the body and one arm to flex toward the sky. Like all balancing poses, you might start by using a wall or a chair for support.

Move Into the Posture

Begin standing in Mountain pose feeling balanced and grounded.
Inhale and lift the arms forward and up to shoulder height.
Exhale and extend your right leg back behind you.
On your next inhale, raise the left arm untoward the sky.
Exhale and draw the right arm out to the side at shoulder height.
Stay here for 4-6 breaths or as long as you can.
Keep your focus forward about 10 feet on the ground in front of you.
To release, exhale and return the arms and legs to Mountain pose.

Next time you are out at the park, give Holy Fig Tree Pose a try.

Jacci Gruninger is a Certified Yoga Therapist, Thai Yoga Massage Therapist and Focusing Coach. She has been teaching for more than two decades and spent 12 of those years training yoga teachers for the Pranakriya School of Yoga Healing Arts. She helps clients manage the ups and downs of life with yoga, meditation, breathwork and bodywork. Her Yoga Therapy Center is at 190 Central Park Square #212. For her teaching schedule and information on other services, visit www.yogawithjacci.com.