2. Seed Pose
A posture that shares
common principles of
alignment,
architecture and awareness
with subsequent relative variations.
Seed poses are found in
a basic sun salute.
3. Tadasana/Samastatahi - Mountain/Equal -
Seed Pose for all standing postures.
Components:
• Foundation – four corners of the feet
• Dynamic alignment – awareness of joints
and their respective placement for the
practitioner’s level
• Anatomic neutral posture achieved with
dynamic alignment
• Neutral hip as relative to semi open and
open hip standing postures
6. Four Corners of the Feet
• 1. Ball of the Big Toe
• 2. Medial (inside) of Heel
• 3. Balls of 4th
and 5th
Toe
• 4. Lateral (outside) of Heel
• Rocking around the Clock
• Shins press forward to weight corners 1 and 3
• Hugging shins toward each other balance ankles
What are Sickle and Flat Feet?
• Inner Spiral weights corners 2 and 4
7. Joint Placement
• Second Toe (or ray) forward facing.
• Ankle
• Knee cap (patella) aligned with second toe
• Hip Neutral over ankles
• Spine neutral / ribs over hips *There is no such
thing as a “straight spine”.
• Shoulders neutral / shoulders over ribs *Fly like
an airplane.
• Cervical spine and head neutral / ears over
shoulders *Don’t hang your head in despair.
What is Forward Head?
8. Dynamic Alignment
• Awareness of muscular energy supporting
the pose and conscious expansion or
deepening of the architecture of the
posture.
• “Standing Legs”
• Down Dog with strap and/or block to teach
inward spiral.
9. Anatomical Neutral
• There is no such thing as a “straight spine”.
Points of Reference for Neutral
• Toes
• Knee caps (patella)
• Hips (ASIS)
• Belly Button (umbilical)
• Breast Bone (sternum)
• Adam’s Apple
• Nose
• Ears
