This pose is so great for grounding and finding your sense of balance. There are so many yoga poses you can do day in and day out regardless of your mood or energy, but tree pose tends to reveal if you are feeling off-balance in any way. Sometimes this being "off-balance" can simply reflect the fact that something is weighing on your mind and you are unable to focus or it can indicate that something may be "off" on a deeper level.
It has been said that falling out of a balancing pose is the"ego" leaving the body- so never be embarrassed or ashamed if you cannot master this pose every now and again as every day presents us with new challenges and we are in a different space then we were the day before.
Benefits:
Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine
Improves sense of balance
Relieves sciatica
Stretches the groin, inner thighs, chest and shoulders
Dancers pose has been my FAV pose to practice for nearly a year. I found a way to incorporate it into every class and held it maybe longer than necessary (unfortunately for my students ;). It felt so pretty, yet was so incredibly challenging and you can always continue to work on it and improve it's form.
Benefits of this Pose:
Opens & stretches the chest allowing more space to breathe
Strengthens spine and entire standing leg
Stretches shoulder of bound arm and can strengthen the opposing arm as it is held throughout the duration of the pose.
Helps you develop a sense of balance and focus
Release tension from the ankle (and therefore can help prevent injury when practicing other poses or activities)
Do you. Physical Fitness. Slow. Fast. Show your strength in being genuinely you through any movement. Pay no mind to what the media thinks looks good- strive for what YOU think looks good and most importantly, what makes you FEEL good.