Well, not every tree will do, obviously. We want to be respectful of other people’s property and trees that are fragile. But beyond that, you can do many tree yoga postures on almost any tree that is thicker than you can wrap your hands around.

Every big branch or unusual tree offers some new potential for exploration, but for a consistent, strong, well rounded practice, you want to find a fairly straight tree, with flat, clean ground underneath it and unobtrusive roots.

Hang the TYMS kits so that you can comfortably bend forward with the sling around the front of your hips, and keep your heels on the ground. It doesn’t matter if you can’t touch your toes, or straighten your legs all the way because of tight hamstrings. Just bending forward without the slings pressing into your belly is perfect. For most people, on an average sized tree, that means the blue sling goes around the tree about as high as you can comfortably reach with your hands.

A tree with a rough and bumpy trunk can be great for some feet, too sharp for others. We’ve found that generally speaking, the more urban the tree, the less texture on the the bark and the more lush the ground beneath it. We often wear sturdy shoes like KEEN sandals on more gnarly country trunks, but bare feet is best for the deepest connection with your roots.