Sun Salutations

Surya Namaskars or Sun Salutations

Little bit of history:

Hindus and ancient yogis themselves had a sort of spirituality towards the sun from the beginning. It's hard to believe that these salutations we do in our modern Vinyasa classes have actually been apart of yoga for a long time!

These Salutations consist of a set of postures that are used together in a "flow", using breath as a transition in each posture. They're used in our classes today to build up heat in the body & as a transition into other postures.

As easy as it is to get lost in your salutation, you also can not help but feel beautiful & strong!

When you sweep your arms & gaze towards the sky, dive down into you forward fold, and then lift & offer your heart forward - there is this feeling of such simplicity & grace that flows through the body. Then, as you shoot your legs back into your chaturanga, lift your heart up to breathe it all in & press into your legs to lift your hips back into your Downward-Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) you can't help but feel powerful & strong in your body. It is truly remarkable!

I challenge you to focus on this next time you are Saluting to the Sun (In class or at home!) Think about how you are feeling as you sweep, offer, jump, hop, etc! =)

Here are some pictures for you to save onto your phone/computer, so you may have the Sun Salutations with you always! Though there are many variations, these are the 2 that I teach more often! Sun Salutation A & Sun Salutation B.

Deepen Your Sun Salutations

Some modifactions to make, Given step by step

- When lifing up to a "flat back" & offering your heart forward:

1. Press your palms into your shins or

2. Take it a little deeper & press your fingertips into the floor to lift your heart up.

- When transistioning from reaching your heart forward into your chaturanga:

1. Step back into plank & then lower down to chaturanga or

2. Heat it up by jumping back to land into your chaturanga (if you jump back, be sure to land in chaturanga, not plank)

- Chaturanga Direction:

1. Arms bend 90 degrees, Heart & Gaze is still forward from your "flat back" - to avoid collapsing the shoulders & chest & to prepare you for your Cobra/Updog!

- When transitioning into your backbend:

1. Take Cobra Pose (palms press into the floor, shoulders roll back, triceps squeeze in, elongate through the front of your torso to lift highter) or

2. Take your backbend slightly deeper with Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) - Flip to the top of your toes, root down through them as you lift your front thighs off of the floor. Palms press, triceps squeeze, shoulders back - just like an elevated Cobra!

I hope these modifactions help you in your practice! Please, email or find me on Instagram @ashyogashine if you have any other questions =)

Shine & Salute On!

xoxo

Ash

#homepractice #yoga