This post is for all my yoga students, or soon to be yoga students. Classes start right after Easter so remember to call the Chamber to register.
I am asking that you practice doing this Sun Salutation before we begin classes and on days that we do not have classes. Count the number of times you do it, a count of 1 would be after you have completed the Salutation on both the right and left leg. Try keeping track of the number you do until you hit 108 times. Let me know when you get to 108. Good luck, enjoy, read the alignment tips and always remember to BREATHE.
If any pose seems confusing ask me about it before or after class. Listen to your body, if a pose seems uncomfortable–stop–your body is telling you something, listen to it.
Side note: The alignment of this blog—-pictures matching up to the pose tips, may be off some. I just can’t get this post to want to line up right. Ever have one of those days????
All pictures are from yoga journal online.
1. Mountain Pose
Stand with your feet together, shoulders relaxed, heart/chest raised “up to the sun”. Inhale as you raise your arms up to the ceiling. Exhale as you go into the next pose, Forward Fold.
2. Forward Fold
Exhaling from Mountain Pose, hinge at the hips, relaxing your shoulders and head and bend forward to the best of your ability. It takes time to be able to bend like she is doing in the picture and for some of us, the ability to be that limber is not in our genes.
Inhale as you lift your chest up and bring your left leg to the back of you mat, entering into pose number 3, High Lunge.
3. High Lunge
In this pose check that your right bent knee is at a right angle. You should be able to look over the knee and see your toes. Your back leg is straight. Your back is aligned because your chest is “facing up to the sun.” Your hands might be touching your mat, or maybe your finger tips are touching the mat. To lengthen this pose, exhale and inhale and lengthen/extend your back/neck/ head out—trying to “reach for the sun”. Exhale as you enter Downward Facing Dog.
4. Downward Facing Dog
Your fingers should be widespread, starfish like. Think about lifting your “buns to the sun”, draw your head threw your arms to allow a nice lengthening stretch. Your heels do not need to touch the floor. That may come later. Heels to the floor is not the focus—“buns to the sun” and head threw the arms are the things to strive for. Inhale as you go into plank.
5. Plank
Lower your bun and form a straight line, using your abs to hold the pose. Exhale as you lower to Croc Pose.
6. Croc
While you are exhaling, bend your elbows, keeping them tuck tight by your side. This is like a push-up pose. Inhale as you lower to Cobra.
7. Cobra
This picture is slightly different than the Cobra pose I teach. This is a relaxing pose, rather than lifting your head and chest upward, allow your head and chest to rest on your mat along with your arms. Roll your toes so that they lay flat on your mat. Keep your toes that way as you Exhale into Upward Facing Dog.
8. Upward Facing Dog
Keep your hips off the mat if possible. Use your shoulders to help lift and lengthen your spine as you lift your head up high, looking upward. Heart/chest is in full view of the “sun”. Inhale into Down Dog.
9. Downward Facing Dog
Your fingers should be widespread, starfish like. Think about lifting that “bun to the sun”, draw your head threw your arms to allow a nice lengthening stretch. Your heels do not need to touch the floor. That may come later. Heels to the floor is not the focus—“buns to the sun” and head threw the arms are the things to strive for. Exhale as you go into High Lunge.
10. High Lunge
In this pose check that your right bent knee is at a right angle. You should be able to look over the knee and see your toes. Your back leg is straight. Your back is aligned because your chest is “facing up to the sun.” Your hands might be touching your mat, or maybe your finger tips are touching the mat. To lengthen this pose, exhale and inhale and lengthen/extend your back/neck/ head out—trying to “reach for the sun”. Inhale as you hop your back leg to meet you front leg and go into Forward Fold.
11. Forward Fold
Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. It takes time to be able to bend like she is doing in the picture and for some of us, the ability to be that limber is not in our genes.
Exhale as you lift your chest up and enter Mountain Pose.
12. Mountain Pose
Stand with your feet together, shoulders relaxed, heart/chest raised “up to the sun”. Inhale as you raise your arms up to the ceiling. Exhale as you go into the next pose, Chair.
13. Chair
Bend your knees and think that you are about to sit on a chair. Raise your arms above your head, arms covering your ears or place your arms out in front of your chest. Inhale/Exhale as you enter Mountain Pose.
14. Mountain Pose
Stand with your feet together, shoulders relaxed, heart/chest raised “up to the sun”. Inhale as you raise your arms up to the ceiling. Exhale as you go start the sequence all over again, but place your right leg back for the high lunge, left leg forward.
You may be asking, “How long should I hold each pose?”
While you are learning the poses and learning the proper alignment for each pose, hold the pose for 3-5 breathes. Feel the pose, check you body, enjoy the pose, and then move on to the next pose in the Sun Salutation Sequence.
Once you feel comfortable with each pose, start moving faster in your flow. A sun salutations purpose is to help heat up your body.