As a teen you may worhsip the sun. Getting some natural vitamin D (with sunscreen!) can help one feel energized. In yoga, saluting the sun has a different intention. Perhaps the most widely known and practiced sequence of yoga postures is the sun salutations, called Surya Namaskara in Sanskrit. The purpose of the sun salutations is to warm up the body. Plain and simple.
Beyond the obvious physical benefits of strengthening and toning the body, yoga postures are designed to relieve mental and emotional distress. The postures release stored and stagnated energy. The sun saluations, in particular, help you get into a flow.
The movements require the yogi to flex the spine forward and backward, and link breath to movement; every inhale is matched to a lengthening or extending motion, every exhale is matched to a deepening or sinking motion.
Traditionally, morning is thought to be the optimal time to practice yoga; historically, the sun salutations became a way of not onlywarming the body, but also greeting the sun as it rose. Obviously, modern living has changed this paradigm quite a bit, and its now accepted and even encouraged to practice yoga at all times of the day, with the time a yogi practices typically being related to her schedule more than other factors. There are two main types of sun salutations. They’re called Sun Salutations A and Sun Salutations B. We’re going to focus solely on Sun Salutations A - or Sun A’s for short.
Tips on Sun A
1. Downward Facing Dog Pose. A typical Sun A sequence will begin in downward facing dog. The yogi will take a breath in to fill herself with prana, energy, and on the exhale, bend her knees, look forward between her hands and jump or step to the front of the mat. Feet come to meet the hands. Newer yogis should step from down dog to the front of the mat.
2. Hop or Step . Your gaze is set forward, between your hands; keeping in mind that form follows intention, it is important to seal your gaze on a point where you want your feet to land. As you bend the knees and sink the hips in preparation to hop forward to front of mat, you’re essentially compressing the springs.
The palms are pressed into the mat and fingers are splayed wide; hands should look like starfish. Bring weight into the hands, arms and shoulders during the jump forward. The actual jumping motion will ultimately be like releasing a spring. It takes some time for muscle memory to develop in the body but with consistent practice, you’ll feel more at ease.
3. Flat Back. Now you’re at the front on the mat. Folding forward. On an inhale, you’ll lift up to the point where you can achieve a flat back. In the flat back stance, big toes should be touching, gaze is down, and shoulder blades are pressing together. (Go with what feels best for your body: knees bent or straight.)
4. Fold Forward. On your next exhale, release the static contraction in your back and shoulder muscles and fold forward. Let the head and hands just hang loosely without and tension. On the next inhale, rise up to standing, drawing hands over the head, reaching for the ceiling.
5. Hands to Heart. On the next exhale, press the palms together and lower them to anjali mudra – right in front of the sternum – as you draw the naval in and up. Next inhale, reach your palms (still pressed together) high, gaze can follow the palms and you make take a very slight back bend.
6. Swan Dive. The next exhale has you taking a swan dive forward, releasing arms out to either side as you fold forward. The movement should come from the hips; you hinge at the hips, keeping a straight spine and leading with the chest as you lower down. Once you pass through the halfway point between standing and fully folding forward, you can roll the spine, drawing the chest towards the thighs. If the swan dive variation of folding forward does not appeal to you, you can keep the palms pressed together and fold forward.
7. Back to Flat Back. Inhale, return to your flat back. Exhale, fold and plant the palms on either side of your feet. You may need to be the knees a little or a lot in order to keep the palms flat on the floor depending on your individual body mechanics.
8. Plank Pose. Take an inhale and step the feet one at a time back to high plank. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists. Core is engaged. Heels reach towards the back of the room.
