Start Your Day feeling energized and focused with this series of 12 poses.
An age-old yoga practice, Sun Salutations (or Surya Namaksar) is an excellent way to start the day. This sequence of 12 powerful yoga poses is not only beneficial for your body, but it revitalizes your mind as well. By linking your breath with your movements, the sequence of poses takes your body through a full range of motions.
“It is great for over all joint health, flexibility, strength and settling a busy mind,” says Lauren Roegele, program director at the Vancouver School of Yoga and co-founder of Yogo.tv. Sun salutations are also good for your cardiovascular system, as they get your heart pumping and your circulatory system moving. Padma, who has over 30 years of experience in yoga and is the founder of Padma Yoga in Vancouver, adds that Sun salutations are also beneficial for the back “It flexes the spine and keeps the whole back and back-bone healthy.”
As its name suggests, the best time to practice this yoga sequence is in the morning – ideally at sunrise, facing the sun. According to Roegele, this is symbolically significant because the Sun Salutations represent an honouring of our life force energy and the life-sustaining energy of the sun. The Sun Salutations should be performed in a single, graceful flow. Padma suggests that the sequence should be done in pairs. Start with the right foot, and then alternate to the left. Do 2 or more pairs of the following sequences, depending on your energy level.
Prayer / Mountain Pose (Step 1,12)
Stand with both feet touching, balancing your weight equally on both feet. Bring your hands together, palm to palm, at the heart. Exhale.
Raised Arms Pose (Step 2,11)
Inhale and raise your arms upward. Gently arch your back, stretching your arms above your head.
Standing Forward Bend / Forward Fold (Step 3,10)
Exhale while you slowly bend forward from the waist, keeping your spine erect, touching your head to your knees. Press palms onto the floor. Try to keep fingertips in line with the toes. If necessary, bend the knees slightly.
Lunge / High Lunge (Step 4,9)
Inhale and bend your right leg to take a wide step forward. Keep your hands firmly on the ground, with your left foot between your hands. Raise your head.
Note: For pose 9 alternate same instructions with right Leg.
Plank (Step 5)
Exhale and bring the left foot back together with your right leg. Hold the position and inhale.
Stick Pose / Push Up (Step 6 )
Exhale as you lower your body, keeping your elbows to your side. Only your feet and hands should be touching the floor.
Upward Facing Dog / Cobra Pose (Step 7)
Inhale while you stretch forward and up, bending backward at the waist. Use your arms to hold yourself up. Lift your legs so only the tops of your feet and hands are touching the floor.
Downward Facing Dog (Step 8)
Exhale. Tuck the toes under, bend the elbows and lift the hips back and up.
The number of rounds and speed at which you practice the sequence will vary from person to person. Both Roegele and Padma advise beginners to go slow and focus on getting the alignment right within each posture. Even when done extremely slowly, the Sun Salutation sequence is a challenging and rigorous routine that will be sure to give you a workout. For people who are completely new to yoga, it is best to learn the basics from an experienced yoga instructor. “Once you’ve learnt the sequence, practice on your own and move in a way that feels right to you,” says Padma.
Mindfulness and learning body awareness is a major component of the Sun Salutations.
After you complete the sequence, take a few minutes to meditate or just clear your mind. “As you practice the Sun Salutation, your energy, your mind awakens,” explains Padma. “You acknowledge that the world is just not concrete objects, but that there is a living brilliant consciousness present. To sit and acknowledge that is part of the sequence.”
Roegele concurs and adds that the physical practice of these poses, along with the breathing and mindfulness will lead you down a path of personal exploration.
PHOTO: sharecare.com, istockphoto
