Sun Salutation : The Dawning of a Ritual

Ritual Connects Us To The Absolute

By tradition, at dawn, the yogis practiced greeting the sun with a salutation. A yoga session is incomplete without it. An ideal exercise to get you moving, Surynamaskara welcomes the new day, preparing for the asanas, heating up the body, toning up the muscles, quickening and intensifying the respiration and cardiac rhythm. The sun salutation is the foundation of your practice, it establishes the connection of movement and breath, uniting body, mind, and spirit.

Not only is the sun salutation a preparation for the rest of your yoga practice, but it is a complete exercise within itself. Suryanamaskara tones up the digestive system by the alternate stretching and compression of the abdominal region. It massages the inner organs, stomach, liver, and spleen. It activates digestion and aids in reducing constipation. Synchronizing breath with movement, the lungs are thoroughly ventilated and the blood oxygenated, creating a detoxifying effect. The sun salutation steps up cardiac activity and blood flow throughout the system, which is ideal for the health of the body. By stretching and bending the spinal column, this sequence of movements tones up the nervous system. Toxins are easily eliminated through the skin, lungs, intestines, and kidneys. Immunity to disease is increased by strengthening its potential breeding ground.

Concentration and the maintenance of an uninterrupted rhythm throughout the succession of the sun salutations are key. Synchronize breath with movement and connect with the rhythm, your own internal rhythm.

Start by practicing three rounds.Gradually increase to five or six.

Practice

Surya Namaskara A

Begin in Samasthiti, equal standing.

1. Inhale, hands up, look up to the thumbs.

2. Exhale, bend forward to Uttanasana, gaze at tip of nose.

3. Inhale, head up, straighten spine, gaze at third eye.

4. Exhale, bend knees, jump back (or step back) to Chaturanga Dandasana.

5. Inhale, roll up to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, upward dog, gaze to sky; back and up.

6. Exhale, lift hips back to Adho Mukha Svanasana, downward dog. Gaze toward navel. Hold for 5 breaths.

7. Inhale, jump (or step) feet up between hands, gaze between eyebrows.

8. Exhale, fold at waist to Uttanasana, gaze tip of nose.

9. Inhale, come all the way up looking between eyebrows with spine straight, hands up, gaze at thumbs.

10. Exhale, arms to sides, Samasthiti.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Asanas

Image
Asana is not a particular posture, but a state. Within the word asana itself are the connotations of strength and firmness, as well as the connotations of pleasantness and comfort. This is the balance we are trying to achieve, strength and flexibility, not only in the physical postures, but also in our mental state. Take The Ambition Out Of It Everybody is unique and their progression in yoga is going to look differently than the person next to them. It is important to allow the asanas to arise out of an internal place rather than some externally imposed idea of what the posture should look like. As long as you are working at your peak, combining breath, bandhas, and movement, and you are gaining that internal sense of stretching and strengthening, you are exactly where you needto be. In the beginning, the physical aspects of the postures will affect you the most. In time, and as you progress, you will become more aware of the flow of prana, life force, moving through your
Read more

The Primary Series : Standing Asanas

Image
XII VIRABHADRASANA A-B • WARRIOR Vira=hero A From downward dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana 1. Inhale, step right foot forward between hands, bend right knee to 90 degrees, square the hips, press back heel and outside of foot into floor, as you lift arms up over head, palms together, gaze upward and really emphasize mula bandha. Drishti: thumbs. Hold for 5-8 breaths. 2. Inhale, straighten right leg, come up and turn around to other side, bend left knee, arms up over head. Virabhdrasana A, left side 5-8 breaths. B 9. Inhale, keep the trunk straight, a feeling of being pulled from four directions, revolve hips open to right, arms out to sides looking over middle finger of left hand. Bend left knee, tuck pelvis, lift chest. Press back heel and outside of back foot into floor. Drishti: tip of middle finger. Hold for 5-8 breaths. 10. Inhale, come up, straighten legs, revolve around to other side, bend right knee over right ankle, Virabhadrasana B, right sid
Read more

The History of Ashtanga Yoga

Image
Twenty years ago Ashtanga yoga was very much a fringe activity. Our small, dedicated group of students in Encinitas, California were mostly young, hippie typeswith little money and few material possessions. We did have one precious thing – Ashtanga practice, which we all knew was very powerful and deeply transformative. Practicing together created a unique and magical bond, a real sense of family. Over the years the Ashtanga family has grown considerably throughout the world and I’ve had the opportunity to share the practice with many wonderful people as both a student and teacher. In Austin, Texas I met Larry Schultz 15 years ago when he was just beginning his Ashtanga practice with my teacher, Pattabhi Jois. Even though the practice was very challenging for him, Larry approached it with great enthusiasm, optimism, and gratitude. He, like so many others, recognized immediately that this was exactly what he had been looking for and was very excited by both the practice and the people i
Read more