Sun Salutations: What are they and Why do we do them?

My version of the philosophy behind sun salutations basically goes like this: Without the sun we would not be living here on this earth. We need to honor that which gives us life. If we practice saluting the sun every day, we appreciate all that the sun gives us all day every day.

holding the sun

Sun salutations are a series of breath connected poses. You inhale into one and exhale into the next to build warmth in your body and especially in your muscles. This breath connection to the movement also connects your body to your mind. I want you to have your focus inside your body. Feel each stretch. Breathe into each pose.

Every instructor teaches differently. Basically there are twelve moves linked together. There can be more or less, or the poses can change. The idea is to build heat and focus. Power yoga uses the concept throughout the class to keep the body warm. Linked poses are called "vinyasas".

In a gentle yoga class I might use the whole series to warm up, or I might just move slowly through each pose to get a full body stretch.

There is a shorter version that you can use whenever you need a lift, or a burst of energy. I use this version when I sit at the computer for too long, and it is listed on my Yoga at Your Desk page. I called it Half Sun Salutations .

Some notes:

Your first sun salutation on any day should be slow and focused. I want you to think about each pose rather than thinking about moving from one to the other. Once you get your first round of stretches it will be easier for you to flow into the poses so then you can add your one-breath-per-movement flow.

Notice that you stretch up then fold - opposite muscles work. You lengthen then take all that length in your spine and bring it in towards your legs, increasing your stretch in the whole back side of your body. Opposites muscles work in up-dog and down-dog too. You lengthen the front side in up-dog, then the back side in down-dog.

You have to think about breathing so your focus remains inside your body. Breathing and flowing from one pose to the other builds the internal heat your body needs to stretch muscles comfortably. The sun salutations in this link are considered the A version. There is a basic B version which includes a chair pose and a Warrior 1 pose. For the purposes of basic yoga information we will start with a basic A series.

Please read the disclaimer before attempting any poses

Please listen to your body in these poses. Focus on each pose rather than moving from one to the other. Adjust each pose to make it comfortable and enjoy the tingly feeling when you are finished. Keep the philosophy in the background of your mind while you move through the series. Enjoy.

Click here for my version of sun salutations A.


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