Sun Salutation Yoga Flow

Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is a sequence of yoga poses that is traditionally performed at the start of the day or beginning of a general Hatha or Vinyasa style yoga class.  People have been performing Sun Salutation since the earliest 20^th century for its benefits of increasing strength, improving flexibility and mobility, increasing blood flow, and moving stagnate energy within body.  The simple vinyasa flow opens the hips and releases through the hamstrings, chest, shoulders, and back body. Sun Salutation is designed to help you feel balanced, centred, and connected to your body. While this can be performed anywhere at any time, I feel the most benefits when performing this flow first thing in the morning. It is a great way to set you up for the day, help you wake up and always leaves you feeling good.

There are a few different versions of Sun salutation, each with different levels of difficulty and slightly different asanas (poses). Below is my own spin on a traditional Sun Salutation flow, with poses that I have found to leave me feeling balanced and connected to my body. I take 10 minutes to perform this flow, repeating it 1-3 times through, with time for breathwork at the end.

Tadasana to Overhead Stretch

Bring the feet together and plant and spread the toes. Roll down through the outside edges of the feet, lifting the inner arches slightly. The legs are straight with the thighs lifted and knees engaged. Roll back and down through the shoulders, extending the arms straight at the side of the body with the fingers spread. Tilt the pelvis, draw the ribs to the spine and lift slightly to open the heart. Softly close the eyes. Inhale arms overhead, eye gaze follows the hands, and exhale return them to beside the body. Repeat this flow for 3-5 breaths.

Forward Fold

Exhale to fold the body down into a forward fold. Let the crown of the head hang down as you press the heels to the ground and lift the tailbone to the sky. Pause here for a few breaths, bringing length to the spine and releasing through the back body.

Downward Facing Dog

Bring the palms just wider than the shoulders, turn the hands out slightly, spread the fingers and press evenly through all parts of the hand. Lift the hips up towards the ceiling and soften the knees, drawing down through the heels. Relax the head, drawing the chin to the chest. In this pose, the spine is long and stable as the core is engaged. Shoulder blades draw down the back. Begin with the knees bent and pedal gently, moving with the breath. Hold for 4-6 breaths.

Plank Pose

From Downward Facing Dog, we will move into a high plank to prepare for chaturanga. Inhale, and exhale to lower the hips and shuffle the feet back into plank pose. Eye gaze is on the ground between the hands and the chin is tucked to create space in the back of the neck. Engage the core and keep the hips in line with the shoulders which are drawn down and back. Distribute the weight evenly through the fingers. Hold this position for 2-3 deep breaths.  

Chaturanga

Hugging the elbows into the body, exhale and bend the elbows to lower the torso towards the ground, with control. If possible, hold the position just above the ground, so the body is parallel to the floor for 1-2 breaths. Then, with control, exhale and lower all the way to the ground. Option to perform this on the knees.

Cobra

From the ground, place the hands underneath the shoulders. Inhale, core is engaged, and the top of the feet press into the ground. Exhale to press the torso up lifting from the chest, curving the spine. Naval points down, shoulder blades draw together, and the neck is raised. Option to have the knees raised, pressing evenly into the toes and palms, or keep the knees on the ground, pressing into the feet and pubic bone. Hold for 2-3 breath cycles. On the final exhale, lower to the ground.

Extended Childs Pose

From Cobra, inhale to bring the knees to the width of the mat with the feet together and exhale sink the hips back to the ground. The torso rests between the thighs and the arms extend out long in front with the palms on the mat. Press the third eye on the mat to aid in releasing any intuitive blockages. Remain in this position for a 3-5 breaths.

Extended Childs Pose Side Stretch

From Extended Child’s Pose, inhale to shuffle the hands slightly to the right, stack the palms and exhale to sink the head into the mat. Hold for 3 breaths, lengthening through the side body. Repeat on the other side by inhaling to shuffle the hands to the left, and exhaling to sink the head on the mat, holding for another 3 breaths.

Downward Facing Dog

From Extended Childs Pose, bring the palms just wider than the shoulders, turn the hands out slightly, spread the fingers and press evenly through all parts of the hand. Exhale to lift the hips up towards the ceiling and soften the knees, drawing down through the heels. Relax the head, drawing the chin to the chest. Hold for 3 breaths.

Forward fold

Move out of Downward Facing Dog by slowly walking the feet towards the hands at the top of the mat, moving slowly and with the breath. Let the crown of the head hang down as you press the heels to the ground and lift the tailbone to the sky. Hold for 3 breaths. If it feels good for your body, wrap the hands behind the shins, deepening the release through the hamstrings.

Tadasana Prayer Pose

Exhale to roll the torso up to Tadasana. Bring the palms to the chest in prayer pose, drop the head, and pause for a few breaths, taking the opportunity to tune into your body, noticing how it feels. I invite you to take this opportunity to notice if there are any areas of the body that feel stagnant or tight and move into whatever other asanas (poses) feel right for your body.

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