This 12-posture flow done with a single breath to each move or to several breaths a pose can be energetic and create inner heat. It works with muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and breathing using the entire body and extremities. There are variations of this flow-through pose depending on what style of yoga is practiced and on teacher preference. One can get guidance from any reputed Byron medical centre to clear doubts over heat and strength issues. This is one sequence.
One Breath to Each Movement
This salute involves the lunge. Begin standing in Mountain Pose with feet hip width apart.
- INHALE. Arms reach straight up along side the head while the upper back arches back far enough so the face looks up toward the sun (or upward).
- EXHALE. Arms sweep out to sides and down to ground as the body bends forward
- INHALE to flat back or monkey. Spine is straight and hands on shins or fingers touching ground if possible.
- EXHALE back to hands to floor with back straight
- EXHAL to plank and move foreword through the arms
- INHALE rolling forward being sure elbows are below the shoulders to avoid injury and look up to cobra. Cobra has an arched upper back with hips and legs on the floor and arms bent. If the hands were lifted from the floor the posture could be maintained. Upward dog, on the other hand, has the body balanced between the hands and feet with abdomen, hips and thighs off the ground.
- EXHALE through into downward dog by pressing through the balls of the feet, lifting the core and raising the tailbone onto straight legs with the hands on the floor. Arms are parallel, hands placed on the floor. Elbows aren’t locked but face each other. Fingers are spread. Shoulders should feel as if they have lifted and moved back and down with a relaxed neck so they aren’t hunched. Fingers are spread.
- INHALE right foot forward to lunge. Arms rise above head and hold. (photo 2)
- EXHALE both hands back to ground as right foot floats back to meet left in plank and down into push up mode moving the whole time forward back to cobra. (photo 3)
- This sequence is repeated rolling back to down dog and lifting the left leg up and forward to hands in left leg forward lunge.
- INHALE up with arms above head in lunge position and
- EXHALE back to plank, push forward to cobra and
- With active abdomen lift from underneath the tailbone upward again to down dog where the position is held for 5 breaths.
- The head is down and neck is relaxed looking back at knees. This is a position to catch breath and check alignment.
- Don’t be a statue; shift into position. The distance from hands to feet should be such that the right hand can lift back to touch the right foot and vice versa.
- Five ujjayi breaths, inhaling audibly in and out before shifting the focus forward toward the hands, keeping arms straight, raise onto balls of feet by lifting the hips, engage the belly muscles, and jump or step forward.
- EXHALE down to floor with bent spin
- INHALE up to mountain pose
- EXHALE arms down to chest in prayer position.
Variations of Sun Salute
The postures can be modified for injury, flexibility, or strength. There is a seated chair series illustrated in Big Yoga for those unable to stand. There is a series without the lunges that goes from standing to plank to upward dog to down dog and standing. The lunge can be done with the performing leg place back initially and the other leg forward into a lunge. The lunge can also move onto the knee place on the ground for balance and support. Completing 1 series on both legs each day will simultaneously relax and strengthen the body. Deepen each stretch with exhalation.