Everyday Sun Salutations

The quintessential morning yoga practice, Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) are a wonderful way to awaken your body and start your day. Sun Salutations can also be used as a warmup for a deeper yoga practice, another form of exercise, or a mid-day energy refresh. This 15-minute class begins with four half sun salutations, and is followed by six rounds of Surya Namaskar A. Great for beginners!

Transcript

Hi, I'm Asa. Let's do some yoga. We're going to begin at the top of the mat in Tadasana, Mountain Pose. Feet hip-width distance apart. Ground down through your feet, Might spread your toes wide, Plant them down. Draw your shoulder blades up and back and down, Opening in your chest, Fingertips reaching down and the crown of your head reaching up. We'll begin our practice flowing through some half sun salutations and then we'll extend it to sun salutation A. We'll do a series of both. We'll go slow for the first couple of rounds and then pick up the pace just slightly. When you're ready, We'll inhale, Arms out to the side and overhead, Gaze comes up. And on your exhale, Reach your arms out to the side as you bend your knees and fold forward, Standing forward bend. We'll pause here for just a moment, Taking a couple of breaths, Enjoying this standing forward fold, Maybe swaying the hips, Bending the knees, Allowing the head to hang. And when you're ready, On an inhale, We'll lift up halfway. So hands to the shins or to thighs, Reach the crown of your head forward, Find a nice flat back with a strong core and exhale, Fold. This time on an inhale, We're going to come all the way up. So bend your knees, Inhale, Arms out to the side and overhead, Palms touch and then slide straight down to heart center. That's our half sun salutation. So I'll do that a few more times, Moving at breath pace, Inhale, Arms out and overhead. And exhale, Bend the knees, Fold forward. Inhale halfway lift, Exhale, Fold. Inhale, Bend the knees, Arms out to the side and overhead. Exhale, Hands to heart center. Inhale, Arms out and overhead and exhale, Fold. Inhale, Halfway lift, Exhale, Fold. Bend your knees, Inhale, Arms out and overhead and exhale, Hands to heart center. Once more, Inhale, Arms out, Exhale, Fold. Inhale, Halfway lift, Exhale, Fold. Bend the knees, Inhale, Arms all the way up and overhead and exhale, Hands to heart center and pause here. Feeling the energy circulating through your body. Maybe finding a moment of gratitude for the ability to move today. Next we'll move into sun salutation A. We're going to do our same practice here but add on a little bit. Again, The first round we'll take it nice and slow and then we'll move at breath pace. When you're ready, Inhale, Arms out and up and exhale, Fold. Inhale, Halfway lift, Exhale, Fold. This time, Plant your hands, Step your right foot back and then your left foot back to plank pose. You can keep your knees high or you can lower them. On your exhale, Strong core, Hug your elbows in as you lower your upper body all the way down towards the mat. Once you get there, Untuck your toes. On an inhale, Lift your head and your chest, Baby cobra, So the belly stays on the mat and exhale, Lower. On your next inhale, Tuck your toes, Press up and back to downward facing dog. Let's spend a little bit here, Pedaling the feet, Dropping one heel down towards the mat at a time. You can sway the hips from side to side or any other movement that feels good in your body today. One more breath here and then on your next inhale, Look towards the top of the mat, Step your right foot forward, Bend your left. On the exhale, Fold. Bend the knees, Inhale, Arms out to the sides and overhead, Palms touch and exhale, Hands to heart center. Inhale, Arms out and overhead, Exhale, Fold. Inhale, Halfway lift, Exhale, Plant the hands, Step the left foot back and then the right to plank pose, Either knees high or lower the knees, Then lower all the way down towards the mat. Untuck the toes, Inhale, Lift the head and the chest, Maybe pressing into the hands to lift a little bit higher for cobra. Exhale, Lower. Inhale, Tuck the toes, Press it up and back to downward facing dog. Two more breaths here and when you're ready, On an inhale, Step the left foot up towards the top of the mat, On the right, Waiting for that exhale to fold, Inhale, Bend the knees, Swoop the arms out and overhead, Exhale, Hands to heart center. Wonderful, Let's continue, Inhale, Arms out and up, Exhale, Fold. Inhale, Halfway lift, Exhale, Plant the hands, Step the right foot back and then the left to plank pose, Knees up or down and then lower all the way down. Inhale, Baby cobra or cobra, Exhale, Lower, Inhale, Tuck the toes and make your way back to downward facing dog. Three breaths here. You might approach this movement like poetry in motion, Just allowing your body to flow with your breath. On your next inhale, Step your right foot forward and then your left, Waiting for the exhale to fold. Bend your knees, Inhale, Arms out and overhead, Exhale, Hands to heart center and again, Inhale, Arms out and up, Maybe bringing a smile to your face as you exhale, Fold. Inhale, Halfway, Exhale, Fold, Plant your hands, Step the left foot back and then the right to plank pose, Knees up or down and then lower all the way down. Untuck toes, Inhale, Baby cobra or cobra, Keep your shoulder blades together and then lower down. Inhale back to downward facing dog. Three breaths here. On your next inhale, Step your left foot and then your right up towards the top of the mat, Fold on the exhale, Inhale, Bend the knees, Arms out to the side and overhead, Palms tucked and exhale to heart center. Two more times, Inhale, Arms out and overhead, Exhale, Fold, See if you can find a softness in your body as you inhale, Half lift, Exhale, Fold, Plant the hands, Step the right foot back and then the left to plank pose and then lower all the way down. Wait for the inhale to lift, Cobra, Exhale, Lower, Tuck the toes and make your way back to down dog. Three breaths here. Feel your hands grounding into the earth, Release any tension that might be in your face and on your next inhale, Step your right foot forward and then your left waiting for the exhale to fold. Inhale, Rise all the way up, Exhale, Hands to heart center, Last one, My friends, Inhale, Arms up and overhead and exhale, Fold, Inhale, Half lift, Exhale, Fold, Plant the hands, Step the left foot back and then the right to plank pose and then lower all the way down. Untuck toes, Inhale, Cobra, Exhale, Lower, Inhale, Tuck the toes and make your way back to down dog. Last down dog, Three breaths. On your next inhale, Step your left foot forward and then the right waiting for the exhale to fold. Inhale, Bend the knees, Rise all the way up, Arms overhead, Exhale, Hands to heart center. Let's pause here in Tadasana and mountain pose, Feeling the earth beneath you, Feeling the warmth in your muscles, The movement in your breath and your lungs, Perhaps taking a moment of gratitude for the ability, The time to practice today. If you'd like, You can close your eyes, A little bit of a balance challenge or just let your eyelids be heavy with a soft gaze on the floor a few feet in front of you. Thank you so much for practicing with me today. The light in me sees and honors the light in each of you. Namaste. Transcribed by https://otter. Ai

Reviews

Loved it

I’ve not done Sun salutations for a while, this was perfect. A short practice to ease me back in 🙏🏻🫶🏻