Your Quick Guide to Doing Sun Salutations Correctly| Priyanka Mittal Sah

Your Quick Guide to Doing Sun Salutations Correctly

Unlock a whole new dimension of well-being with Sun Salutations. This dynamic yoga practice can revamp your physical strength and soothe your mind. Easy to master by beginners, it has so many benefits that it can be a great addition to one's daily practice.

Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit is a basic series of yoga. The series generates warm heat in your body, stretching you and making your muscles strong. We shall guide you through learning the basic series step by step.

This lesson will instruct you in how to do Sun Salutations correctly. We don't want you to fall into common mistakes and waste the potential of each pose. Get ready to feel more energized and balanced.

Know the True Meaning of Surya Namaskar

The Sun Salutations originated way back in India. They are a way to greet the sun as a source of energy and life. It makes us one with something larger, and it reminds us of our own inner light. It is not an exercise; it is a way of respecting life.

Spiritual and Energetic Roots

This cycle is typically done with the help of special sounds or mantras but are not necessary. Surya Namaskar helps to transfer prana, the vital energy of the body. Through these poses, you help clear energy channels and boost your overall energy. Imagine charging your body from the inside.

The Core Benefits

Practice of Sun Salutations every day has many advantages. They cover every area of your life, right from the body to your mood. What are you waiting for?

Physical Benefits: Strength, Flexibility, and Cardiovascular Fitness

You should expect to have more toned joints and muscles with more mobility. Your back is more flexible, and your core is more solid. Sun Salutations also provide you with a light-heart exercise, and your overall endurance is enhanced. It's a body tune-up, so to speak.

Mental and Emotional Well-being

This practice can actually reduce anxiety and tension. It will allow you to focus your mind and achieve a state of inner tranquility. You will feel more balanced and grounded after a session. It is a flowing meditation, cleansing your mind and calming your soul.

Mastering the 12 Steps of Sun Salutation A

Ready to learn the sequence? Sun Salutation A is an old standby, perfect for establishing a good foundation. Let us begin with preparing.

Preparation and Foundation

Start with a peaceful mind. Have a definite intention for your practice. Perhaps you want to feel more energized, or perhaps you want to feel relaxed. This mental preparation makes such a huge difference.

Setting the Stage: Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Stand up at the front of your mat. Notice your feet rooted firmly on the ground. Your weight evenly distributed, and your arms loose by your sides. This position enables you to locate your center and good posture prior to starting.

The Flow: Step-by-Step Breakdown

Keep making these moves, breathing out each time. Try to keep the moves smooth.

Pose 1-3: Invocation and Forward Fold

• Pranamasana (Prayer Pose): Stand in Tadasana. Place palms together in the center of the chest, prayer-like hands. Release the shoulders.

• Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute): Inhale. Sweep arms to overhead. Lengthen tall, maybe looking up at hands.

• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend): Exhale. Forward bend from hips. Let head be heavy. You can bend knees if needed.

Exercise 4-6: Lunge, Plank & Eight Limbed Pose

• Ardha Uttanasana (Halfway Lift): Breathe in. Hold your chest halfway up. Press your spine into the floor. You can press fingertips or shins onto the floor.

• Plank Variation: Exhale. Step back or jump into Plank Pose. Your body is in one straight line from head to heels. Or, step one foot back into low lunge, then the other to meet it in Plank.

• Ashtanga Namaskara (Eight-Limbed Pose): Lower chest, chin, and knees to the ground. Your hips still lift.

Pose 7-8: Cobra and Downward-Facing Dog

• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): Breathe in. Push forward and lift your chest. Bring elbows closer to your body. Look slightly up without tilting your neck.

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog): Exhale. Push hands and feet into floor. Lift hips up high. Your body is in the shape of an upside-down V. Try to stretch legs and bring heels toward floor.

Pose 9-10: Reverse Lunge and Forward Fold

Step Forward: Breathe. Step your right foot forward between your hands. If it won't quite fit there, bring it there slowly.

• Ardha Uttanasana (Halfway Lift): Breathe out. Take your left foot forward to meet your right. Lift your chest halfway, pulling your back flat.

• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend): Exhale. Forward bend again, lowering your head.

Pose 11-12: Salute to the Sky and Return to Mountain Pose

• Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute): Inhale. Sweep arms up over your head. Stretch tall up to the ceiling.

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose): Exhale. Sweep arms to the sides. Come back to the initial position, standing tall.

This completes one round. Typically, you repeat the sequence with the left foot leading at step 8.

Adjusting Sun Salutations for Your Practice

Sun Salutations are universal in nature. You can adjust them as per your need.

Adjustments at Different Levels

You can do it if you are a beginner or have practiced for years. There is a way to make the sequence fit you. Don't worry that you have to do all the poses flawlessly.

Novice Adjustments

If it's painful to extend your hamstrings, bend your knees forward low in Uttanasana. When transitioning from Plank to Cobra, you can drop your knees down first, which is simpler on your wrists and core. It's a kinder method of developing strength. You also may omit Ashtanga Namaskara and simply drop on your belly from Plank.

Advanced Variations

For a challenging practice, try the jump back from Halfway Lift to Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose). This is a more challenging transition. You can also add more challenging poses between rounds, like Warrior I or II, to add more flow.

Adding Sun Salutations to Your Practice

Having this series as a routine in your daily life can build great habits. Begin small and grow.

Frequency and Timing

Most prefer to do Sun Salutations in the morning. This wakes up your mind and body and gets you ready for the day. Begin with 3-5 sets. You can do 10 or 12 sets as time goes on. Doing them daily or even twice a week is okay.

Listening to Your Body

Always honor what your body is capable of. If you experience sudden pain, stop or adjust the pose. You are some days more energized, some days less. Practice honoring your body's signals. This honoring practice prevents injury and deepens your practice.

Conclusion: Embrace the Glow of Sun Salutations

The Sun Salutations are just incredible for your flexibility, strength, and mind. As you practice with proper form and breathing, all of the movements become connected. Keep in mind that patience and consistency are your best allies. Begin practicing Sun Salutations today. Every flow will make you stronger within and more elegant outside. Welcome this ancient yoga sequence and discover the radiant power within you.