Here Comes the Sun Salutation

Use this sequence of yoga postures to greet each new day

I’m not sure if George Orwell ever attempted a downward-facing dog pose but I’m pretty certain he’d appreciate how the ancient practice of Yoga is now deemed “New Age.” The earliest archaeological evidence of Yoga's existence dates back to around 3000 B.C. and it’s likely been around even longer than that. 

Not everything that lingers for millennia is good, of course, but Yoga has survived because we humans need it to remind us about posture, breathing, meditation, and taking responsibility for our health. 

The health benefits of Yoga are well documented (e.g. flexibility, stress release, strength, management of chronic conditions, and overall well-being) and an estimated 16 million Americans practice regularly. 

Getting started can be as simple as learning a foundation sequence of postures known as the Sun Salutation. These 12 “stations” are comprised of eight different poses (or asanas), some performed twice. As you transition from pose to pose, stay aware of your breath as noted.

We begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Stand tall with big toes touching but heels slightly apart. Your legs are firm but not tense. Your arms hang loosely at your sides. Your collarbones feel open and wide. Your spine is long and strong with your head sitting directly atop. Your gaze is gentle. 

With an inhale, lift your arms up into an Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana) — arms at shoulder-width, fingers pointing to the sky. After experiencing this full stretch, begin exhaling as you simultaneously lower your arms and fold your torso over until you’ve attained a Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana).

With your next inhale, press your hands down flat onto the floor (or Yoga blocks) and step your left leg back into a Lunge position with an exhale. From there, your right foot moves back to join the left — with an inhale — as you move into a Plank pose. 

Exhale down into Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga) and inhale your arms straight with your torso arched: Upward-Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana).

Move back into Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) with an exhalation until your body forms an upside-down V. Then step the left foot forward back into another Lunge, while inhaling. The right foot moves alongside the left with an exhale (Standing Forward Bend) before inhaling up to Upward Salute.

This sequence of the Sun Salutation concludes with you lowering your arms and exhaling back to Mountain Pose before beginning again, only now with your right foot moving first into the Lunge.

Perform your Sun Salutation daily.

Needless to say, each posture will require individual practice before the sequence flows smoothly. Taking a few classes would be helpful to refine form and ensure safety for your home practice.

As you might already know, the Sun Salutation has many variations. This short video may not precisely follow my instructions above but it’ll give you an idea of what a flow looks like.

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Note: The exercise advice presented above is not meant for anyone with contraindicated health problems. Please consult a trusted medical or fitness professional.

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