The Sun Salutations are a series of movements designed to open and loosen up the spine, link breath with movement, and get you out of your head and into your body; this powerful, simple series is a fantastic way to start your practice. In Hindu sacred scriptures, the Sun Salutations were first referred to around 1500 BCE in the Rig Veda as a ritual prostration to welcome the sun's rising and in book form in 1934 in the Yoga Makaranda by Krishnamacharya.
Krishnamacharya, who first introduced Vinyasa-Krama (wise progression), is considered the father of contemporary Vinyasa Yoga that many of us practice today.
Many students don't do yoga at home because they don't know what to do. One of the drawbacks of the widespread Vinyasa practice, unlike Kundalini or Ashtanga Yoga, is there is no set series, so students at home don’t feel confident.
The SunSalutations resolve this. Roll out your mat, follow this series, and then stick around and see what happens!
Modifcations:
- Bend your knees as you fold over into Uttanasana
- Consider a slight bend in the knees in Downward Dog to keep the spine elongated.
- When stepping forward and backward, switch legs each time. No need to jump
- Lower down from plank to the floor, slide your hands back slightly under your shoulders, root the pubic down and the tops of the feet down and lift to Baby Cobra instead of Upward Dog