Sun Salutation

Sun SALUTATION 2 URDHVA 1 TADASANA HASTASANA at the front edge of your mat in Tadasana (mountain pose) with palms touching at your heart. Inhale - Bring your arms out to the side and join your palms above your head in Urdhva Hastasana (raised arms pose). Raise your gaze to your hands and slide your shoulders away from your ears. ARDHA 3 UTTANASANA UTTANASANA Exhale - Release your arms to either side, and forward bend over your legs, coming into Uttanasana. Place your finger tips in line with your toes. Inhale - Lift your head as you come to Ardha Uttanasana, bringing your finger tips to the floor or higher up your legs. Come up as high as is necessary to get your back flat. You can flatten the palms, place your hands on your shins or bend the knees a little if that makes you more comfortable. LUNGE Inhale - Bring your right foot to the back of the mat and come up onto your finger tips in a low Lunge. PLANK Inhale - Bring your left foot to meet the right at the back of your mat so that you are in a Plank position. CHATURANGA DANDASANA Exhale - Shift your weight forward a few inches and lower down to Chaturanga Dandasana. Bringing your shoulders slightly in front of your wrists before lowering helps you get the alignment right in the final pose. Alternate: If you are getting tired, opt for Knees, Chest, Chin, keeping your butt high and your elbows hugging your ribs. 8 UPWARD FACING DOG Inhale - Roll over your toes to come into an Upward Facing Dog. Bend your elbows out to the sides to get your shoulders down away from your ears, then straighten your arms. Make sure your legs are straight and the knees are lifted off the floor. Alternate: If you did Knees, Chest, and Chin in the previous step, come forward to a Low Cobra. Slide your chest forward and up, keep your hands exactly where the were and keep your low ribs on the floor. DOWNWARD FACING DOG Exhale - Push back to Downward Facing Dog. You can stay here a few breaths (or more). 10 LUNGE Inhale - Bring your right foot next to the right hand, back into a low Lunge. 11 UTTANASANA Exhale - Bring your left foot forward next to the right and forward bend into Uttanasana. 12 URDHVA 13 TADASANA HASTASANA Exhale - Come to stand in Inhale - Bring your arms out to the sides and up to Urdhva Hastasana. Tadasana with your hands in a prayer position at your heart. If you would like to repeat this sequence, step back with your left leg on the next round. Brought To You By: In Partnership With: SOURCES HEALTH PERCH yoga.about.com GHERGICH&Co.