On the Move

Web Exclusive: An expanded version of Sun Salutations from Bliss Flow Yoga Live on the Move

A calm mind, strong spirit and a toned body—isn’t that what everyone wants from yoga? Work your way to serenity (and taut arms) with a flow of postures called a Sun Salutation. Traditionally performed in the morning, Angela Gargano, owner of Bliss Flow Yoga , recommends the sequence for its range of benefits. The centuries-old practice builds strength, flexibility and balance while keeping you moving and focused on breathing. Put on your favorite tunes, do 10-50 reps (depending on your strength) of the entire sequence, and find your own path to yoga bliss.

 

Start: Mountain Pose 

Standing with feet just slightly apart, ground yourself evenly through all four corners of your feet while lengthening your spine up through the crown of your head. Place your palms together and look straight ahead. Take a few deep breaths, focusing on the sound of the your breathing to help bring you more fully into the present moment. See if with each passing breath you can make that breath a little fuller and deeper.

 

Extended Mountain Pose 

Inhale while reaching your arms up. Keep your shoulders relaxed, not hunched. Bend your elbows if needed. Stay rooted to the floor, while reaching up toward the sky through your fingertips.

 

Forward Fold

Exhale as you swan-dive forward, keeping your feet grounded and touching your hands to the floor. If your hamstrings feel tight, bend your knees slightly

Half-Standing Forward Fold

Then inhale as your lengthen your spine forward into a Half-Standing Forward Fold, reaching forward with the crown of your head and lengthening backward with your tailbone, lifting your torso slightly. If your fingertips can’t remain touching the floor, place your palms on your shins. Feel a sense of lengthening through crown of the head while reaching back gently through the tailbone.

Plank Pose

Exhale as you gently step back into a plank position. Hands should be shoulder-width apart and shoulders aligned directly above. Feet should be hips-width apart. Keep your body in a straight line from the crown of your head through your heels, while engaging your core by pulling your belly button up and in toward your spine. Then lower your body down in a straight line, like a push up or through Chaturanga Dandasana (or 4 Limbed Staff Pose).

*This posture can be a challenging one to beginners, but is a great way to begin to build strength in the core and arms! Feel free to modify by keeping the knees resting gently on the ground in half plank as you slowly build up strength to come into full plank. Have patience with yourself and enjoy the journey!

Upward Facing Dog

Inhale and open your heart toward the sky! Keeping your shoulders back and legs active and taut, dip your hips down while lifting and opening your chest upward. Keep the tops of your feet pressing down into the mat and your gluteal muscles firm, yet relaxed.

*This posture can be a great antidote to hours spent hunched over a computer or slouched in a chair by strengthening the back and opening up through the shoulders and chest. When doing this pose, always be aware of your lower back. If you have back injuries or feel any discomfort or tightness, approach this posture with caution. You can modify this posture by lowering down into low cobra pose by raising your chest only slightly off the ground.

Downward Facing Dog 

Exhale and curl your toes under. Using your core muscles, lift your butt into the air while keeping your arms and legs straight. Keeping your feet hips-width apart and hands shoulder-width apart, press back through your shoulders and spine. Focus on lengthening your spine and opening your shoulders. Take one to five long, deep breaths. At the end of your exhale, lightly step forward, one foot at a time, between your hands to standing.

* This is a “get happy posture,” helping to alleviate stress and depression, calm the brain and energize the body. It can also strengthen the arms, legs and shoulders, while allowing gravity to lengthen the spine by creating space between the vertebrae. While this is the “quintessential” yoga posture, this can be a challenging one if you, like so many of us have tight shoulders or hamstrings. Alleviate this tension by bending the knees slightly, in order to get length in the spine. Straight legs are not as important as a long straight spine in this posture!

 

Half-Standing Forward Fold

Then inhale as your lengthen your spine forward into a Half-Standing Forward Fold, reaching forward with the crown of your head and lengthening backward with your tailbone, lifting your torso slightly. If your fingertips can’t remain touching the floor, place your palms on your shins. Feel a sense of lengthening through crown of the head while reaching back gently through the tailbone.

Forward Fold

Exhale as you return to forward fold, stay rooted through the feet. If the hamstrings feel tight, bend the knees slightly to soften the backs of the legs.

Extended Mountain Pose

Inhale as you return to this posture, reaching the arms up and over your head. Be aware of the shoulders, trying to keep the shoulders relaxed, bending the elbows slightly if needed. Ground down into the earth with your feet while reaching up toward the sky through the tips of your fingers.

End: Mountain Pose

Exhale as you bring the palms of your hands together at your heart, returning to your starting posture. Root down evenly through all four corners of the feet while lengthening up through the crown of the head. Stay here for a few breaths or begin to flow through your next sun salutation.

 

Angela Gargano is owner of Bliss Flow Yoga, 2981 Cahill Main, Fitchburg; (608) 273-FLOW or blissflowyoga.com.