Surya Namaskar A

There are many styles of yoga (just like there are many styles of belly dance) and finding the best fit for you might take some time.

One of the styles of yoga I practice is Vinyasa yoga. Vinyasa essentially means “to place in a special way”. Its a dynamic style of yoga that incorporates breath with movement. Inhales and exhales are linked to each movement and the combination creates a sense of “flow”. For this reason, you may also hear this style referred to as “Vinyasa flow”.

Surya Namaskar, also known as Sun Salutations, are a common theme throughout a Vinyasa practice. Sun Salutations are a sequence of movements used to warm and strengthens the body and enhances mind-body connection. Each movement flows with a specified inhale or exhale and creates a sense of being more present in the moment. Many people use it as a moving meditation. The sequence also moves all your major joints and muscles so it’s a great way to start your day! Or simply get warmed up before a dance or yoga class.

I’ll offer more details throughout the month in classes and blogs, but I wanted to create a short tutorial that offers you three options for Sun Salutation A (yes, you guessed it…there is also a Sun Salutation B that we’ll get to later).

There are a lot of details in each of these postures that I don’t get into quite yet. For now….just move…just flow. Move slow and intentionally. It’s not about being “perfect” or “good at yoga”. As long as you breathe, you are doing yoga. If you find you don’t like a posture right now or it doesn’t feel great in your body, feel free to skip it for now. But always try it again the next day. This is how we grow, push past plateus and challenge our bodies and minds.

As always, feel free to reach out with any questions. I’d love to help you in any way I can.