Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Salute to the Sun

  This New Year I set a goal to practice yoga twice a week.  Even if its a few Sun Salutations or 2 hours worth as long as I am present and practicing it counts.
  I also set a goal to do 108 Sun Salutations on the equinox and solstices.  That is a lot of poses!
The lovely hubs filmed me doing some Sun Salutations at the Altoona Public library on January 3rd so I can look back over time and see myself from a different perspective and gauge my progress.


Surya Namaskara


The physical base of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series. These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.


I have always gone with this style of Sun Salutations.  I have seen others do a different sequence but this one feels balanced to me.  I do a upward facing dog instead of a locust post after Chaturanga which seems to be the biggest difference in styles.


I have read that they should be done in the morning first thing to greet the day.  What a lovely way to get the blood flowing in the morning.  I think I will try that tomorrow!


Do you do yoga?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I think I need to focus more on my breathing and do each pose a little longer. I was nervous filming :)
My flexibility is terrible but I am strong. Balance needed!

AM! said...

Hi there;-)
look at you! nice job.
and holy moly 108 sun salutations for each equinox. you go girl.

oh, and I LOVE that you did this all at the public library;-)

Job: Firefighter and student said...

Keep it up! It motivates me to see people like you make themselves and their family healthier. Thanks, Jeff

Emz said...

what an awesome idea.

amazing.

Loving the heart in the window. you. rock.

C2Iowa said...

I agree - great idea. Could not tell you were nervous.

Anonymous said...

I love yoga!! I NEVER make time for it.. I need to

shel said...

mama,
in your lunge, the forward lower leg should be a right angle to the floor, with your knees directly over your ankle (yours is tracking out in front of it.) your back leg should be straight and strong. it is still about flexibility but this way it is also about strength. there is no "right" length of time to hold your poses. go with your breath... if you are taking a hot class or moving through vigorous poses you'll be moving quickly because of all the panting. other than that you should be able to slow your breathing down to match a slower movement if you wish. 108 sun As is crazy... go mama.we'll do some the night before the race to relax a bit!

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

I am no expert but I think your flexibility looks great!

zapmamak said...

I love yoga! I used to do it back in college when I couldn't run. I even took a prenatal yoga class when I was pregnant, but miscarried during the middle of that class and never went back.

I finally got out my Yoga Kids video today, though, and did ABCs yoga with my 3 year old. I forgot how good I feel after (even doing the kid poses). I think I'm going to try and make it a regular practice like you are doing. Great idea to do the sun salutations. I really miss it a lot.

Black Knight said...

I am not expert too and I never followed a yoga session but I think it works a lot on the body and into the mind.
Our lives are full of stress and we would need the time for such activity. Here it is difficult to find the time for the stretching before and after the runs too!

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