The first yoga sequence I ever learned was the Sun Salutation. For years, a version of Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskar, was a central component of my yoga practice. Somehow, I’d lost that part of my practice. Lately, I’ve been moving from one pose to another, without any flow in between.
This morning I woke up to a brilliant sunrise. Pink and blue and purples. Birds soaring over the tall pine trees outside my window. Lucien still asleep, Neil working quietly downstairs.I made it to my mat and closed my eyes for a short meditation. Then, without thinking or planning, I found myself remembering the rhythms of the salutations. Inhale and bring the arms up, exhale forward. Back to Plank Pose and lower down to Chaturanga. Downward Dog. The breath. Moving into standing poses and then back to the top of the mat for a forward fold.
After five salutations I transitioned into forward bends and hip openers. Finally, a few minutes of rest in a supported Supta Baddha Konasana. All in all, my practice took me maybe 40 minutes tops. By the time I’d finished, the sun had gone behind the clouds and day promised gray skies and a cold wind. It was time to begin a busy day of working, mothering, doing. But I had a feeling that, thanks to my short and sweet and sun saluting practice, I’d be warm all day long.
This morning I woke up to a brilliant sunrise. Pink and blue and purples. Birds soaring over the tall pine trees outside my window. Lucien still asleep, Neil working quietly downstairs.I made it to my mat and closed my eyes for a short meditation. Then, without thinking or planning, I found myself remembering the rhythms of the salutations. Inhale and bring the arms up, exhale forward. Back to Plank Pose and lower down to Chaturanga. Downward Dog. The breath. Moving into standing poses and then back to the top of the mat for a forward fold.
After five salutations I transitioned into forward bends and hip openers. Finally, a few minutes of rest in a supported Supta Baddha Konasana. All in all, my practice took me maybe 40 minutes tops. By the time I’d finished, the sun had gone behind the clouds and day promised gray skies and a cold wind. It was time to begin a busy day of working, mothering, doing. But I had a feeling that, thanks to my short and sweet and sun saluting practice, I’d be warm all day long.
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