Transcript Hatha Yoga Sun Salutations

Hatha Yoga Sun Salutations
Aimee Rogers
LRC 530
My Qualifications
 I received my Hatha Yoga Certification through
the Mind, Body, and Health Department at the
Community College of Aurora in Aurora,
Colorado.
 I am also a Certified YogaKids Facilitator.
 In addition, I am a Registered Yoga Teacher
through Yoga Alliance.
Yoga Facts
 Yoga originated in India.
 The language of yoga is Sanskrit; each pose has both a
Sanskrit name and an “English” name.
 Currently, there are numerous different types of yoga in
the United States. For example, Bikram Yoga consists
of 26 poses done twice in a heated room. Ashtanga
Yoga is vigorous and is often referred to as Power Yoga.
Hatha Yoga is a gentle style of yoga that does not
prescribe to any spiritual beliefs.
 The Beatles speeded the “West’s” interest in yoga.
Sun Salutation Facts
 The Sanskrit name for Sun Salutations is Surya
Namastar.
 Yoga poses are called asanas, when several asanas are
done together in a flow it is called a vinyasa. Sun
Salutations are a vinyasa.
 There is some disagreement about the origin of Sun
Salutations; some say they were developed 2.500 years
ago, others say in the early 20th Century.
 Sun Salutations are done to honor the sun.
 There are many different styles of Sun Salutations.
The Sun Salutation Poses
 I will provide a picture
and instructions for the
twelve asanas of Sun
Salutations.
Mountain (Tadasana)
 Stand at the front of your mat
 Feet hip-width apart
 Feel balanced on both feet;
don’t lean forward or side-toside
 Engage your quadriceps
 Roll Shoulders back
 Chest out
 Head high
Backbend
 Maintain the alignment
of Mountain pose
 Inhale arms above head
 Do a slight backbend
Forward Bend
 Continue to maintain the
alignment of Mountain
 Exhale folding forward
 Think about “diving your
heart forward”
 If necessary, bend knees
in order to touch the
ground
Lunge
 Inhale
 Step right foot back as
far as possible
 Ensure that left knee has
not gone past ankle (This
can cause hyperextension
of the knee.)
Plank
 Continue to inhale
 Step left foot back to join
right foot
 Drop hips
 Maintain a straight back
 Think about a “push-up”
position
Devotional
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Exhale
Drop knees from plank
Sit back on knees
Extend arms
Cobra
 Continue exhaling
 Two choices for transitioning
to stomach:
– Bring “nose along ground”;
more difficult
– Bring body forward and lower
to ground; modified push-up
 Tighten arms to sides
 Tighten legs and buttock
 Inhale lifting upper body off
ground
 Do not push yourself up
 Exhale down
Downward Facing Dog
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Curl toes under
Inhale
Push hips up in the air
Think about being a
straight line from hips to
fingertips
 Reach heels towards the
ground
Lunge
 Exhale
 Step right foot forward
 If foot is not back to
where it began in
Mountain, walk foot
forward
 Ensure that right knee is
not past ankle
Forward Bend
 Continue exhaling
 Step left foot forward to
join right foot
 Bend knees slight and
“glue” chest to thighs
before rising
Backbend
 Inhale
 Lift up from Forward
Bend
 Lif arms above head
 Maintain Mountain
alignment
Mountain (Tadasana)
 Exhale
 Lower arms
 Return to Mountain
alignment with feet hipwidth apart and weight
evenly distributed
Instructions continued
 Repeat but begin by stepping left foot back
 Tip: When stepping forward into the second
lunge, always step forward with the foot that you
initially stepped back with.
 Sun Salutations need to be done in even numbers
so that both legs get an even stretch.
 Sun Salutations can be done slowly and
meditatively as a warm-up or they can be done
vigorously as a cardiovascular exercise.
Namaste
I honor the place in you where the entire universe
resides.
I honor the place in you of light, of love, of truth,
of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in
that place in you, and I am in that place in me,
there is only one of us.