Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutes) With Mantras Call & Response
This track pieces together the learning from my previous Surya Namaskara (Salute to the Sun) tracks to create a complete Sadhana (Yoga practice) ... incorporating the practices of Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing) and the Surya Mantras. The track begins with a modified version of the practice to warm up the body & teach alternative postures for a range of health conditions. Once we move into the full practice, we begin adding the Mantras as a call & response practice.
Transcript
Preparing now for Surya Namaskar,
Salute to the sun by coming to the front of your mat or the space that you're using.
Feet are either together or hip width apart,
Whatever is more comfortable for you.
Lift the toes,
Spread them,
Bring them back down,
Maximizing the contact between the feet and the floor.
Closing the eyes,
Gently sway from forward to back,
Right to left,
To find that point of perfect balance between the left and the right foot and the heels and the toes.
Once you feel that perfect balance,
That center of gravity,
Become still.
To help with the stillness,
Visualize the body as a tree,
Extending the roots down through the floor and into the earth beneath.
Begin drawing the breath as though up through the roots of the tree from the earth beneath,
Full length of the tree to the very top,
And on the exhalation,
Breathing out full length of the tree down through the roots and into the earth beneath,
Beginning to feel the blending of the feet with the floor.
Visualize yourself in your favorite place in the whole world,
Facing the rising sun.
Create all the sensory inputs,
Smells,
Sounds,
Beginning with the modified version,
Taking a deep breath in,
And on the exhalation,
Bringing the hands to prayer position,
Palms in full contact,
Thumbs at the sternum.
On the next inhalation,
Stretching straight up,
Up towards the ceiling,
Tall as you can.
The next exhalation,
Sliding the hands down the body.
If you have high blood pressure,
Keep the head above the heart,
Otherwise palms flat on the floor,
Next to the feet,
Bending the knees if you need to,
And take the head towards the knees if that's right for you.
On the next inhalation,
Taking a big step back with the right leg,
Right knee goes to the floor,
Left shin is vertical,
And you have a strong stretch at the front of the right hip.
Come onto the fingertips and look forward.
The next exhalation,
Bringing the left leg back,
Coming onto all fours,
Into the cat pose,
So knees under the hips,
Hands under the shoulders.
On the next inhalation,
Head up,
Tail up,
Arching the back,
Taking the navel towards the floor.
Then on the exhalation,
Head down,
Tuck the tail under,
Pushing the spine towards the ceiling,
Drawing on the pelvic floor muscles,
And the abdominal muscles,
If that's right for you,
And then sliding the hands forward,
Bending the elbows,
Keeping them snug against the body,
Lower the pubic bone down towards the floor,
Into the cobra pose,
Shoulders relaxed.
On the next exhalation,
Lifting the pelvis,
Bringing the hands back into the cat pose,
Downward cat first this time,
Head down,
Tuck the tail under.
On the inhalation,
Head up,
Tail up,
Arching the back,
So the navel goes towards the floor,
And then stepping forward with the left leg.
Left shin is vertical,
Strong stretch at the front of the right hip,
Coming onto the fingertips,
And look forward.
Curling the right toes under,
Bringing the right foot next to the left,
Palms flat on the floor,
Next to the feet,
Bending your knees if you need to,
To get there,
And head towards the knees,
If that's right for you.
And on the next inhalation,
Sliding the hands up,
Reaching up towards the ceiling once more,
And on the exhalation,
Hands to prayer,
And take a resting breath.
That completes one half round.
Now same to the other side.
On the next inhalation,
Stretching the hands up towards the ceiling,
On the next exhalation,
Sliding the hands down the body,
Hands on the floor next to the feet,
That's right for you.
On the next inhalation,
Stepping back with the left leg,
Left knee to the floor,
Right shin is vertical,
Fingertips to the floor,
And look forward.
On the next exhalation,
Bringing the right leg back,
Preparing for the cat pose,
Coming onto all fours,
Inhaling into upward cat,
Head up,
Tail up,
Exhale into downward cat,
Head down,
Tail under,
Spine to the ceiling,
And then sliding the hands forward,
Bending the elbows,
Keeping them snug against the body,
And lower the pubic bone down to the floor for the cobra pose,
Relaxing into the shoulders.
Then on the out breath,
Lifting the pelvis,
Bringing the hands back underneath the shoulders,
Coming onto all fours,
Downward cat first,
Head down,
Tail tucked under.
On the inhalation,
Moving into upward cat,
Head up,
Tail up,
Stepping forward with the right leg,
Right shin vertical,
Strong stretch at the front of the left hip,
Fingertips,
And look forward.
Curling the left toes under,
And on the out breath,
Stepping forward with the left foot,
Bringing it next to the right,
Hands on the floor next to the feet,
If that's right for you,
Otherwise head above the heart,
And on the next inhalation,
Sliding the hands up the body,
Reaching towards the ceiling,
Tall as you can,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer,
And take a resting breath.
Preparing now for the full practice of Surya Namaskar,
With the Surya Mantras call and response.
Keeping in mind the modifications if you need them,
High blood pressure,
Head stays above the heart,
So no inversion,
And if your back is a little bit tender today,
You might like to continue with the shortened levers,
So sliding the hands up and down the body,
Beginning with the out breath,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer,
And then on the out breath,
Hands to prayer.
Now,
If you're not comfortable with the Surya Mantras,
You can practice the Surya Mantras with the hands on the floor,
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