Yoga Quiz: Sun Salutations

Each sun Salutation begins and ends with

Hands at the heart

Wha should you make sure to remember while performing sun Salutation?

Have your awareness turned always inward toward the heart. Make each of your movements as mindful and precise as possible.

Why is the sun so important to Hindus?

Hindus revere the sun, that they call Surya, as both the physical and spiritual heart of our world and the creator of life itself.

The transition from posture to posture is facilitated by either an

Inhalation or exhalation (through the nose)

What do yogis view the heart as?

Our inner sun, and the seat of our consciousness and higher wisdom.

Classical Sun Salutation (classical surya namaskara)

1. Mountain Pose with hands together at heart 2. Inhale arms up 3. Forward fold 4. Step back into low lunge (right or left leg) 5. Step other foot back into downward dog 6. Exhale to chatarunga 7. Push up from stomach into cobra 8. Push back into downward dog 9. Step forward with same leg into low lunge 10. Bring other leg up into forward fold 11. Inhale arms up 12. Exhale and come back into mountain pose with hands at heart

Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskara A)

1. Mountain pose 2. Inhale arms up 3. Exhale forward fold 4. Inhale halfway up 5. Step or jump back into chatarunga 6. Inhale into upward dog 7. Exhale into downward dog FOR 5 BREATHS 8. Step or jump to front of mat into half forward fold 9. Deepen your forward fold 10. Inhale arms up 11. Mountain pose

Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskara B)

1. Mountain pose 2. Inhale arms up and go into chair pose 3. Exhale down into forward fold 4. Inhale halfway up into half forward fold 5. Step or jump back into chatarunga 6. Inhale into upward dog 7. Push back into downward dog 8. Step RIGHT leg forward into warrior 1 9. Hands to ground and step back into chatarunga 10. Inhale into upward dog 11. Push back into downward dog 12. Step LEFT leg forward into warrior 1 13. Hands to ground and step back into chatarunga 14. Inhale into upward dog 15. Push back into downward dog 16. Step or jump to top of mat and go into half forward fold 17. Deepen your forward fold 18. Inhale arms up into chair pose 19. Mountain pose

Sun Salutation in Hindu

Surface Namaskar

When did the sun Salutation originate?

Traditionalists say that it is at least 2500 years old, skeptics say that it was invented in the earlier twentieth century.