Microsoft Word - Ashtanga Surya Namaskara

The Practice of Surya Namaskara
By Paul Fox
A traditional Ashtanga Yoga class begins with the opening mantra and then
students are expected to launch straight into sun salutes (Surya = Sun;
Namaskara = Salutations).
In the West many teachers adjust the system slightly to incorporate a period for
preparing the body, for safety reasons and because we live in a cooler climate. In
the practice proper, the process of warming up the body continues through the
sun salutes A & B. A full practice means five sun salute As and five sun salute
Bs, taking around twenty minutes to practice. At the end of the Surya
Namasakara sequences, students are thoroughly warmed up, and may be
sweating profusely and struggling to maintain an even and steady breath.
Indeed, the practice of sun salutes at the start of the Ashtanga Yoga Primary
Series is the most physically demanding part of the whole practice in terms of
strength, stamina and aerobic demands on the body. For this reason is may be
necessary for you to build up your strength and stamina gradually by not forcing
yourself to do the full 5 and 5 right from the start. Surya Namaskara A should be
mastered first before moving on to Surya Namaskara B. A short practice might
include three As and two Bs.
So why are sun salutes so important? Surya Namaskara A & B contain all the
elements of the Ashtanga Yoga practice. You learn to synchronise breath and
movement, to incorporate bandha (core strength) into your practice and
experience the essence of Ashtanga Yoga, which is Vinyasa (coordinate breath-
movement system). In the sun salutes, all the theory of Ashtanga Yoga comes
together into a beautiful flowing practice. You are called to stand at the front of
your mat in the neutral standing position, Samasthitih, with feet together,
shoulders and arms relaxed, bandha on and ujjayi breath providing a steady and
even rhythm of breath. From there you are working towards flowing through the
9 or 17 positions of Surya Namaskara , and then returning to Samasthitih.
Uniquely in yoga, your teacher may count you through each Vinyasa of the
Primary Series. This is a traditional teaching technique which “drills” the students
so that they breathe and move in the correct manner. Counting is possible
because each and every vinyasa in the Primary Series has its own number and
this number always equals the number of moves necessary to get from
Samasthitih to the posture being taught and then back to Samasthitih. As the
neutral, starting position, Samasthitih does not have a number assigned to it and
can be considered to have a value of zero for the purposes of counting.
Counting provides a framework and discipline for the practice and encourages a
strong group energy which can help to carry people along in their own practice.
If you are being counted through the Sun Salutes, you will hear the following
numbers being called – usually in Sanskrit and English.
Sanskrit Counting
1. Ekam (Ay-kam)
2. Dve (Dway)
3. Trini (Treeny)
4. Chatvari (Cha-twary)
5. Panca (Pan-cha)
6. Shat (Shat)
7. Sapta (Sup-ta)
8. Ashtau (Ash-toe)
9. Nava (Nava)
10. Dasa (Desha)
11. Ekadasa (Eka-deshar)
12. Dvadasa (Dwar-deshar)
13. Trayodasa (Trayo-deshar)
14. Chaturdasa (Chatur-deshar)
15. Pancadasa (Pan-cha-deshar)
16. Sodasa (Show-deshar)
17. Saptadasa (Sup-ta-deshar)
Counting should follow the pattern of: number, breath (in or out), movement,
drishti (looking place) and any further instruction that may be necessary. For
example, sun salute A begins as follows: “Ekam One, inhale, reach up and look
thumbs”.
Of course, in both Surya Namaskara A & B there is one breath in each position
apart from the downward dog in position 6 of A and the downward dog in position
14 of B. These two postures are held for five breaths
Modifying Sun Salutes

If you have tight hamstrings you will be unable to have your hands flat on the
floor with legs straight in positions 2 and 8 of Surya Namaskara A and positions 2
and 16 of Surya Namaskara B. In that case it is better to bend the knees and
maintain contact with the floor through the hands. This earth connection
provides the correct and stable connection for the jump or step back – the next
move in the vinyasa. (If you have wrist or ankle/toe problems you will not be able
to jump the legs back, and should step back instead.) If you are jumping back
you should feel some weight being transferred from the feet to their hands in
position 3, so that the hands are the foundation for the jump back. In advanced
practitioners this jump back becomes like a mini handstand, with the body
“floating” to the next position on the out breath. The same advice applies to the
jump forward towards the end of both sun salute vinyasas.
Chaturangadandasana is performed in position 4 of Surya Namaskara A and
positions 4, 8 and 12 of Surya Namaskara B. The correct practice of
chaturangadandasana requires you to hold the whole of the body off the floor
with the hand supporting the weight of the front half of the body (elbows bent and
tucked into the side) and the toes (with toes tucked under) supporting the weight
of the back half of the body. At first this may be beyond you if you lack the
necessary strength in the arms. In that case, lower the knees to the floor and
then the chest floor until you have developed enough arm strength.
In the backbend position, or upward dog, (position 5 in sun salute A; positions 5,

9, and 13 in sun salute B) ensure that you do not lock the arms straight and lift
the hips off the floor (which puts too much strain on the lower back). Elbows
should be slightly bent and upper arms rolling outwards to enable the shoulders
to relax and stay open, creating space for the back bend.

Microsoft Word - Ashtanga Surya Namaskara

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Microsoft Word - Ashtanga Surya Namaskara

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Microsoft Word - Ashtanga Surya Namaskara

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Practice of Surya Namaskara

Modifying Sun Salutes

In the backbend position, or upward dog, (position 5 in sun salute A; positions 5,

You might also like