How to Practice Sun Salutations

Practicing Sun Salutations has the power to shift your energy and move you into alignment with your highest self, providing you with a greater wellbeing. This practice allows your body and breath to flow together to create inner and outer harmony.

Are you looking for a way to ground yourself and improve your mental and physical health? Then Sun Salutations could be a profound practice for you that can shift your energy and root you with the earth. 

The Sun Salutation practice is a simple set of movements, paired with breathwork, that can uplift your yoga practice, keep you grounded, create balance, and bring you a sense of peace. This practice is amazing for helping to create a healthy mind, body, and soul.

The Sun Salutations practice involves pairing a sequence of movements with specific breathing techniques. Together, your body and your breath can intentionally honor the sun through these salutations and bring you closer to inner peace and self-illumination. 

How to Practice Sun Salutations

To begin, get centered within yourself. As you begin the movements, remember to integrate your breathwork. Repeat this practice as many times as you feel able to do; it can take 10-15 minutes a day. Below, we’ve listed the movements and breathwork for you, as well as the traditional sanskrit name for each pose:

1. Prayer Pose (Pranamasana) - Inhale and Exhale

2. Mountain Pose (Tadasana) - Inhale 

3. Forward Fold (Uttanasana) - Exhale 

4. Half Forward Fold (Ardha Uttanasana) - Inhale 

5. Four-Limbed Staff (Chaturanga Dandasana) - Exhale 

6. Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) - Inhale 

7. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) - Exhale 

8. Half Forward Fold (Ardha Uttanasana) - Inhale 

9. Forward Fold (Uttanasana) - Exhale 

10. Mountain Pose (Tadasana) - Inhale and Exhale 

11. Upward Salute (Pranamasana) - Inhale 

We’ve created a reel for you that demonstrates the sun salutation practice! Check it out and begin this grounding practice today to increase your overall wellbeing.

Tips for Your Sun Salutation Practice

1. Be Mindful of the Breathwork

Try your best to pair your breath with the movements to get the most out of your practice! 

2. Take Breaks

The movements and breathwork are shifting your energy in new ways, so listen to your body and take a break if you need it.

3. Stay Dedicated

Try to remain consistent with your practice and do the Sun Salutations at least once a day. Repeat the practice several times during a session to get the most out of the movements and breathwork. 

4. Integrate Your Practice

Take a moment of silence before and after your sun salutations to integrate the practice and create harmony with it. 

Watch our Sun Salutation reel!