1. Say a Little Prayer
To do sun salutation poses in Vinyasa yoga, begin in Tadasana as you face the sun. With feet together, lengthen the spine, reaching up through the crown and down through the feet. Place your hands together in prayer pose at your chest. Hold this position as you center yourself, find your slow, deep breath and become ready to move into the sun salutation.
2. Moving Forward
Inhale deeply and as you exhale lift your hands high overhead. Tuck your tailbone under and as you continue the exhale, lean backwards, stretching your arms as far behind you as you can comfortable. Hold for three to five deep breaths and come back up on an inhale, reaching up to the sky. Exhale and bend forward at the hips as you reach out with your hands and then drop into forward bend with your legs straight and hands resting on your feet. Hold for three to five deep breaths.
3. Stepping Back
On an exhale, either jump or step your feet back into high push-up. Your body should be in a straight line as you rest on your toes and lift through straight arms, hands directly below your shoulders. Hold for three to five deep breaths and then gently drop into low push up as you exhale. For low push-up, you are still resting on hands and toes; however, you should be hovering just a few inches off of the ground. If difficult, drop your knees and hold for three to five deep breaths.
4. Do the Dog
Continue the yoga sun salutation sequence with upward and downward dog. From low push-up, press into your hands and pull yourself forward slightly so that the tops of your feet drop to the mat. Push your upper body up and look towards the sky, keeping your legs just a few inches off of the mat if possible or resting your legs down if necessary. Hold for three to five deep breaths and then roll your toes under again and push into your hands on an exhale. Straighten your arms and lift your hips, dropping your head and chest towards your knees as you enter downward dog. Lift and lengthen from the hips, holding for three to five deep breaths.
5. The Cycle Continues
Complete and continue the vinyasa yoga sun salutation sequence by jumping or walking your feet forward between your hands as you exhale. Hold the forward bend once again for three and five deep breaths and then come to standing on an exhale, rolling your spine up one vertebrae at a time. Enter Tadasana with your hands in prayer position and repeat the sun salutation sequence three to six times; however, after the first set, remove the holds and flow gently from pose to pose following your inhalation and exhalation.
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