Sun Salutation B sequence with Breath
12 Apr 2023 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
Sun Salutation B or Surya Namaskar B is an advanced variation of the traditional 12-posture sequence of flowing movements. There are many different Sun Salutation variations, with Sun Salutations A, B, and C ranking among the most popular. Sun Salutation B features 19 poses that offer a full-body stretch that opens the heart, shoulders, hips, back, and chest, and a cardiovascular workout.
Sun Salutation B or Surya Namaskar B increases energy in the body, boosting overall vitality and preparing the body for more advanced poses. When you focus on the preceding breath to movement and flow gracefully from one pose to the next, you will move from practicing physical asanas to moving meditation.
The proper method to synchronize your breath to the movements of your body.
1. Utkatasana – Chair pose
Start in the mountain position, or Tadasana, at the front of your mat. To calm and be within yourself, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Inhale, squat your knees and raise your wrists so that your upper arms rest just above your ears. The knee should not cross the toe level but can be behind your toe level. Try to maintain soft shoulders, a long spine, and legs that don’t “overshoot” your toes. Bring your wrists in front of you while bending your elbows if your shoulders are tight. Gaze fix to your thumbs.
2. Uttanasana – Standing forward fold
Exhale, straighten your legs by pushing through your feet and sweep your body forward and downward while hunching at the hips. Maintain a long spine, move your shoulders away from your ears, and align your fingers with your toes. Bend your knees and put your fingertips on the ground or your hands on blocks if this is too challenging for your hamstrings. Gaze fix to your navel or tip of your nose.
3. Ardha Uttanasana – Half-standing forward fold
Taking a breath, extend your sternum forward until it touches your fingers. In order to avoid compression, maintain your neck long on the sides and back. Imagine the crown of your cranium and your sit bones as sources of opposing energy that radiates outward.
You could adjust by putting your palms on the tops of your thighs or shins.
4. Chaturanga Dandasana – Four-limbed staff pose / low press up
Deeply bending your knees will allow you to press your palms solidly into the ground. When you become an advanced practitioner, you can try it without bending your knees. As you exhale, engage your abdominal muscles to support your spine, focus your attention on a spot just in front of your toes, and jump back into Chaturanga Dandasana, sending your energy and sternum’s base towards this focal point. Land with your shoulders aligned with your forearms and your elbows bent. You have to engage your arms, shoulders, and core properly. Your elbows should be about 90 degrees, in this situation, forearms happen to be perpendicular to the ground.
5. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – Upward facing dog pose
Take a deep breath in, roll onto your toes, and push your sternum forward and upward until your chest passes through the opening between your upper arms. Draw the thighs away from the floor while pressing the tops of the feet, particularly the big toes, solidly into the ground. Try to engage the entire palm region and fingers, not only the heel of your hands. Lift the sternum and look upward while keeping the abdomen slightly engaged to safeguard the lower belly.
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward-facing dog
Exhale, Raise the belly in and up, and tightly press the palms together. Step over your toes or roll your hips up and back to balance on the balls of your feet with your feet hip distance apart. Press the tops of the thighs back while extending through the sit bones and the crown of the cranium. Instead of pressing your heel to the floor, try to lengthen your spine.
7. Virabhadrasana I – Warrior 1
Exhale, grip your palms tightly and draw your belly in and upward. Step over your toes or roll your hips up and back to balance on the balls of your feet with your feet hip distance apart, it can be zero distance as well. There should be a balanced weight on both legs. Press the tops of the thighs back while extending through the sit bones and the crown of the cranium. Instead of forcing your feet to the floor, try to lengthen your spine.
8. Chaturanga Dandasana
As you exhale, frame the right foot with your hands and return to Chaturanga. Make sure your shoulders don’t drop below the line where your arms are.
9. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana / Upward facing dog
Inhale and go ahead to Urdvha Mukha Svanasana / Upward facing dog pose.
10. Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward-facing dog
Exhale, then return to Adho Mukha Svanasana.
11. Virabhadrasana 1 Warrior 1 on the other side
Inhale, Step forward with your LEFT foot into Virabhadrasana from Adho Mukha Svanasana.
12. Move through Chaturanga
13. Urdvha Mukha Svanasana
14. Adho Mukha Svanasana; hold the pose for five deep breaths
15. Ardha Uttanasana – Half-standing forward fold
Deeply squat on your knees while gazing at your hands at the conclusion of the fifth breath. Hug your abdominal muscles in and up, then firmly push your palms into the ground. Keep your elbows slightly pliable as you rise onto the balls of your feet and hop or float to the top of your cushion. Inhale, returning to your fingers, take Ardha Uttansana, and extend your sternum forward once more.
16. Uttanasana – Standing forward fold
Exhale, Fold deeply, extending the back of your neck and vertebrae, and bringing your palms once more to the outside of your feet.
17. Utkatasana – Chair pose
Inhale, Take a deep breath in, flex your knees, and raise your arms back up towards the heavens. Keep your tailbone long and your neck’s sides open.
Exhale, straighten your legs by pressing into your feet and bring your hands together so that they rest at the base of your heart.
Take five lengthy, deep breaths while standing in Tadasana with your eyes closed. Then, repeat the process. Start with three to five cycles.