| The "Salute to the Sun" is a series of postures | | | | right angle with your left leg. Sink into your right hip and |
| designed to limber up, and tone and strengthen the | | | | look up. |
| body. It is a moving sequence made up of a | | | | 5. Bring your left leg to join your right leg so that you |
| combination of Yoga positions. | | | | are on "all fours"with your knees behind your ips. |
| The Salute to the Sun is also known as Surya | | | | 6. Exhale and lower your chest and forehead to the |
| Namaskar, from "Sun" and "Greeting" or "Salutation". | | | | ground so that you are lying flat on the ground. |
| The sequence of movements should be carried out in | | | | 7. Inhale and stretch forward and up, raising the front |
| a fluid manner, "flowing" from one position to the next. | | | | of your body up off the floor. |
| This will take some practice and familiarity with the | | | | 8. Exhale and lower your chest. Push up and back with |
| postures and positions, but the benefits are worth the | | | | your arms and raise your hips to form an inverted "V". |
| effort. The Salute to the Sun is an excellent warm-up | | | | 9. Inhale and bend your right leg, and lower your left leg |
| to other work, and will warm up the body and mind on | | | | to the ground, as in step 4 above. |
| its own. | | | | 10. Exhale and bring your left leg up as in step 3. |
| 1. Stand upright with spine extended, legs straight and | | | | 11. Inhale and reverse the move into position 2. |
| arms together. | | | | 12. Exhale, return to an upright "prayer" position, and |
| 2. Inhale, and raise and extend your arms over your | | | | salute the sun. |
| head and bend slightly backward. | | | | These 12 poses or postures are an excellent way to |
| 3. Exhale and reach your arms and fingers up and | | | | put your body through disciplined series of preliminary |
| forward. Bend forward from the hips and place your | | | | stretches. This can form a warm-up to other |
| hands flat on the ground, or as close as your can. | | | | exercises, or used on its own if you only have a short |
| 4. Inhale and place your right leg behind you, making a | | | | time to devote to your practice of Yoga. |