Tips & Guidelines

Important note: If you are pregnant, menstruating or have any structural injury/weakness it is recommended that you consult a doctor or qualified yoga teacher before doing Sun Salutes.

The Sun Salute Postures are best done at least 15 minutes prior to or 1 hour after meals.

Please see the diagram for correct illustrations of each posture/full cycle.

• Go slowly (let your natural breath rate control pace)

• Breath deeply but naturally – nasal breathing best

• Let your awareness go to the muscles being stretched

• Move into every posture slowly, taking the stretch to its comfortable limit

• If you are distracted, try performing the routine with your eyes closed

• Rest after each cycle if required

Key Points to Remember

1. Let your knees be supple or slightly bent in postures 3 and 10.

2. During the first cycle of the set, move your left leg back in posture 4 and move your right leg forward in posture 9. During the second cycle of the set, move your right leg back in posture 4 and move your left leg forward in posture 9.

3. In posture 7 focus on using the muscles of your back to pull yourself off the ground as opposed to using your arm strength.

4. Posture 6 is held momentarily as your breath is temporarily suspended until you move into the Inhalation to begin posture 7.

5. Move into each posture in a slow, controlled manner to the point of maximal comfortable stretch.

6. Inhale and exhale maximally, completely filling and emptying your lungs with each breath. Finish each posture as you finish each breathe.

7. Try to breathe through your nose only.

8. If exercising, the Sun Salute Routine is recommended only after exercising. The reason for this is that it has been shown to be a very powerful technique for releasing stress and purifying the body and if used before activity can give rise to a feeling of roughness or discomfort during activity.

9. Don’t rush. Enjoy the experience of combining slow deep comfortable breathing with activity, and let your breathing dictate the pace of moving from one posture to the next.

10. After completing your last cycle, lie down on your back, with your arms at your sides – palms facing up – eyes closed – for 1- 2 minutes.