If you are looking to start or re-invigorate a home practice, it’s always a good idea to review common sequences. Most studio classes will include some form of Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations, and so taking the time to memorize the progression of poses will help you to relax when you encounter it during class. Start with the Half Sun Salutation sequence listed below. Try moving through each pose slowly, taking the time to fully enter and exit each asana – the spaces between the poses can be as liminal as the poses themselves! When you ‘arrive’ in a particular asana, see if you can find stillness in a comfortable stretch, breathing in and out while holding the posture. After a few breaths, you may or may not find extra stretch. Only do what your body allows you to do, and never strain past your personal edge.
Note: I am not a doctor, and this is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your physician before starting a yoga practice, and follow any contraindications given to you. Treat scar tissue with respect — if you can’t lift your arm above your head following a mastectomy, for example, feel free to keep your hand on your hip or in “goalpost position.” True yoga is never about trying to perform perfectly; rather, it means accepting our bodies as they are, today, and working within our daily limits.
Half Sun Salutations
Ardha Surya Namaskar
Pose sequence in English:
- Mountain Pose
- Arms raise to overhead – inhale
- Standing Forward Bend – exhale
- Half Standing Forward Bend – inhale
- Standing Forward Bend – exhale
- Come up to standing, arms overhead – inhale
- Hands to heart – exhale
Pose sequence in Sanskrit
- Stand in Tadasana
- Ardha Hastasana (inhale)
- Uttanasana (exhale)
- Ardha Uttanasana (inhale)
- Uttanasana (exhale)
- Ardha Hastasana (inhale)
- Anjali Mudra (exhale)
Alignment Points for Half Sun Salutations
When you bend forward into Standing Forward Bend, bring belly to thighs. Only straighten your legs as much as you can without the belly lifting. This protects the lower back.
When you come up into a Half Standing Forward Bend, straighten your back, your legs, and your arms. Do not put press your hands onto your knees – keep them above or below.
Variations on a Theme
In Ardha Hastasana, you might interlace your fingers, turning your palms to the sky. Pull the arms up while pressing your shoulders into their sockets.
Consider adding Chair Pose (Utkatasana) before moving into your forward bend. Consider adding it again before moving back into your second “arms overhead” position.
Yoga Cielo Stellato 