Surya Namaskara

STEP 1 - EXHALE
Stand up straight, keep rooting your feet firmly onto the mat, both arms at the side, alive and energise, palms facing inward. Pull the top of your shoulders back and relax them. Keep your head centered and your neck neutral. Be aware of the spine, especially lower lumber, remember to tilt the pelvis. Feel the abs.
Exhale and bring your hands to the heart center, in the middle of the chest, pressing the palms together.

STEP 2 - INHALE
Inhale slowly, raise the hands up until upper arms are next the ears or behind the line of the ears. No tension to the shoulder, lift torso forward with a straight spine, hinging at your hips, reaching up to the ceiling.
The legs should be firm and straight.

STEP 3 - EXHALE
Exhale slowly and swan dive forward with a straight spine, hinging at your hips.

Your arms sweep down sideways, stopping when your fingers reach the mat on either side of your feet or the lowest allowed by your body. Ideally, palms should be flat on the mat, if possible.

Focus on drawing the crown of your head down toward the mat. Feel the stretch the back of the legs and lower back.
Thumbs are next to the baby toes, spread the fingers with middle finger pointing forward.

STEP 4 – INHALE
Inhale slowly, without moving your hands, pressing both palms onto the mat (bend the knees, if required), stretch the right leg backward to maximum, on the toes. Drop the right knee on the mat, point the right toes, soften the right hip (hamstring), slowly stretch the head up and gently lift the palms off the mat, until only fingertips touching the mat.
Front knee and ankle are in one straight line.

STEP 5 – HOLD THE BREATH
As you hold your breath, tuck in the right toes, straighten the right knee and lift if off the mat, lunch the left leg (front leg) to the back, next to the right leg.

Both hands directly under your shoulders, stacking shoulders, elbows and wrists in one vertical line. Shoulder blades are spiralling down your back, away from your ears and tailbone is scooping down toward your heels. Engage the quads and lift the front of your thighs, lift your belly to your spine.

STEP 6 – EXHALE
Rotate the elbows facing the back, tucked both arms close (elbows point to the back) to torso and squeeze inner thighs, press toes down to the mat, exhale slowly ; bend elbows and lowered face and chest toward the mat.

Do not crunch the neck and upper back by allowing the mid-torso to sag.

STEP 7 - INHALE
Inhale slowly, pressed the toes and knees onto the mat and gently move chest and head forward. Keep elbows pointing to the back, tucked in both arms closed to the torso. Let your navel and thighs come down to the mat, pressing the toe nails down onto the mat, straighten the knees.
DO not look up, your view should about 10 – 20 inches infront. Maintain and lengthen the spine as ONE. Feel the stretch at the lower abs as well as ‘good’ stretch at lower lumber.

STEP 8 - EXHALE
In this step, exhale, press both palms onto the mat, shoulders relax, tucked in the toes, bend the knees, and bring the head and chest down; slowly raise the hips up. You are in an inverted V.
Both spine and legs are straight.

STEP 9 - INHALE
Inhale and by pressing both palms firmly on the mat, launch the right foot forward, next to the right palm; if not possible, drop the let knee on the mat and then walk the right foot slowly until baby toe is next to the thumb.

Drop the left knee on the mat, point the left toes, soften the left hip, slowly stretch the head up and gently lift the palms off the mat, until only fingertips touching the mat. Lengthen the spine.
Front knee and ankle are in one straight line.

STEP 10 – EXHALE
Exhale and bring the left foot forward next to right foot, straight spine, hinging at your hips.

Hands either side of your feet or the lowest allowed by your body. Ideally, palms should be flat on the mat, if possible.

Focus on drawing the crown of your head down toward the mat. Feel the stretch the back of the legs and lower back.

Thumbs are next to the baby toes, spread the fingers with middle finger pointing forward.

STEP 11 - INHALE
Inhale slowly, upper arms next to the ear or behind the line of the ears, lift torso forward with a straight spine, no tension to the shouler, hinging at your hips, reaching up to the ceiling.

STEP 12 – EXHALE
Exhale and slowly lower both arms back to step 1.