Follow this super simple, yet very beneficial yoga flow known as Sun Salute A, or Surya Namaskar A in Sanskrit*.  The poses of Sun Salute A lengthen and strengthen many of your main muscles, relax the mind, and provide numerous other health benefits. Sun Salute A can be completed on its own, or incorporated into additional poses to elongate your practice.

Sun Salute A (Surya Namaskar A)

1. Start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Stand straight, with feet parallel. Straighten your shoulders and grow tall reaching up to the crown of your head while engaging the leg muscles and pressing the four corners of each foot into the mat.

2. Inhale and reach arms overhead into Extended Mountain (Utthita Hastasana).

3. Exhale into Forward Fold (Uttanasana) with hands to mat.

4. Inhale into Half Lift (Ardha Uttanasana) with finger tips on mat.

5. Exhale step back into Plank (Santolasana), lower knees to mat and then lower upper body to mat.

6. Inhale and lift upper body into Low Cobra (Urdha Mukha Svanasana).

7. Exhale and lift up and back into Down Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

8. Inhale and step forward into Half Lift (Ardha Uttanasana) with finger tips on mat.

9. Exhale into Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

10. Inhale and lift arms overhead into Extended Mountain (Utthita Hastasana)

11. Exhale and return to Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Stand straight, with feet parallel. Straighten your shoulders and grow tall reaching up to the crown of your head while engaging the leg muscles and pressing the four corners of each foot into the mat.

*Text inside parenthesis is Sanskrit name of the pose.