I’ve been thinking about the Sun Salutations a lot lately and it has occurred to me that more than a group of postures, which is how it is often spoken about, it may be better to describe it as a type of pranayama (breathing exercise). By recognizing our breath in the sun salutation we may begin to recognize our breath in other movements during our day.

At first it is important to find the poses that make up the sun salutation and discover their forms and our alignment within them. As beginners we are often concerned with the  mechanics of the sequence. Once that is established however, we can let go of the form, knowing our body will find the flow, and focus on our breathing.

When we breathe in the sun salutations, more so than in most other postures because we’re in constant movement, we are truly practising a meditation in motion. Staying connected to the inhalation and the exhalation will bring us present inside of our bodies.

This is wonderful practice for being present in our lives as we are often in continual movement throughout the day, even though we may have a relatively stagnant position. By paying closer attention to our larger movements in the sun salutations we may become more aware of the smaller movements we’re making all the time during the day. We may notice that in some moments we are able to be present, waking up to the little treasures surrounding us all the time.

Copyright 2007 Jamine Ackert

Image Copyright Kripalu Center