The sun salutation is a specific routine that is included in any other yoga routine. Just doing the sun salutation takes ten to fifteen minutes. It's a great stress reliever!
Stand up straight. Inhale, lifting your arms over your head. Hold them over your head for a moment, breathing in and out. Lower your hands to prayer position.
Inhale again, lifting your arms over your head once more. This time arch your back and lean backwards, holding your hands together over your head. Let your neck rest back, so you're looking at the ceiling.
Next, reach upwards and then fold your body in half. Just let yourself hang, with your fingers touching the floor.
Lower yourself to the floor. Your right foot should be even with both hands. Your left foot should be stretched out behind you in a runner's stretch.
Bring your right foot back to your left foot so that you are in push up position. Hold this for as long as you can.
Slowly lower yourself to the floor. Rest your forehead on the floor, and breathe in and out.
Lift your upper body off the floor so that you are leaning backwards. There are three forms of this position - the neck just off the ground, the upper body partially raised and the neck back, and the upper body arched and the neck back. This is called the cobra.
Lower yourself back to the floor. Spread your legs slightly, and push them up so that you are bent in half in a triangle like position. This is called a downward facing dog.
Put your left right back with your left foot even with your hands in a runner's stretch again.
Slowly stand up so that you are bending over in half again.
Slowly stand up and breathe in, lifting your hands to the ceiling, lowering them in prayer position.
That's the sun salutation. Are you ready to move on to some other positions?
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