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I know I said that Surya Namaskar A is my favorite of the sun salutations (and it is!), but Surya Namaskar B has been growing on me lately. The info under ‘Meaning’ and ‘What is it?’ cover some basic info about sun salutations that’s repeated from my post on Surya Namaskar A; if you caught that post and want to skip ahead, you can scroll down to ‘Surya Namaskar B’.
Meaning
Surya Namaskar means Sun Salutation: Surya = sun; Namaskar = salutation. Although this translation doesn’t really do it justice. The word ‘salutation’ feels quite formal and stuffy.
Namaskar means ‘to bow’- to recognize with your whole being. You reach up towards the sun and then bow forward to the earth; there is meaning in this movement that goes beyond what the word ‘salutation’ implies.
The sun literally gives life to all things on earth – it may be the closest thing to ‘god’ that we can tangibly see. Without getting too ‘woo-woo’, I invite you to think about the life-giving power of the sun the next time you practice Surya Namaskar.
What is it?
Sun Salutations are an ancient sequence of movements intended to express gratitude to the sun. They are also a key part of the vinyasa yoga practice. As a sun worshipper myself, it comes as no surprise that I love them!
Sun Salutations are the classic yoga warm-up sequences, linking flowing movement to deep breathing. They stretch the entire front and back of the body, and they build strength. They’re great for warming up for any class, and they consist of many foundational postures that are useful for students of all levels. They do it all!
Surya Namaskar B
In a previous post we broke down Surya Namaskar A, so in this post, we’ll be breaking down Surya Namaskar B, which is a little more complex than Surya A and also builds a bit more heat.
In the ‘Highlight On…’ series, we’ve already covered all of the essential postures for Sun Salutation B, so let’s get into it!
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1. Begin in Tadasana, Mountain Pose, taking a few breaths to feel grounded, connecting with the earth:
3. Exhale, fold forward into Uttanasana, Forward Fold:
5. Exhale, hands to the ground, step back into Plank Pose: Inhale in plank
7. Inhale, straighten arms & open chest into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Upward Facing Dog:
9. Inhale, step the right foot forward and come into Virabhadrasana I, Warrior I:
11. Exhale, Chaturanga:
13. Exhale, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog:
15. Exhale, step back into Plank Pose: Inhale in plank
17. Inhale, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Upward Facing Dog
19. Inhale, Ardha Uttanasana, Half Lift:
21: Inhale, Utkatasana, Chair Pose:
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2. Inhale, bend the knees deeply, keep torso lifted, lift arms. Utkatasana, Chair Pose:
4. Inhale, lift the gaze & lengthen the spine into Ardha Uttanasana, Half Lift:
6. Exhale, lower half way into Chaturanga Dandasana:
8. Exhale, press the hips up and back into Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog:
10. Exhale, step back into Plank Pose: Inhale in plank
12. Inhale, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Upward Facing Dog:
14. Inhale, step the left foot forward into Virabhadrasana I, Warrior I:
16. Exhale, Chaturanga:
18. Exhale, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog:Take a few breaths in Downward Facing Dog, then step up to the top of the mat.
20. Exhale, Uttanasana, Forward Fold:
22. Exhale, straighten the legs and stand in Tadasana, Mountain Pose:
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Let’s Practice!
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Hopefully, this post and video have helped you to feel more prepared for encountering Surya Namaskar B in a class, or if you’d like to practice it at home!
Happy sun saluting!
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