12 Steps of Sivananda Style Surya Namaskar / Sun Salutations
- Breathe naturally. Come in prayer pose,
- Inhale. Reach your arms up bending back gently. Hasta Uttanasana/Raised arms.
- Exhale. Bend forward from the hip bringing your abdomen closer to the thighs as close as possible, keeping the spine straight. Padahastasana/Hand to Foot.
- *Inhale. Keep palms to the side of your feet, and stretch your right leg back. Ashwa Sanchalanasana/ Equestrian Pose.
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- Retain the breath. Take the left leg back, balancing on palms and toes. Palms under the shoulder. Chaturang asana/ Plank.
- Exhale. Keep your knees on the floor, bending forward from the hips bring your chest and chin on the floor and keeping the hips off the ground. Ashtanga Namaskara/ Eight Point Salute.
- Inhale. Slide your body in front, straightening your legs without moving your toes, push your palms on the floor, lift your upper body up bending back from the lower back, navel on the floor, and looking up. Bhujangasana/ Cobra pose.
- Exhale. Tuck your toes in, take body weight on your palms, and lift your hips off the floor, hips pointing the sky, try keeping feet flat on the floor, forehead reaching the floor. Parvatasana/ Mountain pose.
- *Inhale. Bring your right leg front, placing the foot in between the palms. Ashwa Sanchalanasana/ Equestrian Pose.
- Exhale. Bring the other leg in front, body still bending forward from the hip. Padahastasana/Hand to Foot.
- Inhale. Raise your body up, arms reaching the sky, bending back from the hips. Uttanasana/Raised arms.
- Exhale. Arms by your side.
The above 12 steps complete half Sivananda Style Surya Namaskar. After the 12th step we need to repeat steps from 1 to 12. This time in step 4 take your left leg back and in step 9 bring your left leg front. The full round of 24 steps completes 1 Surya Namaskar.