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Witchy Practice: Yoga Salutations

Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) ~

Starting your day with a good stretch, honoring the sun, and revitalizing your body and mind is an incredibly beneficial alternative to checking your social media or turning on the TV. Get outside and do a quick set of stretches that will get you pumped for the day!

• Mountain Pose- To begin, bring your hands together at your heart. This is a great time to set your intention. Inhale. Bring the arms out to the sides and up to the sky to join your palms above your head. Lift your gaze to your thumbs and slide your shoulders away from your ears.
• Forward Fold- Exhale. Release your arms to
   either side and forward bend over your legs to come into a forward bend. Place your fingertips in line with your toes. Flatten your palms if possible or tent your fingers. You can also bend the knees a little if that makes you more comfortable. Inhale.
• Plank Pose- Exhale. Plant your palms and step or jump back to a plank position. In plank, make sure your shoulders are over your wrists and your butt is neither sticking up nor drooping down. A straight line from the crown of your head to your heels is what you are going for. Take an inhale here.
• Superhero Pose-

  Exhale. Lower to your knees, chest, and chin. Put arms out in front of you, feet shoulder width apart and lift both arms and legs off the ground. Hold.

• Upward Dog/Cobra-

  Inhale. Come forward to a low cobra. Anchor your pelvis and the tops of your feet to the floor but try not to press into your hands as you come up into the backbend.

• Downward Dog- Exhale. Push back to downward facing dog. You can come through hands and knees on the way if necessary. Stay here a few breaths (or more) if you need to take a break. If you are going for a brisk pace, just stay one breath.
• Warrior Pose- Inhale. Step your right foot next to your right hand, then lift your torso with hands raised.
• Forward Fold- Exhale. Bring the left foot to join the right in standing forward bend. Inhale up to a flat back and then exhale back to Mountain Pose. End by bringing your hands together and lowering them back to your heart. 

Moon Salutations (Chandra Namaskara)~

• Mountain Pose- Begin the sequence standing in Mountain Pose. Inhale – Hook the thumbs of your outstretched arms as you raise them up over the head. This variation of Raised Arms Pose is a backbend, so reach the arms behind you mimicking the crescent shape of the moon.
• Standing Forward Bend- Exhale -let the arms swing down behind your back. Interlace your fingers behind the back and bring your hands over your head as you fold forward. (Not pictured in the bunny image but this is the correct next step in the sequence).
• Crescent Lunge- 

  Inhale – Release your interlaced hands as you swing the arms up next to your ears and step the right foot back to the end of your mat coming into a High Lunge.

• Downward Facing Dog- 

  Exhale – Drop the hands down in front of you as you step the left foot back behind you coming into Downward Facing Dog.

• Superhero Pose-  Inhale. Put arms out in front of you, feet shoulder width apart and lift both arms and legs off the ground. Hold.

• Upward Dog- Exhale and lower limbs placing your hands beneath your shoulders. Inhale. Lift your chest up into upward facing dog pose.
• Downward Dog- Exhale. Lifting your butt and keeping your back straight push back into downward dog.
• Crescent Lunge- Inhale. Step the right foot between your hands and bring the arms up next to your ears coming into a High Lunge Pose.

• Standing Forward Bend- 

  Exhale. Step the left foot forward to meet the right foot as you swing the arms down and interlace the fingers behind your back in a forward bend. (Again, not pictured)

• Raised Arms Pose- 

  Inhale – Release the hands from behind your back and hook the thumbs in front of you as you come up to stand. In a continuous movement, take the arms up and back behind you coming into backwards crescent stretch.

• Mountain Pose- 

  Exhale – Bring the arms back above your head as you return to Mountain Pose. 

Art by: Brian Russo