Honoring Sun Salutes: Why are these simple movements such an important part of our yoga practice?

“The sun shines not on us, but within us.” John Muir (1838-1914)

With the Summer Solstice only weeks away, and with a little inspiration from the profound words of American naturalist and conservationist John Muir, I thought it appropriate to dive into the practice of Sun Salutations and learn more about why they are such an integral part of vinyasa yoga practice.

Sun Salutations are typically the first sequences that we perform during class. Because we are so familiar with them, it is easy to move through them mindlessly, taking them for granted. But if we do this, we short change ourselves and miss out on their numerous far-reaching benefits.

Considered to be dynamic stretching, or stretching as you are moving, Sun Salutations are an excellent way to progressively warm up the major muscle groups and joints in the body. They aid us in building heat and energy, so that as the intensity and range of motion in our movements increase, there is already adequate blood flow and oxygen to the areas of the body that we want to work, which ultimately helps prevent injury. In addition to this, the transitions and postures performed have functional cross over to many of our daily activities (ie. lowering down or getting up from a seated position, bending down to pick something up, and reaching overhead to get something off of a shelf). Because of this, Sun Salutations are ideal for performing not only at the beginning of yoga class, but also as a dynamic warm-up before a strength training session or as a stand-alone morning mobility exercise before you begin your busy day.

The beauty of the Sun Salutes is in their simplicity. A simple movement with breath connection and intention, is far more effective and meaningful than a complex movement or posture that is disconnected. Movement with intention is when the mind begins to turn off worry, doubt and anxiety and turn on passion and fire, activating the “sun within us.” When we begin to practice our movement with this in mind, recognizing that the same heat and energy that burns brightly in our sun is also found within, we are able to comprehend our true potential. We begin to realize that we will only burn as brightly as we allow ourselves to.

So the next time you find yourself at the beginning of class moving through a Sun Salutation with your mind wandering to the future with anticipation and excitement for some of the more advanced poses in your practice, I challenge you to bring your thoughts and intention back to the present moment to ignite the fire within, unleash your true potential and truly appreciate how powerful these simple movements can be for yogis, athletes and peace seekers alike.

To see just how anatomically all-encompassing these movements and postures truly are, please refer to the table below.