Sun Salutation B

Welcome to Sun Salutation B. Surya Namaskar B is going to build on everything that you've been practicing in Sun Salutation A and with the slightly more exaggerated and slightly more eccentric movements in B, you'll be able to really stretch the breath long and take on some more challenges in your ashtanga practice. So let's gather together at the top of the mat. In Samastitihi, feet together, the shoulders are rolled back and down. Exhale completely. And Ekam, inhale, bend your knees, keep your knees close together, touching, draw the hands forward, feel the tricep rolling forward towards the face. The hands meet together and the hands lift, your eyes gazing on the hands. Dway, exhale, folding forward, dropping the head down. Again, it may be that you need to bend the knees. Trini, inhale, lift the head, lengthen the spine, look forward. And then Chhatwari, exhale, stepping or jumping back, lowering down to whatever Chaturanga variation serves you best. Chhat, inhale, your way to upward facing dog or baby cobra variation with the elbows in and shoulders back. And Chhat, exhale, tucking the toes under, lifting to downward facing dog. Sapta, inhale, try to step your left heel down onto the mat and draw your right foot forward, taking extra breaths as you need to for now. With the right knee deeply bent, your next inhale will draw the hands up, seeing the thumbs meet together, tricep areas rolling forward to the face. And then Ashta, exhale, bring the hands down, pivot on the left root knuckle so your left heel comes up off the mat and step your right foot back, lowering down to any Chaturanga variation. Nava, your next inhale draws you to baby cobra or upward facing dog. Dasha, exhale, downward facing dog, lifting the hips to the back corner of the room. Ekadasa, inhale, riding on your right big toe mound, drop your right heel onto the mat and stepping through, draw the left foot forward in line so your heels stay in line. Your next inhalation will draw the hands up, triceps roll forward, see the thumbs meeting. And Dasha, exhale, the hands down where they were. Again, pivot on your right big toe mound, the root knuckle and draw your left foot back, lowering down to any Chaturanga Dandasana variation. Inhaling your way to upward facing dog, exhaling to your downward facing dog. And in this third and final down dog, you'll hold the position for five breaths. One, keep full deep, smooth breathing happening through the process. Two, three. Again, you're welcome to take knees bent if that helps you to lengthen the spine. Four, keeping the spine in line with the arms as the hip reaches back towards the back corner of the room. Five, panchavascha, inhaling, stepping the feet forward together. The head is lifted, the spine is long. Shorsha, exhale, folding forward, grounding the palms if you can. Saptarasa, inhale, deeply bending the knees, squeezing the knees together, raising the hands and seeing the thumbs. Exhale to samastitihi, straightening the legs, drawing the hands to the side. Your next inhale draws your knees together, bending, bringing the hands together, see your thumbs meet. And way, exhale, folding forward, dropping the head down. Trini, inhale, lengthen the spine, head up, look forward. And chatwadi, exhale, stepping or hopping down to chaturanga dandasana, trying to let every breath create a movement. Pancha, inhale, bring the chest forward to your upward facing dog. Shat, exhale, lifting the hips to downward facing dog. Sapta, inhale, stepping on the back, left heel, drawing the right foot forward with the heels in a line, keeping the right knee bent as you see the thumbs. And ashta, exhale, trying to stretch the breath really long so that the hands come down, the left foot comes back, perhaps all in one breath you arrive in chaturanga. Nava, inhale, a nice long, smooth, deep inhalation draws you to upward facing dog. Dasha, exhale, lifting the hips to downward facing dog. Ekadasha, inhaling, pivoting and stepping on the right heel, the left foot comes forward, heels in a line, see the hands lift together. And dvadasha, exhale, the hands down, the left foot back, chaturanga, taking extra breaths if you need to or triyogdisha, inhaling the chest forward through the shoulders to upward facing dog. Chaturgdisha, exhale to downward facing dog, lifting the hips to the back corner of the room. One, still breathing fully and deeply. Two, allowing the breath to be even and smooth. Three, every exhalation may draw the belly to the spine, keeping udiyana bandha. Four, and mula bandha as well throughout the entire practice. Five, panjyadasha, inhale, step or jump the feet forward, the head is lifted, spine is long, shursha, exhale, folding forward, drop the head. Saptarasha, inhale, bending your knees, squeezing knees together, see the hands meet together as they rise up. Exhale, stand up with straight legs and the hands go down to the side and samastitihi. Ekam, inhale, bend the knees, hands together as they lift. Dway, exhale, fold forward, drop the head. Trini, inhale, head up. Chaturgdhi, exhale, jumping or stepping back to chaturanga. Pancha, inhale, upward facing dog. Shat, exhale, downward facing dog. Sapta, inhale, the right foot forward, heels in a line, the hands come up, see thumbs. Ashta, exhale, the hands down, right foot back, chaturanga. Navayim, inhale, upward facing dog. Darshak, exhale, downward facing dog. Ekadasha, inhale, the left foot forward, heels in a line, see the hands lifting.

Dvaharsha, exhale, your way, chaturanga dandasana. Triyugdasha, inhale, the chest forward into upward facing dog. Chaturgdisha, exhale, downward facing dog. One, long, full, deep, smooth breath. Two, with the head dangling and the eyes just resting on it, any drishti. Three, you may be looking on your nose, your navel or your knee. Four, fingers and toes really spread. Five, banjarsha, inhaling, stepping or jumping, the feet forward together, head is lifted, spine is long. Shaurshah, exhale into a deep forward fold, perhaps the hands, palms grounding on the mat. Saptarsha, inhale, bend your knees, lifting the hands with knees bent, see your thumbs, and then exhale your way to straight legs in samastitihi position at the top of your mat. Ekam, inhale, bend the knees, arms up, see your thumbs. Dway, exhale, follow the breath forward, drop the head. Trini, inhale, head up, look forward, and chatwadi, exhale, step or jump, lower down to any chaturanga, banjarsha, inhale, upward facing dog, shara, exhale, downward facing dog, arriving in down dog, and then sapta, inhaling, the right foot forward, the hands come up, triceps still wrapping forward to the face with shoulders down, and ashta, exhale, the hands down, the right foot back, chaturanga, nava, inhale, upward facing dog, darsha, exhale, downward facing dog, nakadasa, inhale, the left foot forward, hands together and up, see your thumbs, dwarsha, exhale, chaturanga, dandasana, following your breath to arrive there, triyogdasa, inhale, upward facing, chaturgdasa, exhale, downward facing dog, one, long, smooth, full deep breathing, two, that continues through your entire practice, three, so even if you wind up behind the count or needing to take extra breath, that's fine, four, just keep breathing through the entire process, through the entire practice, five, pancharasha, inhale, step or hop the feet forward together, head up, shodhasha, exhale, and fold forward, drop the head, sapta, rascha, inhale, bend your knees, hands together, rising up, exhale, stand with straight legs, into samasthiti here, we'll do one more, ekam, inhale, bend the knees, arms up, dway, exhale, fold forward, trini, inhale, head up, chaturi, exhale, jump back, pancha, inhale, upward facing dog, shodh, exhale, downward facing dog, sapta, inhale, right foot forward, hands up, ashta, exhale, the hands down, chaturanga, nava, inhale, upward facing dog, dasha, exhale, downward facing dog, ekarsha, inhale, left foot forward, heels in line, see your thumbs, dway, dasha, exhale, the hands down, left foot back, chaturanga, triyog, dasha, inhale, upward facing dog, and chaturg, dasha, exhale, downward facing dog, one, ensuring that the breath is smooth and the bandha is engaged, two, three, hearing the sound of your own deep full breathing, four, and exhaling completely, five, pancha, dasha, inhale, step or hop the feet forward, head up, shodh, exhale, and fold, saptarh, inhale, bend your knees, keeping the shoulders down, see your thumbs, exhale, stand tall to samastitihi, wonderful, so you've been able to play around with some of the very important dynamics that occur in sun salutation b including the ability to stretch your breath long and take on more eccentric and involved movements inside your breath. Keep doing this practice and please be in touch with any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.