27 Groovy Sun Salutations

Namaste. So happy to be here with you today on the Summer Solstice. We're going to flow together through 27 Surya Namaskar seas, variation of the Sun Salute. So as we flow, just allowing ourselves to honor the energy of the Sun, the divine light that shines through all things, allowing it to inspire us to awaken that inner radiance. And if there's any particular intention that you want to offer, just setting a moment, taking a moment to set your intention for this practice that the Sun, the divine light illuminates this intention in your life. Beautiful. Okay, let's meet at the top of the mat. So feet either hip width or feet together as you like. Inhale, reach the arms up, palms together, gentle back up. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, look forward, flat back. Exhale, step back with the right foot, drop the knee. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, fold forward, lift, step back with the left leg, and then lower the knees down, lower the chest and the chin as you bend the elbows. Inhale, scoop the chest up, Cobra. Tuck the toes under, lift up into a downward dog, and then inhale, bring that right foot forward, let the left knee come down, and then inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, hands down, tuck the back toes under, step forward. Inhale, forward with a flat back. Exhale, folding head to knees, press down through the feet and rise up. Inhale, reaching tall, heart open. Exhale, hands down in front of the heart. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the left foot. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, hands down, step back, and lower the knees down, then the chest and the chin, elbows hug alongside the body. Inhale, Cobra. Exhale, downward dog, and then inhale, step forward with that left foot, release the right knee. Inhale, reach up, and exhale, hands down, stepping forward with the right foot. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, reach the arms all the way up. Exhale, hands at the heart. Find your breath. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the right foot, lower the right knee. This time we're going to keep the hands on the earth. Inhale, look up. Exhale, step back into plank, lower the knees down, tilt the tailbone up, chest and chin come down. Inhale, scoop the heart forward, Cobra. Tuck the toes under, lift up into downward dog, and then inhale, bring the right foot forward. Let the left knee soften down and gentle heart open, shoulders back. Lift the back knee, step forward, exhale. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, bending over. Press down through the feet, let light arms bring you all the way up, and exhale, hands down at the heart. Inhale, reach up. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the left foot, let the left knee drop down. Inhale, reach the arms up, feel the chest open. Exhale down, step back, plank, drop the knees down, tilt the tailbone up, chest and chin come down, scoop the heart forward. Inhale, Cobra. Tuck the toes under, step the left foot forward, drop the right knee. Inhale, reach the arms up, and exhale. Step forward with the right foot. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, fold forward, and inhale, reach the arms all the way up. Exhale, hands at the heart center. Take a breath in, and exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, step back with the right leg. Inhale, chest open. Exhale, step back into plank. This time lower down through Chaturanga, and you can either come into Cobra or Up Dog. Exhale back. Inhale, step the right foot forward, drop the left knee.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, forward. Inhale, reach tall, heart open. Exhale, hands down. Inhale, arms up. Exhale, forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the left foot. Inhale, chest opens. Exhale, step back, plank. Drop the knees, drop the chest and the chin. Inhale, scoop forward, Cobra. Exhale, downward dog. Inhale, step forward with the left. Chest opens. Exhale, right foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, folding forward, and then inhale up. Exhale, hands at the chest. Just rest the thumbs at the heart center. As you breathe in, connecting with the energy of the Sun. Breathing in that radiance, that light into the heart center. One more breath in. Inhale, shining that light through the heart. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the right foot. Drop the back knee and then inhale again. Feel the chest, heart opening, shining as you reach up. Exhale, hands down. Step back with the left foot. Lower the knees down, chest and chin down. Inhale, scoop the heart forward. Exhale, downward dog. Inhale, right foot forward. Let the hands come up, feeling the heart open. Exhale, hands down. Step the left foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, Uttanasana. Inhale, arms up. Exhale, hands at the heart center. One breath here.

Inhale, reach up. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the left foot. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, hands down. Step back, plank. Lower the knees. Let the chest and the chin come down. Inhale, cobra. Exhale, downward dog. Step forward with the left foot. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, hands down. Right foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, bending over. And inhale, reaching for the sun and drawing it down into your heart. Pausing here. Take a breath in. Exhale. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, forward, flat back. And exhale, let the right foot come back. We're going to just let the shoulders move back towards the hips. Inhale. Exhale, step back, plank. And either dropping the knees or if you feel like it coming down through Chaturanga, coming into cobra or up dog. Rolling over the toes, downward dog. Inhale, step that right foot forward. Let the heart open. Exhale, left foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, muttanasana. Inhale, reaching all the way up. Exhale, hands at the heart center. Find your breath. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the left foot. Inhale, let the heart open. Exhale, step back into plank. Either lowering onto the knees or down through Chaturanga. Scooping forward, either cobra or up dog. And exhale, downward dog. Step forward with the left foot. Inhale, chest open. And exhale, bring the right foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, uttanasana. And inhale, reach the arms up. Gentle back arch. Hands at the heart center. Rest the thumbs at the heart. Take a deep breath in. And exhale. As you breathe in, breathing in the energy of the sun, that divine illumination into the heart. Feel it radiating out on the exhale. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, lightly stepping back with the right foot. We're going to reach the arms up. Inhale, chest opens. Exhale, hands down. Stepping back into plank. Drop the knees. Tilt the tailbone, chest and chin down. Inhale, scoop forward into cobra. Tuck the toes under. Downward dog. And then inhale, step forward with the right foot. Drop the back knee. Inhale, arms up. Exhale, step forward with the left foot. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, uttanasana. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, rest the thumbs at the chest. Find the breath in the heart center. Inhale, up. Exhale, forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, back with the left foot. Drop the left knee. Inhale, reach for the sun. Let the heart open. Exhale, forward. Step back into plank. Down through your choice, perhaps chaturanga. Scoop forward into up dog or cobra. Downward dog. Inhale, step the left foot forward. Drop the right knee. And again, inhale, reaching for the sun. Exhale, down, step forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, uttanasana. Press down through the feet. Inhale, light arms bring you all the way up. Exhale, hands in front of the chest. Find the breath. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the right foot. Inhale, chest opens, shoulders back. Exhale, tuck the back toes under, plank. Drop the knees, tilt the tailbone, chest and chin down. Inhale, scoop into cobra. Downward dog. Inhale, step forward with the right foot. Let the chest open. Exhale, step forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, folding forward. And inhale, reaching all the way up. Exhale, down. Inhale, reach up. Exhale, forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the left. Drop the left knee. Just let the chest open. Inhale. Exhale, step back into plank. Lower the knees, chest and chin. Scoop into cobra or up dog. Downward dog. Exhale. Inhale, forward with the left foot. Drop the back knee. Heart open. Step forward and then inhale, flat back. Exhale, folding forward. Uttanasana. Inhale, reaching all the way up. And exhale, hands at the heart center. Deep breath in. Just finding one more deeper breath in. Exhaling.

Feeling your feet grounding down into the earth. Feeling the crown of the head reaching up to the sun. And feeling the heart radiant in the center. Offering that up. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the right foot. Inhale, reach the arms up. Belly draws in. Exhale, fold forward. Step back into plank. Lower down through either chaturanga or knees, chest, chin. Inhale, cobra or up dog. Downward dog. Inhale, right foot forward. Reach the arms up. Exhale, hands down. Step forward. Inhale, flat back. And folding forward. Inhale, reaching for the sun. Exhale, drawing it into the heart. One breath in. Inhale, reaching. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the left leg. Inhale, reaching up. Feel the heart open. Exhale, hands down. Step back. Lowering down onto the knees, chest, chin. Inhale, scoop forward into cobra. Downward dog. Inhale, forward with the left foot. And reaching with the hands. Exhale, step forward with the right foot. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, folding forward. Inhale, reaching all the way up. And exhale, hands at the heart center. Find the breath. One more breath in. Inhale, reaching for the sun. Exhale, bowing down to Surya, the sun god. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the right foot. Drop the right knee. Shoulders back. Exhale, step back into plank. Lowering down through your choice, perhaps Chaturanga. And up dog. Inhale. Exhale, downward dog. Inhale, step forward with the right foot. Heart opens. Exhale, step forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, folding over. And inhale, reaching tall. Exhale, hands at the heart. Inhale, reach up. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the left leg.

Inhale, chest opens. And exhale, step back into plank. Lowering down in whatever way you like. Perhaps knees, chest, chin. Inhale, scoop the heart. And exhale, downward dog. Inhale, step forward with the left foot. Drop the right knee. Chest opens. Exhale, step forward with the right foot. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, Uttanasana. Inhale, strong feet, light arms, open heart. And exhale, hands at the heart center. Find your breath. Again, as you breathe in, breathing in the light of the sun, igniting the heart center. As you exhale, radiating it out through your whole being. One more time. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the right foot. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, down. Plank. Lowering down. Scooping into up dog or cobra. Downward dog. Inhale, step forward with the right foot. Reach with the arms. Exhale, step forward with the left foot. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, Uttanasana. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, hands at the heart. One breath in. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale, step back with the left. Inhale, open. Exhale, step back. Plank. Lowering down. Inhale, chest open. Shoulders back. Exhale, downward dog. Inhale, left foot forward. Reaching the hands up. Exhale, step forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, bending over. Press down through the feet. Inhale, rise and greet the sun and draw it into your heart. Deep breath in and exhale. Breathing in. Exhaling. Whatever is being stirred up in you now. Just allowing the heat in the body to transform. And release. And open. Inhale, reach tall. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the right foot. Inhale, chest open. Exhale, plank. Lowering down. Inhale, up dog or cobra. Exhale, downward dog. Inhale, right foot forward. Chest open. Exhale, step forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, Uttanasana. Inhale, reaching all the way up. Exhale, hands at the heart. Inhale, reaching tall. Exhale, folding forward.

Inhale, flat back. Exhale, left leg back. Inhale, shoulders back, chest open. And exhale, stepping back. Lowering down. Inhale, arch. Exhale, downward dog. And then inhale, stepping forward with the left leg. Reaching the heart forward, shoulders back. Exhale, step forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, Uttanasana. And inhale, reaching tall. Exhale, hands at the heart center. Find your breath. Feel the feet on the earth, roots penetrating down into the earth. Crown of the head reaches up towards the sun. Inhale, reaching tall. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the right foot. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, hands down. Step back and lower. Inhale, exhale, downward dog. And inhale, step forward. Arms reach up, belly draws in. Exhale. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, Uttanasana. And inhale, opening towards the sun, drawing it into the heart center. Receiving the sun, deep breath in. Exhale. Inhale, reaching, opening. Exhale, bowing down. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the left leg. Inhale, reach the arms up, draw the belly in. And exhale, step back into plank. Lower down. Inhale, open. Exhale, downward dog. And inhale, step the left leg forward. Reach the arms up. And exhale, step the right foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, folding forward. And then press down through the feet. Let light arms bring you all the way up. Draw the sun into the heart. Inhale, exhale. So we just have a few more left. So just really feeling this inner radiance igniting with the breath, with the movement. One more breath in. Exhale. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, flat back. And exhale, step back with the right knee. Right foot. Inhale, chest opens. Exhale, step back. And lower down. Inhale, scoop the heart forward. Exhale, downward dog. Inhale, right foot forward. Shoulders back. Exhale, step the left foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, Uttanasana. Inhale, reaching tall. Hands at the heart center. Inhale, opening. Exhale, bowing down. Inhale, forward arch. Exhale, step back with the left foot. Inhale, chest open. Exhale, plank. Lower down. Inhale, scoop the heart forward.

Exhale, down dog. Inhale, left foot forward. And exhale, right foot forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, fold forward. And inhale, reaching all the way up. Exhale, hands at the heart center. Deep breath in. Exhale. So dropping into the heart center. Feeling the thumbs there in the center of the chest. Deep breath in. Exhale, radiating from the heart. Inhale, reaching tall. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, step back with the right foot. Inhale, reach tall. And exhale, hands down. Plank position. Lower the knees. Chest and chin. Inhale, scoop the heart forward. Down with dog as you exhale. Inhale, step the right foot forward. Drop the left knee. Let the arms reach up. And exhale, hands down. Step forward with the back foot. Inhale, flat back. Exhale, fold forward. And inhale, reaching all the way up. Drawing the sun down into the heart as you exhale. I'm just pausing here. Finding your breath in the heart center. Connecting the heart of the sun and the center of your heart with the breath. Feeling that inner radiance. Beautiful. One more breath in. Exhale. We're going to inhale, reach the arms up. Fold forward. And then just walk the feet out. Turn the toes out. Bend the knees. Let the hands come down in prayer position in front of the heart center. Just press the elbows back into the knees. Feel the heart open. Shoulders move back and down. Deep breath in. Exhale. Beautiful. And then you can just come down onto your sit bones and lie down onto your back. Just hug the knees into the chest. Gently wobble side to side. And letting the soles of the feet come down onto the earth. Inhale, reach the arms overhead and just let the knees come down to the right. Inhale, knees up to center. Exhale, knees over to the left. Inhale, knees up to center. Exhale, knees to the right. Inhale, knees up. Exhale, knees to the left. And then inhale, knees up to center. Hug them in one more time. Just wobbling, enjoying that feeling in the lower back. And then eventually just sliding the legs out flat. And you can let the whole body rest down. So the feet just relaxing, arms away from the body, palms face up. Deep breath in down into the belly. And exhale out through the mouth with a sigh. Just letting it all release. Melting into that inner sunlight. One more time. Deep breath in and exhale. Feeling this beautiful golden light emanating from your heart center, shining out through the whole body. Just allow yourself to soften and relax into that inner illumination.

As shoulders relax, jaw softens, bones heavy on the earth. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the right. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the right. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. Exhale, knees to the left. It's bringing the awareness back to the breath. Breathing down into the fingers and the toes. Finding some gentle movement with the fingers, with the toes, with the hands, with the feet.

Inhale, opening the body, reaching the arms overhead. Exhale, just letting the knees curl up and rolling onto your right side. One breath here. Pressing down with the left hand down into the earth, roll up. Let the head come up last and find a comfortable seated position.

Let the hands rest on the thighs, either palms up or down. Let the spine find its natural alignment. Deep breath in. Exhale, release the belly. Dropping into that inner light within the heart.

Letting it shine throughout the whole being. Hands find each other in front of the heart center. Deep breath in. Exhale and we'll finish with one om sound, so inhale for om. Om.

Happy solstice, namaste.