27 Super Sun Salutations

Namaste and happy summer solstice. The longest day of the year is a magical time to practice in honor of the sun and to connect to the solar energies. So today we will play with the rhythm and repetition of sun salutations. So we will begin with a little bit more instruction and then start to step away and just move with the breath and the pose. So that way we'll be getting out of the mind and more into the heart center so we can be really present.

We'll start with nine surinamaskaras, then move into nine more traditional surinamaskarabhis and then I'll add a little bit of flavor of some playful surinamaskarabhis. So this practice can be turned up and it can be softened at any time. If you're one that has more fire and you want to add the chaturangas, you want to add the handstands, please do, safely. And if you want to soften it, take child's pose or simply take out chaturanga, take out the upward facing dogs, those connector pieces in between and just make it your own, right? So that tends to be the bread of the practice, you know, the bread of the meal so we can start to fill up too fast.

So take your time, enjoy, and join me at the top of the mat. So starting with feet can either be together or gapped, finding your place, hands at heart and anjali mudra. And just taking a few moments to ground to settle and setting an intention as we embark on the summer solstice. It's the window door opening into the second part of the year. Inhale, taking the arms up overhead, arms can be shoulder distance apart or palms can press.

Exhale, folding forward again with your own flavor, either hands through heart center or taking them wide. Inhale, come halfway up to start stepping the feet back, moving through plank pose, exhaling, lowering down, either straight down or knees. Inhale, low cobra. On an exhale, pressing back either knees or through plank to downward facing dog and in between each, we'll just take three rounds of breath. Connecting to the base of the pointer fingers, the base of the inner wrist.

Completing your exhale, step the feet forward for the first one, just walk nice and slow. As you arrive, inhale, come halfway up, lengthen through the spine, exhale, fold. Root through the feet, inhale, rise up again, arms can be shoulder distance or palms press. Exhale, returning right back to anjali mudra. Inhale, sweep the arms up.

Exhale, fold forward, uttanasana. Inhale, halfway long spine, place the palms stepping back, plank pose, lowering down either knees or straight line. Inhale, low cobra, press the tops of the feet, lengthen through the spine, exhale, release. Curl the toes up, either coming knees or straight back up, downward facing dog. Three rounds of breath.

Press through the inner thighs, press through the outer thighs, equally pressing. Complete your exhale, step the feet forward again, either walking or just take one giant step. Inhale, lift, exhale, fold. Root to rise, inhale, coming up. Exhale, hands to the heart.

Inhale, arms. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, lengthen, place the palms step back, plank to the floor or chaturanga, your choice. Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing dog.

Lengthening through the spine, reconnecting to the breath each time you come back to downward facing dog. Complete your exhale, step, walk the feet forward, inhale, lengthen, exhale, fold. Root to rise, inhale, coming up. Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, sweep the arms.

Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, your choice, stepping, hopping back softly, if you're hopping, land with elbows bent. Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing. Feel the spin of the inner upper arms coming forward, outer arms back.

Complete your exhale, step or hop the feet forward, if you're hopping, bend the knees nice and light. Inhale, exhale, fold. Rooting, inhale, rise. Exhale, hands to the heart. So as we progress, inhale, you choose your path.

Exhale, fold. Inhale, lengthen. Place the palms. I'm going to choose to keep going. Chaturanga.

Inhale, upward, take a full breath. Exhale, back, downward facing dog. Soften through the knees, take the gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold. Strong base, light through the knees, inhale, rise up.

Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale. Exhale, fold. Inhale, lengthen. Place the hands stepping or hop.

Inhale. Exhale, press back, downward facing dog. And reconnect to the breath, smooth, steady. Complete your exhale, soften through the knees, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold it in.

Inhale, rise up. Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, sweep the arms up. Exhale, folding forward, uttanasana. Inhale, long spine.

Plant the hands, chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukasvanasana. Exhale back, urdvamukasvanasana. Soften through the knees, take the gaze forward, stepping or hopping. Inhale, halfway.

Exhale, fold. Inhale, rising up. Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, arms lift. Exhale, fold forward, uttanasana. Inhale, place the palms, step or hop.

Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward facing. Complete your exhale. Soften the knees, take the gaze forward. Inhale, exhale, fold.

Root through the feet, inhale, rise up. Exhale, hands to the heart. One more, surinamaskara A. Inhale, exhale, uttanasana. Inhale, long spine.

Palms press, step or hop. Chaturanga or the floor. Inhale, exhale, back, downward facing. And three breaths. Complete your exhale.

Soften the knees, take the gaze forward, stepping or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold. Root through the feet, inhale, rise up. Urva hastasana, exhale, hands to the heart. Good.

Before we move into the next set of nine, just taking a few breaths here to reset, refocus, reconnect. On your next inhale, rising up, uttanasana, chair pose. Exhale, folding forward, uttanasana. Plant the hands, stepping or hopping back, chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha.

Exhale, back, adho mukha. On an inhale, bring the right foot forward, left foot turns out, warrior one, the itabajasana A. Exhale, hands come down to frame the front foot, chaturanga. Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward.

Inhale, left foot forward, right foot turns out, warrior one. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale, back and pause.

So remembering any time you can come into child's pose, you can turn this up, you can turn this down and soften it. Soften the knees, take the gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, hands to the heart center.

Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, uttanasana. Inhale, lengthen, chaturanga on an exhale. Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward.

Inhale, right foot forward, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward. Exhale, downward. Inhale, left foot forward, warrior one.

Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. As we get tired, don't let the shoulders dip below the elbows. Inhale. Exhale, back.

Good, pause. Soften through the knees, take the gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale. Exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana.

Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, fold. Inhale, lengthen, chaturanga. Inhale.

Exhale, back, downward facing. On an inhale, right foot forward, warrior one. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale.

Exhale, back. Inhale, left foot, warrior one. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga is still trying to use your core to slow it down. Inhale, exhale, back.

Three breaths and pause. Soften through the knees, gaze forward. Inhale, come halfway up. Exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana.

Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, halfway, place the palms, chaturanga. Inhale.

Exhale, back. Inhale, right foot forward. Rise up, one breath. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, left foot, warrior one. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale.

Exhale, back and pause. So each time you come back to Downward Facing Dog, you can either find complete stillness or you can find a little bit of shift, letting the energy flow, a little bit of movement. Complete your exhale, soften the knees, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana.

Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale. Exhale, fold. Inhale, lengthen. Place the palms, chaturanga.

Inhale. Exhale, back. Inhale, right foot forward, warrior one, one big breath. Exhale, hands down to frame the front foot, step it back. Inhale, urdvamukha.

Exhale, back, adamukha. Inhale, left foot forward. Right foot turns out. Exhale, hands down, frame the front foot, chaturanga. Inhale, upward facing.

Exhale, back, downward facing. Three breaths. Soften the knees, take the gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale. Exhale, fold.

Inhale, uttanasana. Hands to heart. Inhale, chair pose. Exhale, fold, uttanasana. Inhale.

Palms pressed, chaturanga, step or hop. Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, right foot forward, left foot turns out, warrior one. Exhale, hands down, chaturanga.

Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward. Inhale, left foot forward, right foot turns out, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward.

Exhale, back, downward. So remember, any time you can turn it up, you can turn it down, and just because you've done something the time before, doesn't mean you have to keep doing it. Nice. Complete your exhale. Soften the knees, step or hop. Inhale.

Exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale, chair. Exhale, fold.

Inhale. Place the palms, step or hop. Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, right foot forward, left foot turns out, warrior one.

Exhale, hands down, chaturanga, or the floor. Inhale. Exhale, back. Inhale, left foot forward. Sweep the arms.

Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha. Exhale, back, urdvamukha. Soften the knees, take a gaze forward, lightly step or hop. Inhale.

Exhale, fold. Inhale, rise, uttanasana. Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, fold forward.

Inhale, lengthen. Palms press, step or hop. Inhale. Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, right foot, warrior one.

Full breath, using the entire breath. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale, back. Inhale, left foot forward.

Rise up, warrior one. Palms down, chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale, back and pause. Soften the knees, take a gaze forward, walk or hop.

Inhale. Exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, hands to heart and pause. One more, sorry, namaskara B.

Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, lengthen. Palms press, step or hop. Inhale, upward or low cobra.

Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, right foot forward, warrior one. Exhale, hands down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward.

Inhale, left foot forward, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, adho mukha. Full exhale, soften the knees, take the gaze forward.

On your inhale, lengthen. Exhale, fold. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, hands to heart and pause. Moving into our last set of nine variations of surinamaskara B.

So again, remember that you can always soften these, and I'll introduce a little variation, a way to get into them. Inhale, uttanasana. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, halfway. Place the palms, step or hop back.

Chaturanga. Inhale, upward facing. Exhale, back, downward facing. On an inhale, take the right leg high. And I like to step the left foot in a little bit.

Take a full exhale. We're going to hop our left foot all the way forward, so it might be lots of little hops, 2,000 hops forward or one. Exhale, step back, inhale, rise up, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward or low cobra.

Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, left leg lifts. Take those hops forward, as if you're going into standing split. Exhale, back, warrior one. The inhale's a lift.

Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward facing. So as we progress, you can stay with those little hops, or you can shift forward to standing split, maybe catching a little bit of a hover. Complete your exhale, soften the knees, step or hop.

Inhale, exhale, fold. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, fold.

Inhale, lift. Place the palms, chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha. Exhale, back, arumukha. Inhale, take the right leg high.

Step or hop the left foot forward. Soften the right foot down. Inhale, warrior one. Exhale, hands down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward.

Exhale, back. Inhale, left leg lift. Take a full exhale. Inhale, hop forward. Step on back.

Inhale, warrior one. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale, exhale, back and pause. Soften the knees, take the gaze forward.

Step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale, utkatasana.

Exhale, fold. Inhale, rise. Place the palms, chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha. Exhale, back, arumukha.

Inhale, right leg lift. Next, inhale, left foot hops. Soften the foot down. Inhale, warrior one. Exhale, palms down.

Chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale, back. Left leg lift. Full exhale.

Inhale, step or hop. Exhale, back. Inhale, rise. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga, strong line.

Inhale. Exhale, back. Good. Three rounds of breath. Soften your knees. Take your gaze forward.

Step or hop. Inhale. Exhale, fold. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to heart.

Inhale, chair. Exhale, fold. Inhale. Soft step or hop. Chaturanga.

Inhale, upward. Exhale, back. Downward facing. On an inhale, right leg lifts. Step or hop, left foot forward.

Right foot down. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale, back.

Left foot lift. Full exhale. Inhale, right foot hops. Left foot steps back on an inhale, rise up. Exhale, palms down.

Inhale, upward facing. Exhale, back, downward facing. Soften the knees. Take the gaze forward. Step or hop.

Inhale. Exhale, fold. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale, utkatasana.

Exhale, uttanasana. Inhale, halfway. Chaturanga on the exhale. Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing.

Right leg lifts on the inhale. Step or hop, the left foot. Exhale, right foot down. Warrior one on the inhale. Exhale, chaturanga.

Inhale. Exhale, back. Left leg lifts on the inhale. Step or hop, right foot forward. Left foot down, inhale.

Warrior one. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale, back and pause.

Three rounds of breath. Nice, full exhale, soften the knees, gaze forward. Inhale, halfway. Exhale, fold. Inhale, utkatasana.

Exhale, hands to heart. Inhale, chair. Exhale, fold. Inhale, lengthen. Palms press, step or hop.

Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, right leg lifts. Step or hop, left foot forward. Right foot lowers down, arms sweep up.

Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha. Exhale, back, downward your inhale. Left leg lifts.

Step or hop, right foot forward. Left foot down, arms sweep up, big breath. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha.

Exhale, back, downward facing and pause. Soften the knees, take the gaze forward. Step or hop. Inhale. Exhale, fold.

Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, fold, uttanasana. Inhale, lengthen.

Palms press, step or hop. Inhale, urdvamukha. Exhale, back, arumukha. Inhale, right leg lifts. Take that full exhale.

Inhale, left foot hops. Right foot lowers in the exhale. Inhale, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward urdvamukha.

Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, left foot lifts. Full exhale. Inhale, right foot forward. Lower the back leg, inhale, rise up, warrior one.

Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward facing. Soften the knees, take the gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold.

Bend the knees, inhale, rise up, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to the heart. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, folding forward. Inhale, rise up halfway.

Palms press, step or hop. Inhale, upward or low cobra. Exhale, back, downward facing. On an inhale, right leg lifts. Full exhale, step or hop, left foot forward.

Soften the back foot down, inhale, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, urdvamukha. Exhale, back, downward facing. On your inhale, left leg lifts, full exhale.

Inhale, right foot forward. Left foot steps. On the inhale, rise up. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward, take the full breath.

Exhale, back, downward facing. Three more breaths. Full complete exhale. Soften the knees, gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold.

Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to the heart. One more time through. Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, fold forward.

Inhale, lengthen. Place the palms, chaturanga or the floor. Inhale, upward or cobra. Exhaling, back, downward facing. Inhale, right leg lifts, full exhale.

Step or hop the left foot forward. Soften the right foot down. Inhale, rise up, warrior one. Exhale, palms down, chaturanga. Inhale, upward.

Exhale, back, downward. Inhale, left leg lifts, full exhale. Inhale, right foot hops. Left foot down, inhale, rise up, warrior one. Exhale, palms either stepping back, chaturanga.

Inhale, upward. Exhale, back, downward. Three breaths. Soften your knees, take the gaze forward, step or hop. Inhale, exhale, fold.

Inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, hands to the heart. And just pause. Just feeling your breath rate. Feeling your heart rate.

Very slowly, release the hands down. Just take the arms up on an inhale. Exhale, fold forward, soften the knees. Inhale, lengthen through the spine. And softly just step back right into downward facing dog.

It's the last downward facing dog of the practice. Just pausing. And then slowly lowering down onto the knees. Your big toes touch as you come down into child's pose. Forehead touches, arms come back.

You see if you can release the shoulders, right? And if this is not comfortable in the shoulders, just keep the arms out in front. See if you can just let the body get heavy. And then slowly begin to peel the torso up. You're just gonna roll off to your side and come onto your back.

Slowly lower down. And just draw the knees in. And slowly taking the arms out to the side, just let the knees dip off to the right side. And let your gaze fall off to the left. Slowly come back up to center.

Letting the knees drop off to the left on an exhale. And letting your right arm either drop all the way out or into a cactus. Nice. And your next inhale. Come on back up to center.

One last squeeze of knees in towards the chest. And it can be strong or light. And then slowly one leg at a time. Come into your final pose, Shavasana. So see if you can turn the palms up to let the shoulders sink in.

Let the body just get heavy. Let the feet just go. And just settle in. Again, feeling the breath rate slow. Feeling your heart rate slow.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

And just taking a little deeper inhale. And full complete exhale. Slowly beginning to wiggle the fingers, the toes. If it feels good, you can take the arms overhead. Just giving a big stretch.

And then slowly rolling on to your right side. And just pausing for a moment. And then without disturbing yourself very much, pressing up into a comfortable seat. You might keep the eyes closed or keep a soft gaze. And we'll meet hands at heart center, spelling in lightly.

So you might want to jump back in and do that all over again. You might want to check out one of the other 27, one of the other three sets of 27 sun salutations that are being offered. Or you might want to stay right here in contemplation and meditation. So summer solstice is that time, that window doorway into the second part of the year. It's a nice time to set intentions and really create the path.

Thank you for practicing. Namaste and happy summer solstice.