Sun Salutations~ Day #5 (Week 3) 

Alone on my mat, I’ve discovered the joy of sun salutations. They’re all I need for a complete yoga practice. When time is limited, or I’m easily distracted, I often do a short warm up and then do Sun Salutations till my mind shuts up and my body loosens and nothing else in life matters. Whether it’s A or B series, repeating repeating repeating soothes tension, calms nerve endings, strengthens our immune system. The more sun salutations I do, the more I release emotional crap built up in my muscles causing sluggishness and pain. One breath, one movement never works better than during a smooth-flowing sun salutation. I did a little digging and learned that some yogis, probably the most hard core traditionalists (or Vicki), practice 108 sun salutations in a row. This practice is reserved for the change of the seasons, the winter and summer solstice, and the spring and fall equinox. Some yogis like to practice 108 Sun Salutations for the new year, and for other big life events, like a marriage or a birth in the family. It sounds a bit daunting. I’m generally good for about 5-10 of each series before I feel I have to move on, but it does seem like a formidable challenge in these days of formidable challenges. For now, I’m thinking small. My next Sun Salutation practice will be facing the sun, soaking up its strength, its warmth and its dose of Vitamin D. That’s all I can ask for in these strange and unknown times.