“No sun outlasts its sunset, but it will rise again and bring the dawn.” – Maya Angelou
Weekly Focus: Surya (the Sun)
Surya, the Sun, sustains life and is the remover of darkness. Surya represents vitality, courage and willpower.
In Hindusim, Surya is worshipped as a deity, riding a chariot led by 7 horses the colors of the rainbow, or the chakras. He is seen as a source of wisdom and light. We honor the Sun in yoga for these powerful qualities that it represents.
Do you ever notice your energy uplifted on a warm, sunny day? You may feel more motivated or encouraged, or a general sense of positivity. The Sun makes us feel alive, it helps us feel good! Often when we feel energized and positive in our mind and body, that energy radiates off of us and can be infectious to those we are around! You may notice this if you are having a rough day, but spend time with a friend who is happy and exuberant, their energy radiates towards you and it is hard to stay in a bad mood, it almost takes effort.
This week is a reminder that we radiate the energy we feel, perceive, take-in and give out. We can choose to radiate light or we can choose to say in the dark, which will you choose?
Here is a simple practice in honoring the Sun:
- Find a bright space in the sunlight — set up your yoga mat outisde, in a sunny window, anywhere that you can feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
- Practice your Surya Namaskars — Surya Namaskar is a Sun Salutation and is meant to honor the energy and activation of the Sun! The most basic Sun Salutation moves through the following poses in sequence: mountain pose, inhale lift the arms overhead, exhale to forward fold. Inhale halfway lift extending the spine pressing hands to shins, exhale fold and step back to plank pose. Inhale, exhale and lower to your belly or the bottom of a push up. Inhale and lift the heart for cobra or upward facing dog lifting the thighs from the floor. Exhale to tap you chest to the group and press back to downward facing dog. Inhale look forward and step your feet to the top of the mat in a forward fold, exhale. Inhale lift up halfway and extend the spine, exhale forwad fold. Inhale sweep your arms out, rise up with a flat back and reach the arms overhead as you stand. Exhale and lower the arms by your side. Repeat 3 – 7 times.
- Soak it all in — after practicing, allow yourself to rest for 5 minutes, lying in the rays of the sun. Let yourself soak and bathe in the afterglow of your practice. As you rest, you might contemplate where in your life you could utilize more courage, and willpower. Focus on that space and imagine breathing strength and light into it.
Passive Pose of the Week: Prasarita Padottanasana (wide leg forward fold)
Prasarita Padottanasana is chosen as a balance to the energy of the Sun this week. This wide leg fold is big and expansive, but the fold brings a sense of calm, serenity and coolness to the mind, to compliment the activation of Surya.
- From standing, step your feet 3 – 4 feet apart.
- Place your hands on your hips, inhale and hinge from the hips, folding forward with a long spine.
- As you fold all the way, place your hands on the floor, or perhaps blocks to steady you.
- Widen the feet as much as you like to get closer to the ground and deepen the stretch,
- Stay for 5 – 7 breaths. If the feet have widened, heel-toe them closer together before slowy lifting yourself out.
Wide leg forward folds are a great place to get a gentle inversion. If you don’t feel comfortable going upside down, this posture allows the head to dip beneath the heart in a more support way. To mimic the feeling of a headstand, you can place one, two or three blocks beneath the crown of the head allowing you to recieve gentle pressure from the block and to settle into your fold. This is a great prep for headstand or a nice alternative if you need a more restful option.
Active Pose of the Week: Patita Tarasana (fallen triangle)
Patita Tarasana is an expressive and radiant pose! This posture requires strength, fire, and a bit of expressive confidence as you drive your hips up into the air, similar to reverse plank or bridge pose.
- Being in downward facing dog.
- Lift your right leg into the air and look towards your left hand.
- Draw your right knee under the body towards your left elbow, allowing the shoulders to shift forwad towards a plank position.
- From here, kick your right foot out to the side and set the outer blade of the foot to the floor.
- Lift your left arm up to the ceiling, push down through the right hand and right foot, and raise your hips up like bridge.
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths and switch sides.
This pose can be a little tricky to navigate once you are ready to come out. You have to options to exit the pose. 1. You can rebend the right knee, hung it back towards the body and bring your left hand back to the floor from where it lifted. From there, re-extend the right leg back to a three-legged downward dog again, before setting it down. Alternatively, from your fallen star, you can just let the hips lower to the ground. As you do the legs will widen slightly, landing you in a wide leg seat. Taking a fold from here is a lovely way to wind down after this expressive pose.
Join us in class this week to practice connecting with Surya! See the full schedule HERE.
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