Styles & Classes
Sun Salutations — The Morning Sequence, Slowed Down
The classic warming sequence, taught piece by piece until it becomes a moving meditation.
A sun salutation is a short, repeatable chain of poses linked to the breath — reach up, fold, lengthen, plank, lower, upward dog, downward dog, and back. Done slowly, it warms the whole body in a few minutes.
How to practise it
- Inhale, sweep the arms overhead and lengthen.
- Exhale, fold forward from the hips with soft knees.
- Inhale, lengthen the spine to a flat half-lift.
- Exhale, step or float back to plank, then lower with control.
- Inhale to a gentle backbend; exhale to downward dog and hold three breaths.
- Walk the hands to the feet and rise on an inhale. Repeat three to five rounds.
Common mistakes
- Racing the breath instead of letting the breath set the pace.
- Dumping into the low back on the upward phase; keep the front ribs knitting in.
- Locking the knees in the forward fold. Soft knees protect the hamstrings and back.
The sequence is old and forgiving.
In the studio, and at home
Three unhurried rounds is a whole morning practice on a busy day. Solaivo builds most early classes around exactly this: warm the body, wake the breath, and step into the day a little kinder.
The sequence is old and forgiving. Learn it once and you carry a five-minute practice in your body for the rest of your life.
Questions we hear
Three to five is plenty for a morning. Beginners can start with two slow rounds and add as the body warms up.
It is called a sun salutation, but it warms the body at any hour. Mornings just suit its purpose best.