Stand up straight with your feet together and your hands in prayer fashion. Feel awareness of the whole body.
	Inhale as you raise your arms up over your head, arching your back slightly.
	Exhale as you bend forward and bring your hands towards the floor. Keep your knees slightly bent and let your head hang relaxed.
	Inhale as you reach the right leg back while bending the left leg into a lunge.
	Slowly begin to exhale as you place your left leg back next to the right and straighten the body into plank pose...finishing the exhale as you...
	...Lower your body to the floor, touching your chin, chest, knees, feet, and hands to the floor, and keeping your buttocks, thighs, and abdomen lifted.
	Inhale, relax your lower torso, and slightly bend your upper torso, looking up until your arms are straight.
	Exhale as you push back into down dog pose.
	Inhale as you move your right leg forward until it rests on the floor between your hands. Lunge pose on the other side.
	Exhale, bringing left leg back to forward bend.
	Inhale and stand up, stretching your arms back over your head, looking up.
	Exhale as you bring your hands down in front of your chest.

Benefits:
Sun Salutation is a powerful practice when undertaken on a regular basis. Moving through the sequence of postures that make up the Salutation stimulates every major muscle group in the body, and increases circulation. Regular practice promotes limberness of muscles and joints, as well as strength and balance throughout the entire body. In addition, the internal organs and the endocrine system are stimulated and refreshed by practice. Sun Salutations are especially recommended for depression, and can uplift the spirits. While in the west today there are many variations of Sun Salutation, specific Classical versions provide certain benefit that more athletic variations may not, including stimulation of specific energy points through direct contact with the earth. Sun Salutation, traditionally is to be performed prayerfully, and one is advised not to let the practice become too physical.

Beginning the Practice:
The new practitioner should approach Sun Salutations with patience, and be realistic in the goals set for practice. Beginning with as little as 15 minutes each day will help to build stamina and help you become familiar with the postures. It is not necessary to try to flow through the sequence if you are just learning - each position can be practiced and held, in order. Don't try to go too deeply into the poses, especially in the beginning.


the sun salutation should be approached with a certain amount of caution. For starters, it is recommended that you have some basic yoga experience before you attempt sun salutation. Those with low-back and other health concerns should first check with their doctor to make sure they can practice the sun salutation safely. It is also recommended you learn the sun salutation from a qualified teacher or high-quality instructional video, rather than attempt it on your own. While some instructors use the sun salutation itself as a warm-up, my recommendation is that you precede the sun salutation with a more gentle warm-up.

The sun salutation can be a rewarding addition to your fitness and yoga practice. The key is establishing your comfort zone, working slowly and gradually, and practicing with expert guidance