Draft
The sun salutation
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A whole morning can pass before the body really wakes. There's an old sequence for exactly that.
Surya Namaskar, the sun salutation, flows through a dozen shapes with the breath, a yoga practice for centuries. Research finds even ten minutes of it reaches a moderate workout, and builds flexibility, strength, and a steadier heart.
How does the day go when you start it moving?
What you'll need
- A clear space to stretch out, a mat if you have one
- Five to ten unhurried minutes after waking
- A guide for the shapes, the first few times
Method
Learn the round of shapes, fold forward, step back, lower, arch, and rise again, each with the breath. A video or class helps at first.
Flow through it slowly, a few rounds, only as far as is comfortable, breathing with each move.
Make it a few mornings a week for a couple of weeks, and notice how the body feels through the day, and whether the round comes more easily.