005 : Meditation

Meditation is a weapon that permits you to control all your senses according to the need. And when a being is in a state of enlightenment, large amount of positivity sprouts out of that person, enriching everyone around.

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your side. Distribute your weight evenly between your feet and turn your palms to face forward in Tadasana. Let yourself come to a slow, steady breath. Find your own center as you bring your palms together at the center of your chest in Anjali Mudra (also known as Salutation Seal or, quite simply, prayer hands).

2. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)

Inhale and sweep your arms straight out to the sides and up alongside your ears into Urdhva Hastasana. Your palms should face one another, and you can bring them to touch if desired. Reach your heart and arms toward the sun. If you like, you can gaze slightly upward and even take a slight backend here, lifting your chest and leaning your upper body slightly back.

3. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

Exhale and bend forward at your hips, bringing your chest to your thighs. Keep your legs strong by drawing your knees toward your hips. Let your shoulders and neck relax. Your hands can rest on your shins, ankles, or blocks in Uttanasana.

4. Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)

Inhale as you lift your chest parallel to the mat in Ardha Uttanasana. (As the name of the pose implies, you’ll literally be halfway to standing.) Draw your shoulder blades away from your ears and lengthen through your back. You can keep your palms or fingertips on the floor or bring them to your shins or blocks.

5. Plank Pose

Exhale and step your feet back into Plank Pose, which is essentially the top of a push-up. Align your body so your shoulders are directly over your wrists, your palms are flat on the mat, and your feet are hip-distance apart. (Lower your knees to the mat if you ache in your low back, shoulders, or arms.) Gaze down and slightly forward, keeping the back of your neck long. Inhale and lengthen through your back.

6. Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)

Exhale and bend your elbows as you slowly lower your entire body, keeping yourself as straight as a plank of wood. Hug your elbows in toward your sides and pause when you find a right angle between your upper and lower arms. Gaze down and slightly forward. You’ll find yourself building heat as you hold this challenging posture. (If your knees were on the mat in Plank Pose, simply keep them there and lower your upper body.)

7. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)

Inhale and draw your chest forward and up as you roll forward over your toes onto the tops of your feet into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana. Press the tops of your toes into the mat and keep your legs strong but relax your gluteal muscles. Pull your shoulders back and broaden through your collarbones. Gaze straight ahead or slightly up. (Instead of rolling over your toes, you can lift and place your feet, one at a time, on the mat. If this backbend feels too intense, instead come into Bhujhangasana or Cobra Pose.)

8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Exhale as you lift your hips up and back, coming into Downward-Facing Dog. Press down through your knuckles, lengthen through your back, and release your heels toward the mat. (Don’t worry if your heels don’t touch the mat. Just let your heels feel heavy. If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees as much as needed.) Remain here for several breaths.

9. Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge)

At the end of your exhale and just before you inhale, step your left foot forward between your hands into Anjaneyasana. Quickly bring your right foot forward next to your left. If you’re doing more than a single round of Surya Namaskar A, alternate which foot you step forward first with each round.

10. Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)

Inhale and lift your chest halfway to standing in Ardha Uttanasana.

11. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

Exhale and bend forward at your hips into Uttanasana.

12. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)

Inhale and reach your arms out to the sides and overhead into Urdhva Hastasana once again.