Published: Sep 20, 2018 by Lucy Tennyson
Sunday this week marks the second point of the year when the night and day become equal in length, and we slip into the darker days of autumn at the September equinox.
We did a grounding and balancing sequence this week, drawing on the symbolism of Tadasana or Mountain Pose, with the feet rooted in the earth, and the head rising up to the sky.
It’s often a hectic time of year, with the new term of courses and classes starting and a return to routine after the summer holidays. It’s easy to become off balance, both mentally and physically.
The Earth Salutation aims to ground and release, drawing on the breath and flow of energy through the body to help us focus and draw out attention inwards.
There are many variations of this flowing sequence, and if you try one to celebrate at home this weekend you might feel like adding some movements of your own. On a physical level, it works the legs, hips and back, and is a good stretch for the sides of the body and the shoulders.
Before you begin, I suggest gently warming up the legs, ankles, feet, neck and shoulders, and mobilising the spine, using any of the floor based sequences we’ve done in class. Add in some balances, and think of working both left and right sides of the body in Warrior One, before moving into symmetrical forward bends
The Dru yoga school has many good flowing sequences, and you can find a demonstration of their Earth Salutation here on You Tube.
