Sun Salutation with Affirmations
As part of my yoga instructor training, I wrote a sequence that incorporates movement, mantra recitation, and meditation to learn more about ourselves. I taught it in class with a large group of people, but I also repeat this regularly at home and outdoors.
“Study thy self, discover the divine.” — Patanjali’s Yogasutra, II.44
Svādhyāya is a compound Sanskrit word composed of “svā” and “adhyāya” or “dhyaya”. Svā means “one’s own, self”. Adhyāya means “a lesson, lecture, chapter; reading”. Dhyāya means “meditating on”. The term Svādhyāya therefore, also connotes “contemplation, meditation, reflection of one self”, or simply “to study one’s own self”. The practice of Svadhyaya as a Niyama is perfected in many forms, including movement in the form of asanas, mantra recitation, and meditation.
During my yoga instructor training course, I designed a “moving mantra mediation sequence” to illustrate Svādhyāya. This sequence combined a 12 pose sun salutation with 12 affirmation that can be repeated aloud or silently.
- Prayer Pose (Pranamasana) - I am thankful
- Raised Arms Pose (Hasta Uttanasana) - I am awake
- Forward Bend (Uttanasana) - I am safe
- Lunge (Ashwa Sanchalanasana) - I am flexible
- Plank Pose (Dandasana) - I am strong
- Eight Points Salute (Ashtanga Namaskara) - I am creative
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) - I am loved
- Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) - I am compassionate
- Lunge (Ashwa Sanchalanasana) - I am patient
- Forward Bend (Uttanasana) - I am resilient
- Raised Arms Pose (Hasta Uttanasana) - I am energetic
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana) - I am enough
Gif from https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/yoga/poses/sun-salutation
When I lead this in class, a room full of 15 people chanted the affirmations in unions, and it sounded amazing. I also like doing this at home on a regular basis when I need a little bost of energy or mental clarity. Here’s a quick video of the sun salutation affirmations at the beach.
The mantra “Om shanti shanti shanti om” means “peace peace peace”. Shanti is repeated three times representing peace in mind, body, and spirit. This is a nice song to play in the background while doing this sun salutation with affirmations.