What is the perfect asana practice to you? Does it lead up to and end in a headstand? Does it move fast and feel like cardio? Does it move slow and involve deep relaxation in restorative poses? Everyone has a favorite style of asana practice and there are a wide variety of yoga teachings to meet those needs. However, it would be hard to argue that a surya namaskara flow is not a full and ideal practice in its simplicity and variability. Here's why ...
Surya namaskara is probably the most well-known and popular yoga flow. It includes forward folds, back bends, inversions and covers both sides of the body. It is often used at the beginning of a class to warm up the body, and it is variable: it can be done slowly with holds or quickly to get the heart rate going. It even has its own mantras if you like to incorporate chanting in your practice. Particularly, it is an excellent go-to for at-home yoga practitioners when feeling a bit stuck and unsure what to practice.
The 12 traditional hatha surya namaskara asanas (there are a few variations on the 12 depending on which yoga style you follow) are typically performed in a flow in tandem with the breath. Similar to finding the best running pace for your body, surya namaskara is best done at a good breathing pace for you. In other words, not all people will feel comfortable following a particular guided speed; some will prefer to flow at their own pace.
Unfortunately, not all of us are comfortable or capable of performing all asanas in surya namaskara due to prior injury, preexisting condition, or natural inflexibility, and it would be a shame for such a complete and straightforward practice to not be accessible to all. This is where modifications can be so useful and rewarding. Modifying a practice for your abilities is a great way to continue to enjoy yoga despite certain limitations.
As someone who suffers from sciatica and had a low back herniated disc, I have found a modification to surya namaskara that greatly limits forward flexion. It is a modification that you can learn and then apply to any yoga practice allowing you to enjoy surya namaskara in a new way. Although I have recovered greatly from my injury and am now able to do the traditional version myself, I am happy to pass this version on to anyone who may benefit from it.
Even the most perfect practice can benefit from a few modifications sometimes. Happy practicing!
P.S. Please see my YouTube channel for a how-to breakdown of my surya namaskara modification for sciatica sufferers and those who are avoiding forward flexion. ;-)
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