Santosha: Maximum Satisfaction in Ashtanga Yoga

An Exploration of Surya Namaskar

Floating, flying, backbending, healthy alignment, placing the feet behind the head, breathing. All these things are learned in Surya Namaskar. In the nine vinyasa there are nine opportunities for investigative self inquiry. And through these nine modules we achieve maximum satisfaction. This workshop is ideal for the student who wants to maximise their effort in the primary and second series.

• Ekam, number one: Opening the palette to release the vagus nerve.
• Dve, number two: Counter nutation of the hips.
• Trini, number three: Flowering of the buttocks.
• Catvari, number four: Using the hands to fly.
• Panca, number five: The sphinx-like order of the lumbar thoracic joint.
• Sat, number six: Rotation and counter rotation of the limbs.
• Sapta, number seven: The wave like pattern of the undulating pelvis.
• Ashto, number eight: Microbending of the joints.
• Nava, number nine: Bala (baby) Shiva sits on the golden coccyx.