So Many Salutations!
Salutations to Turning Auto-Pilot Off!
Written by Jen M.
If you’ve walked through our colorful Funky Buddha doors a few times, chances are you’ve met one of our favorite foundational flows: Salutations. This is the movement pattern we often use to warm up the mind, body, and breath–leading from down dog forward to rise and fold again. Sometimes there’s even a plank or a chaturanga or two. Or more.
Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) have been around in one form or another for over 2500 years; often practiced facing East in the morning…ya know, in salute of the sun. These classic sequences can be done on their own or as part of a longer practice and often include: mountain pose, a standing reach up pose, a folding forward, a lunge or chaturanga, and a downward facing dog.
But just because something’s ancient doesn’t mean it can’t evolve. There are so many ways to practice salutations!
Why The Funk Would We Switch Up a Classic?
Though this ninth-century Vedic tradition is beautiful, different movement patterns can help us get off auto-pilot and feel more present. Adding customization to how we move at the start of class can help support a chosen physical or mental focus for each mat-sesh. Plus! From a functional fitness perspective, moving with greater variety and a little less repetition can really support a heathy bod, happy silky fascia, and give certain muscles and joints a little break from overuse patterns. And so… Let’s explore some variations that offer a little something for everyone.
Gentle & Shoulder-Friendly: Belly-Lowering Salutations
For a more gentle practice—or if your shoulder girdle needs a break—try this variation:
💎 Instead of high-to-low plank (Chaturanga), lower your knees to the mat.
💎 Rock shoulders slightly forward and lower to your belly with control.
💎 Inhale into a gentle Cobra, then exhale back to the floor.
💎 Press up through Tabletop and return to Downward Facing Dog.
This version keeps strength work in the mix, but offers softer load on the shoulder girdle while still warming the spine and opening the breath.
Grounded & Glute-Activating: Kneeling Sun Salutations
Want to ground your energy and wake up your glutes? Enter: Kneeling Sun Salutations.
💎 Start in Child’s Pose or Down Dog.
💎 Shift to Tabletop, then rise into Kneeling Mountain, arms overhead.
💎 Sweep arms down, land hands back in Tabletop.
💎 Inhale to Cow Pose, or walk hands forward into a modified Plank if you’re craving more heat.
💎 Lower slowly and return to your starting shape.
This sequence is a great way to recruit core and glute strength while reducing standing load—and it’s a favorite for morning practice, when the nervous system might need something gentler.
Soothing & Cyclical: Moon Salutations (Chandra Namaskar)
If you’re craving fluidity and introspection, Moon Salutations offer a circular, mandala-style movement that balances effort with grace.
Here’s a basic flow:
💎 Start in Mountain. Side stretch left, then right.
💎 Step wide and turn into Horse Pose (face left), then flow to Triangle, Pyramid, and Knee-Down Lunge.
💎 Pivot through a Side Lunge, switching to the right leg.
💎 Retrace your steps back to Mountain.
💎 Repeat, starting on the right.
If you got all turned around, don’t sweat it– Moon Salutations are a mandala (circular) style of movement and can take some getting used to the turns! Moon flows mirror the natural cycles of the body and sky, encouraging focus and rhythm over perfection.
Playful & Rotational: Twisting Salutations
Add some spinal mobility and shoulder expansion with this creative twist:
💎 From Down Dog, walk your hands back to meet your feet.
💎 Rise up to standing, take a twist to the right, then left.
💎 Reach up again and cactus the arms into a standing backbend.
💎 Fold forward, lift halfway, and walk hands forward to Plank.
💎 Flow through Chaturanga back to Down Dog.
The emphasis here is on rotation, reset, and returning to center—perfect for anyone wanting to open the upper body or shake off a long day at a desk.
Focused & Reverent: Anjali Mudra Pause
For a deeper mental focus, try adding a pause in your salutation for the hand position known as Anjali Mudra, roughly meaning “offering gesture.”
💎 After rising into Mountain at the top of your mat, pause and bring hands to heart in Anjali Mudra.
💎 Spread the fingers wide and press palms firmly together at sternum level.
💎 Take a few breaths here with intention before moving on.
This physical action creates cross-body neural integration, while the shape encourages compassion, clarity, and connection—within and beyond yourself.
It’s Not Just One Way. It’s Your Funkin’ Way.
There are so many more ways to modify and build your own relationship with salutations. These patterns aren’t about achieving a “right” sequence—they’re about discovering what feels right for you, today. Whether you need more heat, more grounding, more shoulder space, or more circular movement, there’s a salutation variation to support your practice—and your life.
I could go on and on… and on with so many more wonderful ways to edit and explore yoga salutations, but hey, we only have 60 minutes! So, let’s flow.
