Sun Salutations with Shiva Rea

On Friday, I went to Shiva Rea‘s Sun Salutations workshop – I loved the theme of the description, Realization through Embodiment of the Inner Sun, but I also picked it because I last time she taught in Washington, I went to her Bhakti practice rather than the Vira (warrior) practice.  At the time I wanted to try something different, but I heard so many people raving about the sun salutations sequence in the Vira practice, that I knew I would look for that next time Shiva Rea taught in Washington. Luckily, I only had to wait a few months – yay to Flow Yoga Center for bringing Shiva twice to Washington in a year!

Here is the workshop description of the Sun Salutations workshop:

The one natural yoga practice shared by all beings regardless of age, background is an intrinsic connection to solar power. Surya Namaskar is more than an integrated sequence of healing asanas. It is an evolving method of embodying the solar current that exists on a cellular level. In this workshop you will experience a practice that begins with the universal solar meditation and evolves through Vedic and Tantric Solar Mantras into the classical sequences into some of Shiva’s 27 core (sun salutes)Namaskars that have been developed from her embodied realization of the creative power within all. 

It was an intense practice, and I definitely retreated to child’s pose a couple of times, but I also really loved the workshop.  I find Shiva Rea incredibly down-to-earth and accessible, especially in how she will be teaching a non-beginner level class, yet seamlessly break down details of poses in a way helpful to everyone.

The workshop was held at  St. Francis Hall at the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C... I did not take enough pictures before a storm and nighttime darkened the light, but for more great pictures, check out Coco Yogini’s March post on Jivamukti yoga, held at the same venue.