Sun Salutations By tradition, at dawn, the yogis practiced greeting the sun with a salutation. The Sun Salutation is the prelude of the involved breathing. It is preparation for the rest of your yoga practice and a complete exercise in itself. Establishing the rhythm helps you stay focused. The eye gaze closes the triangle (gaze-breath-movement) of concentration. The gaze adjusts the postures automatically and effortlessly. With each practice you will become more familiar with this concept. By synchronizing breath with movement, the lungs are ventilated and the blood oxygenated, creating a detoxifying effect. Stretching and bending the spinal column tones up the nervous system. Toxins are eliminated through the skin, lungs, intestines, and kidneys. The rhythm in your Sun Salutations is important, for this is the Sunrise of your practice. Without a sunrise there will not be daylight. Sun Salutations are the main ritual in Ashtanga yoga and the practice is incomplete without them. They set the rhythm, warm up the body, begin to circulate the blood, and concentrate the mind before the posture sequence. It is a mental and physical lift. Start by practicing three repetitions; gradually increase to five or six.