12-Position Sun Salutation

Not yet reviewed by a qualified teacher Names and order checked against 4 sources

Traditional, but the order and details vary between schools. This page follows the version named below.

Origin and source

Order as published by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres (Canada, Bahamas ashram pages). The Bihar School version is in Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha (Bihar School of Yoga), which notes that surya namaskara was not traditionally regarded as part of yoga practices but was included for its value. We do not give an age for this order.

Who it is for

Able to get down to and up from the floor, kneel in a lunge and take weight on the hands. Suitable for beginners with the usual care; no jumping.

The steps in order

Version shown: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres order (plank in position 5, eight-point position in 6); Bihar School variant described in the copy

#	Step	Count	Breath	Side	Cues and options
1	1 Prayer position Praṇāmāsana	1	Exhale		Transition: Stand with the feet together, palms together at the chest. Easier option: Feet hip-width apart.
2	2 Raised arms, bending back Hasta Uttānāsana	2	Inhale		Transition: Stretch the arms up and arch back gently from the upper back. Easier option: Arms up without the backbend.
3	3 Standing forward bend (hands beside the feet) Pādahastāsana	3	Exhale		Transition: Fold forward, palms flat beside the feet. Easier option: Bend the knees to place the hands.
4	4 Equestrian lunge, right leg back Aśva Sañcalanāsana	4	Inhale	Right	Transition: Step the right leg back, knee down, look up. (Second half of the round: left leg.) Easier option: Blanket under the back knee; hands on blocks.
5	5 Plank	5	Hold the breath		Transition: Bring the other leg back; body in one line. Easier option: Knees down. Breath retained per the Sivananda Bahamas description; Sivananda Canada gives no breath here.
6	6 Eight-point position (knees, chest, forehead) Aṣṭāṅga Namaskāra	6	Exhale		Transition: Lower knees, then chest and forehead (or chin), hips lifted. Easier option: Lower all the way to the floor.
7	7 Cobra Bhujaṅgāsana	7	Inhale		Transition: Slide forward and lift the chest, elbows bent and close. Easier option: Low cobra.
8	8 Inverted V (downward dog) Adho Mukha Śvānāsana	8	Exhale		Transition: Tuck the toes and lift the hips; heels toward the floor. Easier option: Knees bent.
9	9 Equestrian lunge, right foot forward Aśva Sañcalanāsana	9	Inhale	Right	Transition: Step the right foot forward between the hands, back knee down, look up. (Second half: left foot.) Easier option: Help the foot forward with the hand.
10	10 Standing forward bend Pādahastāsana	10	Exhale		Transition: Bring the back foot forward and fold. Easier option: Knees bent.
11	11 Raised arms, bending back Hasta Uttānāsana	11	Inhale		Transition: Come up with the arms stretching forward then up. Easier option: Rise with bent knees.
12	12 Standing, arms down Tāḍāsana	12	Exhale		Transition: Lower the arms; repeat with the left leg to complete the round. Easier option: Rest between rounds.

Left and right

Positions 4 and 9 alternate the leg: right leg back in 4 and forward in 9 in the first half of the round, left leg in the second half.

Repetitions and counting

Sivananda: one round = two sequences of 12 positions, right leg moving first, then left. Start with four rounds and build to twelve (Sivananda Canada). Bihar: positions 1-12 are half a round, 13-24 complete it; 3-12 rounds, beginners 2-3.

Props and adaptations

Blanket under the back knee in the lunges; knees down in plank; lower all the way to the floor instead of the eight-point position; low cobra; bend the knees in the forward bends; keep the backbend small. Gentle standing and chair versions avoid the floor.

Precautions

High blood pressure, glaucoma or dizziness: the forward bends and inverted V take the head below the heart; check with a health professional.
Back, wrist or knee problems: use the props and smaller movements above.
Pregnancy: the Bihar School book advises against this practice after the fourth month; ask a prenatal teacher.
Breath retention in plank (Sivananda) or in the eight-point position (Bihar) should be short and comfortable; breathe freely if it strains.

Learn it with a teacher: A Sivananda or Satyananda teacher can show the mantra and breathing traditions; the movements themselves can be learned from a beginners class.

General information, not medical advice. Poses do not cure illness. If you are pregnant, injured or have a health condition, check with your doctor and tell your teacher before you practise.

Beginner and chair alternatives

Beginner Sun Salutation: a slower, knees-down way to learn the sequence, Gentle Standing Sun Salutation: no floor work, with a wall, Chair Sun Salutation: a seated version for any body

Easier alternatives

Beginner Sun Salutation (https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/beginner-sun-salutation/)
Gentle Standing Sun Salutation (https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/gentle-standing-sun-salutation/)
Chair Sun Salutation (https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/chair-sun-salutation/)

https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/sun-salutation-12-position/ · printed October 19, 2026