Sun Dial Pose, Also known as Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana, is a challenging seated twist you may have seen in one of your PLAY Vinyasa classes. This posture requires deep flexibility in the hips, hamstrings and spine, so warming up those areas before attempting this pose is essential.
The sundial that inspires this pose holds a rich history of innovation and utility. The oldest known sundial dates back to 1500 BC in Egypt. This ancient time keeping device was a testament to our ancestors ingenuity and deeply impacted the way we perceive our reality today. When practicing this pose it might be fun to contemplate Time as a human construct- a narrative we’ve created for ourselves (out of necessity, to be fair). Remembering that time is a story we tell ourselves is a nice way to step back and become the observer of a wider truth. Or just breathing and losing yourself in the pose works just as well!
To get into Sun Dial:
1. Start in an Easy Seat and cradle one shin parallel with your collarbones, rocking it side to side to open the hips.
2. Place that leg over your shoulder like a backpack strap, grabbing the outer edge of your foot with the opposing hand, while planting the hand under the leg firmly on the mat.
3. Start to extend the leg as your twist your torso in the opposite direction, gazing up and away from the extending leg. Hold for 3-5 breath cycles.
As July gifts us with longer days and more hours of the sun to count, practicing Sun Dial is a wonderful opportunity to approach challenges with curiosity and a growth mindset, just as our ancestors did while gazing up at the Sun and wondering at how best to align their work and lives with it’s light and warmth.
