Sun Salutations and Their Symbolism Around the Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice is a celebration of light. It marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, when daylight reaches its peak before gradually beginning to shorten again.

For yoga practitioners, it can be a beautiful time to turn toward the sun through Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations.

Sun Salutations are a flowing sequence of yoga postures traditionally associated with honouring the sun. Surya means sun, while namaskar can be understood as a greeting or bowing in reverence.

Around the Summer Solstice, this familiar sequence can take on an especially meaningful quality.

Honouring the Sun

The sun has long been associated with warmth, vitality, light, and life. In yogic tradition, Surya is revered as a source of both physical and spiritual light. Sun Salutations offer one way to acknowledge that symbolism through movement and breath.

You don't need to approach the practice as a ritual or follow a particular spiritual tradition. You can simply use the movement as an opportunity to pause and appreciate the light and energy that surround us during this season.

A Practice of Movement and Breath

One of the beautiful qualities of Sun Salutations is the connection between movement and breath. Rather than holding each posture for a long time, the sequence creates a steady rhythm as you move from one shape to the next.

This makes it a natural practice for waking up the body and creating a sense of energy.

You might begin slowly, paying attention to each breath and movement. As your body warms, allow the flow to become more natural.

There is no need to count a certain number of rounds. A few mindful repetitions can be just as meaningful as a longer practice.

The Solstice as a Turning Point

The Summer Solstice is interesting because it represents both a peak and a transition.

We arrive at the longest day of the year—and from this point forward, the days gradually begin to shorten.

Sun Salutations can reflect this natural rhythm. The sequence moves continuously through expansion and contraction, effort and release, opening and folding.

Rather than always reaching for more, the practice reminds us that everything moves in cycles.

There are times to expand and times to soften. Times to be energized and times to rest.

Practicing with the Light

If you'd like to bring the spirit of the Summer Solstice into your practice, consider practicing Sun Salutations outdoors.

Early morning can be especially lovely. Find a comfortable place where you can see the sky and allow yourself a few quiet moments before beginning.

Notice the warmth of the sun.

Listen to the sounds around you.

Feel your breath.

Then begin to move.

You might imagine each round as a simple greeting to the day—not something you need to accomplish, but something you get to experience.

You Don't Need 108 Sun Salutations

You may have heard of the tradition of practicing 108 Sun Salutations around the solstice. This has become a popular way for yoga communities to mark seasonal transitions, although the modern practice of combining 108 repetitions with the solstice is not an ancient prescription found in traditional yoga texts.

There is absolutely no need to complete 108 rounds to honour the season.

Five rounds. Ten rounds. One slow round.

Choose what feels appropriate for your body and your practice.

A Simple Solstice Practice

On or around the Summer Solstice, try setting aside a little time for:

• A few moments of quiet breathing

• Several slow Sun Salutations

• A pause to notice the warmth and light around you

• A few minutes of stillness at the end

Let the practice be simple.

The Summer Solstice doesn't need to be another occasion for doing more. It can simply be a chance to notice the light—outside you and within you.

As the season reaches its brightest point, step onto your mat, take a breath, and greet the sun.

Disclaimer

All beliefs and perspectives shared in this blog are uniquely mine, shaped by my experiences and personal journey. However, due to challenges with language and expression following a brain injury, I use AI as a supportive tool in crafting my blog entries. This collaboration helps me articulate my thoughts more clearly while staying true to my voice.