Voices en Español

Helping Laura do Yoga

Photo by Laura Rainbow Dragon

For all you yoga buffs out there, here’s a primer on the Spanish phrases used to describe the Sun Salutation yoga series. This falls under the category of Spanish vocabulary you didn’t know you needed until you need it.

I know that when I started learning Spanish, I primarily focused on the 4 basics: food, family, work and fun. It wasn’t until I was forced outside this safe zone and ventured into areas like health-care, banking/personal finance and sports, that I realized how limited my Spanish vocabulary was and, in many ways, still is. I’m sure more than a few of you reading this can relate to what I’m saying.

Perhaps English-language yoga sessions in Spanish-speaking countries wouldn’t be as popular as they are if more English-speakers felt comfortable using and understanding the Spanish phrases used in yoga. In any case, here you go. The first phrase is the original name for the pose, followed by the Spanish and English equivalents in parenthesis.

1. Tadasana (Postura de la Montaña/Mountain pose or Prayer pose)

2. Urdhva Hastasana (Saludo hacia Arriba/Raised Arms pose)

3. Uttanasana (Flexión de Pie hacia delante/Standing Forward Bend)

4. Ardha Uttansana (Media Inclinación de Pie hacia Delante/Lift upper torse half-way up)

5. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Gran Paso hacia Detrás/Equestrian pose/Horse pose)

6. Adho Mukha Svanasana (El Perro con la Cara Hacia Abajo/Downward Facing Dog)

7. Postura de la Tabla (Plank pose)

8. Chaturanga Dandasana (Postura de Bastón de los Cuatro Miembros/Salute with the 8 Arms Posture pose)

9. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (El Perro Hacia Arriba/Upward-Facing Dog or Cobra pose)

10. Adho Mukha Svansana (El Perro con la Cara Hacia Abajo/Downward-Facing Dog)

Then finish up the cycle by working your way backwards, starting from Step 5 (Step 4, Step 3, Step 2,) and finish your salutation back at Step. 1 Ahhhhhhh.

To view an animated version of this complete salutation in sequence with instructions in English, click here.