“Salutations” is Charlotte’s fancy way of saying Hello.  In Yoga, we practice Sun Salutations, not so much to be fancy, but to gracefully pay homage to the brightness within and to mindfully connect our breath to our movements.  This is how we brighten what can at times seem ordinary and mundane.

Curious how to greet each moment with more elegance? Try this. Connect with your breath while moving through a sequence of poses we call the  SOLID GROUND FLOW (pictured below).

Symbolic of the circular aspect of time,  twelve poses are arranged in a clockwork fashion to say Hello, or Salutations as Charlotte would say, to the Sun.Starting at the 12 o’clock position in Mountain pose. Introduce yourself to your breath.  Invite your breath to BE IN CHARGE! Allow your breath to lead your movement in this Salutation to the Sun. Exhale and soften into your back body with humility and remembrance of your wise supporters.

Make each inhale full and each exhale complete as you move to each subsequent pose in a clockwise fashion. With each breath in, move your side ribs back, inflate your middle back and with trust move into your back body until you feel the strength of that support.

The back body represents our colorful cast of teachers whose caring attention beneath the surface was magical and supportive.

With each breath out, soften your skin, your eyes, your jaw. Get longer, smoother, deeper until you feel an opening in the front of your heart to offer the world. Completely release what stands in your way. Your front body represents how you offer your unique gifts.

When you allow your breath to lead your movements you will become more attentive to  “miracles when they happen in the midst of our ordinary days,” as Charlotte says. You’ll feel more elegant and fancy and radiant. Just like Charlotte. That’s how you want to greet each moment.Charlotte’s Web is about the deep friendship of a rescued pig and an articulate spider. On the surface, Wilbur is a runt. Charlotte is a spider. Dig deeper into their friendship and see how their mutual appreciation is absolutely genuine.

This story shows that each of us can be RADIANT and TERRIFIC when we breathe deeper, love deeper and live deeper. Charlotte did not create Wilbur’s fine qualities. She just noticed them. He even protested that he did not feel particularly terrific, but she knows better. It reminds us in moments of smallness to ask for support from the Highest, and in moments of glory to remain HUMBLE. It reminds us to celebrate our true qualities and express them more fully.

May you find your fine qualities deep within your heart and offer your compassion to your valuable friends.