In Ashtanga Yoga we begin with 5 repetitions of this sequence. This string of movements is held together by the breath. But we don't just place the breath sporadically. We place it in a particular way. Inhale as the arms reach overhead, exhale as you forward fold, and so on. There's also the drishti and bandhas holding the thread of postures together in a particular way.⁠

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These 3 - breath, bandha and dristhi, or the tristasana method - can be thought of as the coordinates along the journey of your practice. The precise location for each coordinate can vary from practice to practice or student to student and I think that's ok, there are many paths we can take. What's important is that there is intention, attention and intelligence behind the coordinates we are deliberately using to guide our practice. Coordinates used in this way is what makes concentration possible, where the outside world falls away and we are able to connect inwards where insight and healing happen. ⁠

The practice of Ashtanga Yoga starts this way for all 6 series - Primary Series, Intermediate Series and the 4 Advanced Series. These postures all flow into the next - one breath, one movement. Except for the downward facing dog, after transitioning into it, it's held for 5 breaths.

Each part to Surya Namaskara A has 2 titles, the first is the Sanskrit number, as that is how it is conventionally taught in Ashtanga Yoga - each movement in Surya Namaskara is identified by a count, as is every movement into and out of the postures in the rest of the series. The second title is the more common name used to characterize the form.