Surya Namaskar

Without the sun, there will be no life on earth. Surya Namaskar or 'Sun Salutation' is a very ancient technique of paying respect and homage or expressing gratitude to the sun that is the source of all forms of life on the planet. Symbolically, the sun becomes our source of energy as well.  Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is a sequence of twelve yoga poses that is useful for warming up and energizing the body at the beginning of a yoga practice. This series will help to connect your body, breath and mind. Surya Namaskar is one of the best routines that Yoga offers. Surya Namaskar is a sequence of well balanced movements that will stretch all the muscles in the body. Each pose in this series works as a counter pose to the previous pose, allowing your spine to stretch in a different direction. As you flow from one pose to the next, focus on your body’s alignment in each pose and make sure you are breathing easily. You should concentrate on learning the poses and the sequence of Sun Salutation before incorporating the breathing pattern of the series.Known variously as Surya Namskar or Prostrations to Sun or Sun Salutation, the Surya Namaskar is one of the best exercises that people can perform. The benefits accruing from these exercises are unique and excellent. This is a yoga based exercise and it is customary to perform Surya Namaskar after performing loosening yoga exercises.

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

 

Step 1 : Namaskar Sthiti (The Prayer Pose)

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   ♦ Stand erect facing the Sun with legs together (bring heels together and toes together if possible)

 

   ♦ Bring the palms together to namaskara mudra and both the thumbs touching the chest.

 

Breathing : Inhale while raising the hands and exhale as hands are brought down to chest level 

 

 

 

Step 2 : Ardha Chakrasana (The Raised Arm Pose)

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   ♦ Raise hands upward, with feet firmly on the ground.

 

   ♦ Bend backwards and stretch arms fully. 

 

   ♦ You can keep your palms of your hands together or keep your hands apart.

 

Breathing : Inhale 

 

 

 

Step 3 : Pada Hastasana (The Hand to Feet Pose)

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   ♦ Slowly bend forward.

 

   ♦ Try to touch your forehead to the knees.

 

   ♦ Do not bend your knees. 

 

   ♦ Hands touching the earth with respect on either side of the feet (Do not change the position of the palms on the ground until Step 10)

 

Breathing : Exhale 

 

 

 

Step 4 : Ashwa Sanchalana (The Equestrian Pose)

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♦ Set both hands with the palms down firmly on the ground,

 

♦ Take right foot back as far as possible keeping your palms on the ground.

 

♦ Push the buttocks forward and downward so that the left leg is perpendicular to the ground, left thigh touching the chest, lower the spine, arch the chest up and raise    the head  up looking at the Sun. 

 

♦ Full weight resting on the two palm and ten fingers.

 

Breathing : Inhale 

 

 

 

Step 5 : Dandasana (The Stick Pose)

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   ♦ Take the left leg also back close to right leg, resting only on palms and toes.

 

   ♦ Keep the body straight from head to toes inclined to the ground at about 30â—¦.

 

   ♦ Take care to keep the neck in line with the back.

 

   ♦ Do not move your feet where they are in this step until you bring one leg forward in step 10

 

Breathing : Exhale 

 

 

 

Step 6 : Ashtaang Namaskar (Saluting with Eight Points)

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   ♦ Without shifting the positions of hands and toes, glide the body forward and hold the breath (Bahya kumbhaka) and rest the forehead (or chin), chest, palms, knees       and toes on the ground with elbows close to the body and pointing up .

 

   ♦ Raise the buttocks off the ground.

 

   ♦ Both feet, both knees, both thighs, chest, forehead touch the ground with the hands stretched out and in folded position, with your mind and thoughts on the full           namaskar.

 

   ♦ Then slowly turn the head to the sides first to left and then to right so that each ear touches the ground. 

 

Breathing : Inhale first and then Exhale fully. 

 

 

 

Step 7 : Bhujangasana (The Cobra Pose)

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   ♦ Slowly raise the head and bend backward as much as possible

 

   ♦ Hands straight, in the cobra pose. 

 

Breathing : Inhale 

 

 

 

​Step 8 : Parvatasana (The Mountain Pose)

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   ♦ While exhaling, raise the buttocks, chin to chest, push the head towards knees. 

 

   ♦ Try to touch heels to the ground without shifting the position of hands and feet.

 

Breathing : Exhale 

 

 

 

​Step 9 : Ashwa Sanchalana (The Equestrian Pose)

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   ♦ While inhaling bring the right foot in between the two hands keeping your palms on the ground

 

   ♦ Push the buttocks forward and downward so that the right leg is perpendicular to the ground, right thigh touching the right side of the chest, lower the spine, arch           the chest up and look up.

 

Breathing : Inhale 

 

 

 

​Step 10 : Pada Hastasana (The Hand to Feet Pose)

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   ♦ While exhaling bring the left foot forward next to the right foot and reach down with your upper body to touch the forehead to the knees as in step 2.

 

Breathing : Exhale  

 

​Step 11 : Ardha Chakrasana (The Raised Arm Pose)

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   ♦ While inhaling, raise your arms above your head and stretch your body backwards 

 

Breathing : Inhale 

 

​Step 12 : Namaskar Pose (The Prayer Pose)

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   ♦ While inhaling return to Sthiti. 

 

Breathing : Exhale, Inhale and Exhale. 

 

 

                      This completes one cycle of Surya Namaskar.

 

 

After practicing Surya Namaskar, lay down in Shawasan for some time and relax.

 

 

 

To watch an instructional video of this Basics sequence

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The Tree Pose Video

 

 

Variations

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1. Beginners should practice forward bending (Pada Hastasana) with caution. They can bend their knees during forward bend.

 

2. People with hypertension should not hold Pada hastasana pose. They should just flow through into the next pose.

 

3. Different schools of yoga do Surya Namaskar with slight variations in the steps. There are more than 40 forms of Surya Namaskar being practiced all over the world.

 

 

Contraindications and Cautions

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♦ Any one suffering from hernia, spinal disorders, high blood pressure should practice Surya Namaskar only after consulting a physician 

 

♦ Women during menstruation, prenatal and postnatal conditions should avoid this practice or practice with caution only after their doctor’s conditional approval.

 

 

Important Points to Remember

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♦ Always have a light smile while practicing yoga.

 

♦ ABC - Always Breathe Consciously.

 

♦ Try to enjoy the practice. 

 

♦ Proceed slowly. Do not try to do very fast, all movements to be done slowly

 

♦ Surya Namaskar should be performed with emptystomach preferably at sunrise and/or sunset facing the sun directly.

 

♦ Surya Namaskar needs to be performed with full attention to breathing, awareness in each position as noted.

 

♦ Keep your natural breathing pattern and rhythm; one should not feel out of breath during this practice

 

 

Benefits of Surya Namsakar

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♦ Surya Namaskar is a complete excercise of all the muscles and joints of the body It Helps loosen the joints and muscles in the body and make them flexible and strong.

 

♦ Best way to reduce weight and keeping the body toned.

 

♦ Surya Namaskar keep you youthful and healthy even in old age.

 

♦ Surya Namaskar strenthens spine and abdominal muscles.

 

♦ Surya Namaskar expands the rib cage and increases the capacity of the lungs.

 

♦ Promotes a regular menstrual cycle in females.

 

♦ Surya Namaskar incrases memory, concentration and focus. It develpos the will power and determination in the individual. It calms the nervous system and helps in fighting anxiety, stress and depression.

 

♦ Surya Namaskar is an excellent alternative to caffeine and other stimulants. If you suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances, you will find practicing Surya Namaskar aids in helping you fall asleep without the need for depressants.

♦ The combination of all asanas performed as cyclic practice has many health benefits such as weight loss, vitalizing the entire body, sharpening the mind and reaching optimal health.

♦ Surya Namaskar has a very powerful influence on all the systems of the body: nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, etc