A Historical Legend
For ages, we have worshipped the Sun as Earth’s ultimate source of life. Each thing we ingest, consume, and breathe is believed to have an element of it. The Sun is a significant spiritual emblem in modern times, representing life, vitality, energy, enlightenment, divine wisdom, dominance, control, and so on.
In Hindu Mythology, everything that exists is believed to have a masculine and a feminine side. The Sun is also represented by these two energy forms, i.e., Gayatri, the Yin, depicted as a nurturing, life-giving force, and Surya, the Yang, displaying energy and power.
Hinduism emphasizes the significance of the Sun god. Worshipping the Sun, that served as the foundation for Vedic ritual practice, continues to this day.
Hinduism’s traditional priestly method includes offering water to the Sun each morning, afternoon, and evening. As he represents Brahman, the Sun is revered for enlightening the intellect and blossoming self-knowledge.
The Surya Namaskar Yoga
Surya Namaskar, also called ‘the Sun Salutation,’ is a dynamic yoga practice representing a way to worship the Sun.
Having its origin in the Indian tradition, Surya is denoted as the Sun, and Namaskar comes from the Sanskrit word Namas, which symbolizes ‘to bow’ or ‘to adore,’ together meaning ‘greetings to the Sun.’ It is one of the most significant yoga asanas sequences performed to express gratitude to the ultimate source of life, the Sun.
It comprises 12 yoga postures accompanied by chanting certain hymns necessary to activate the strong spiritual aura during the practice to preserve vibrancy, resilience, and openness by keeping the physical cycle in sync with the solar cycle. It will enable you to manifest a body and spirit that serve as pathways to greater opportunities.
The Classic Surya Namaskar Flow
The classic Surya Namaskar yoga flow is performed in a sequence of 12 steps comprising eight basic Yoga asanas:
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)
- Uttanasana(Standing Forward Bend)
- Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge)
- Phalakasana (Plank Pose)
- Chaturanga Dandasana (Low Plank Pose)
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
- Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge)
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
- Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Remember that the breath comes first, so pay attention to your breathing pattern as you flow from one asana to another.
Sun Salutation is a gesture of gratitude towards the Sun, which must always be done with a humble heart and an awareness of your intrinsic self.
Our detailed article on Surya Namaskar steps will assist you to perform this yoga sequence with ease and absorb an invigorating energy similar to the vibrant Sun.
10 Excellent Health Benefits of Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar yoga is best performed at sunrise as the Sun’s first rays falling on our body nourishes and revitalizes our body and mind.
Healthy Body: Performing Surya Namaskar poses in different speed variations provides several benefits to our body. Slow-paced enhances flexibility, while medium and fast-paced improves muscle tone and cardiovascular health and promotes weight loss.
Magnified Blood Circulation: The pumped-up breathing pattern during a fast-paced round of Surya Namaskar keeps the blood oxygenated and the lungs ventilated, stimulating the optimal flow of fresh blood, detoxifying the body, and freeing it from toxic elements and carbon dioxide.
Natural Weight Loss: When performing Surya namaskar poses at high intensity, they stretch the abdominal muscles and increase the heart rate, which in turn burns fat, assisting you in reducing weight. The asanas – especially the low plank pose or Chaturanga and upward facing dog or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – tone the abs and strengthen the musculoskeletal system.
Calming Properties: Some specific Surya Namaskar poses, like the downward dog and cobra pose, gently stimulate the nerves, reducing anxiety, fortifying the nervous system, and promoting positivity.
Activates the Heart Chakra: The mudra of Namaskar, or joint hands in front of the heart, activates and opens the heart chakra, helping us connect with ourselves and others and perceive everything around us with love and beauty.
Mental Well-being: Surya Namaskar yoga, when practiced regularly, helps you focus better, feel more confident, and learn self-discipline. It can help manage anxiety, stress, and insomnia by calming the neurological system.
Youthfulness: The Sun Salutation incorporates diverse yoga asanas that enhance the supply of blood and oxygen throughout the body, helping you savor a youthful glow and long and healthy mane even during old age.
Improves Digestive System Functioning: Asanas such as the forward bend massage the abdominal area and help remove any trapped gas, enhancing the digestive system’s efficiency.
Good Muscle Strength: Doing Surya Namaskar stretches and strengthens the skeletal system, making the spine more adaptable and limbs more balanced, improving the functioning of the internal organs.
Regulates Menstrual Cycle: The postures involved in Surya Namaskar yoga gently massage the abdominal muscles and stimulate certain glands to secrete hormones necessary for having a regular menstrual cycle. It also improves the fertility and health of women.
Modified Surya Namaskar
Listening to your body and knowing what works best for you is essential. Modifying poses to suit your bodily needs is desirable to gather the best from your Surya Namaskar yoga practice.
Modifications may look like:
- Consider bending your knees in Uttanasana or standing forward bend; avoid upward facing dog and stick with cobra, in case you have stiffness or lower back pain.
- If you have tight shoulders, keep your hands wide and shoulders relaxed and down every time you reach your arms upward.
- Try bending your knees in positions like downward-facing dog and forward bends for tight hamstrings.
Conclusion
Sun Salutations are performed to wake up, energize, and warm up the body to prepare for more complex asanas or, more simply, prepare you for the day ahead.
The ideal way to perform Surya Namaskar yoga is to first bow before the Sun and then face away from it throughout the practice, which may sound opposing but has a reason being that as you face away from the rising Sun, your back will absorb its energy from behind, stimulating the back and spine nourishing it with energy and strength.
There are numerous benefits to practicing the sun salutation. From increasing flexibility and promoting calmness to building strength and mental preparedness, Surya Namaskar helps you get going by setting a positive tone for the day as you receive blessings straight from the Sun.
Applying Surya Namaskar yoga to your daily routine will keep you physically active and fit and enhance your overall well-being.
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