By In less than ten minutes, picture a single yoga practice that stretches your body, boosts your energy in the morning, enhances digestion, and soothes your mind. Yes! Say hello to Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, the enchanted morning ritual.
This age-old yogic technique, which combines yoga poses (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), and awareness, is more than simply a warm-up; it’s a full-body and soul workout. Let’s learn more about it through this article :
Why Surya Namaskar Should Be Your Ultimate Morning Ritual
‘Surya’ means Sun, and ‘Namaskar’ means Salutation.
The sun was worshipped as the ultimate source of energy, life, and consciousness. Hence, we perform Surya Namaskar to awaken our inner strength and consciousness by offering a dynamic sequence.
This tradition is basically practiced during sunrise, which involves syncing of breaths and movements. The rhythm of these movements detoxifies and energizes your inner soul. You can consider Surya namaskar as the beginner asanas for yoga that connect your body, breath and mind beautifully.
The 12 steps of Surya Namaskar
The complete Surya Namaskar is a sequence of 12 interconnected postures that, when practiced properly, transform into a deeply nourishing experience.
Step 1: Pranamasana (Prayer Pose )
- Beginning with this Asana “ Pranamasana”, you need to begin in a standing position with feet joined together and arms alongside your body.
- Now gently bring your palms together in a Namaste gesture in front of your chest.
- Further, close your eyes and let your entire body relax.
Breathing: Normal breathing
Benefits :
- Aligns Posture
- Begin the practice with gratitude
- Cultivate body-mind connectivity
Tip: Try to emphasize the Anahata Chakra, and chant “Om Mitraya Namaha”.
Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana (Raise Arms Pose )
- Separate your hands, lift and extend your arms overhead.
- Start gazing upwards and then gently arch your back, pushing your pelvis forward.
- Maintain shoulder width distance between arms.
Breathing: Inhale deeply
Benefits
- Hasta Uttanasana helps stretch the spine, chest and abdomen area.
- Improves lung capacity
- Open heart chakra.
- Improves digestive system
- It’s an energy boosting pose.
Tip: For a more harmonious connection chant “ Om Ravaye Namaha”
Step 3: Padahastasana (Standing forward bend)
- Padahastasana is one of the poses that helps release stored stress and anxiety.
- Begin by folding forward and placing your palms on the floor on either side of your feet.
- Try to bring your head as close as possible to the knees, promoting a deep stretch in the back.
- Let your chest rest against the thighs.
Breathing : Exhale deeply
Benefits
- Relieves tension in the neck and back.
- Increases blood flow to the brain
- Stimulates the liver, kidney and digestive organs.
Step 4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose )
- Start by stepping the right leg back and extending it as far as possible.
- Place the right knee on the floor and keep the toes tucked in.
- Further bend the left knee and place the foot on the floor. Ensure the left knee is directly above the left ankle.
- To create a stable foundation, press your palms or fingertips firmly beside the left foot.
- Arch and head backward, lifting your chin up, gazing upwards.
Breathing : Inhale
Benefits
- Improves spine and groin flexibility.
- Through Ashwa Sanchalanasana you can relieve problems like constipation, indigestion and other digestive issues.
- Strengthens thighs and improves balance.
Tip: Chant”Om Bhanave Namahe “ to feel spiritually connected and maintain the pose.
Step 5: Dandasana (Stick Pose/Plank/four limb pose)
- Further come to Dandasana pose, draw your left foot backward, placing it beside your right foot.
- Curl your toes in and press your hands on the floor. Further, lower your chest closer to the floor.
- Ensure the shoulders are stacked over the wrist, using core muscles for stability.
- Hold your breath and balance the entire body from toes and hands.
Breathing: Hold breath
Benefits :
- Excellent strength building pose
- Tone and build the muscles of arms, wrists and abs.
- Enhance stability
Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskar(eight limbed pose)
- Lower the knees on the floor and move your hips slightly back.
- Slide a little forward, placing chest and chin on the floor.
- Your toes, knees, chest, hands and chin should touch the floor in Ashtanga Namaskar, while your buttocks,hips and abdomen area should not be raised.
Breathing: Exhale
Benefits:
- Tones upper body
- Increases flexibility of spine
- Activate the core muscles.
- Enhance the function of digestive organs.
Step 7: Bhujanangasana (The cobra pose)
- While doing Bhujanangasana, move your chest forward while your toes should point backward.
- Arch your back, lifting the chest and head like a cobra.
- Hold this breath with controlled breathing focus
Breath: Exhale
Benefits:
- Enhance spinal flexibility
- Reduces fatigue and any idea of stress
- Opens up the heart and lungs
Tip: Hold this pose with controlled breathing, chanting “Om Pushne Namaha”.
Step 8:Parvatasana (Mountain pose )
- In Parvatasana pose, lift your hips up and push them backwards by placing the heels on the floor.
- Further, straighten your arms and lower your head between them, forming an inverted V with legs, arms and back.
- Make sure your palms are firmly pressed into the floor, building core muscles.
Breathing: Exhale deeply
Benefits:
- Improved blood circulation to the brain.
- Strengthen arms and legs.
- Helps in stretching of entire back of the body.
Tip: Chant “ Om khagaya Namaha” during this practice to connect your body and mind.
Step 9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose – Left Leg)
- Create a mirror image of step 4 in Ashwa Sanchalanasana. Inhale by bringing the right foot forward between the hands, bending the knee.
- Further lower the left knee to touch the floor and tuck the left toes in
- Tilt the head backwards to look up and make a gentle arch in the spine.
Breathing : Inhale
Benefits :
- Improves body balance
- Improves flexibility and coordination
- Strengthens the leg and hip muscles
Step 10: Hasta Padasana(Standing Forward bend )
- Bring the right foot forward and bend forward while standing at the hips
- Bring the palms to the floor beside the feet to maintain a straight spine.
Breathing : Exhale
Benefits:
- Lengthening of spine.
- Stimulates abdominal organs
- Relieves body tension
Tip: Recite Om Savitre Namaha while practicing Hasta Padasana
Step 11: Hasta Utthanasana (Raised Arms pose)
- Stand erect with your arms stretched upwards in Hasta Utthanasana.
- Keep the arms parallel to each other with palms facing each other.
Benefits :
- Reopens the front body
- Activates and strengthens the spine after a fold.
Step 12 :Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
- This is the last pose of Surya Namaskar Pranamasana, completes one round.
- Bring your arms down to join the palms in front of the chest
Breathing : Exhale
Benefits :
- Grounds the body
- Brings awareness inward.
Top 10 benefits of Surya Namaskar
- Supports your weight loss journey. Doing Surya Namaskar in a fast paced version can literally burn more calories than jogging. It can excellently tone your abs, arms and thighs.
- Surya Namaskar is also a great energy booster, it can get the blood flowing and revitalize every cell. It can wake your body better than a cup of coffee.
- Each posture of Surya namaskar stretches different muscles and hence over time your spine, legs, and hips become more flexible.
- Surya namaskar activates the glands like the thyroid, pituitary, and adrenal, which maintain the hormonal harmony of the body.
- A few rounds of Surya Namaskar in the evening can calm your mind, reduce anxiety, and prepare you for restful sleep.
- Twisting and compressing of different body parts also stimulates digestive organs and prevents any type of bloating in the body.
- In yoga, while doing Surya namaskar, we often synchronize breath with movements, which further boosts the brain oxygen level and improves our overall concentration.
- Improved circulation and detoxification can result in glowing skin and strong hair roots as well.
- Making Surya Namaskar your daily ritual can help build consistency, discipline, and bring you inner peace.
Let the Sun rise within You
Surya Namaskar is more than simply a yoga pose; it’s a daily practice of alignment, an interaction with your breath, and a body-soul dance.
Sun Salutation is an enduring gift for your body, mind, and soul, regardless of your level of experience with yoga for stress relief or your desire to incorporate a weight loss yoga practice into your daily routine.
