Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) elaborated and surya namaskar benefits for health

Surya Namaskar, which is known as “Sun Salutation” in English, is essentially about building a dimension within you where your physical cycles are in sync with the sun’s cycles, which run at about twelve-and-a-quarter years. It is not by accident but by intent that it has been structured with twelve postures or twelve asanas in it. If your system is in a certain level of vibrancy and readiness, and in a good state of receptivity, then naturally your cycle will be in sync with the solar cycle. Here are some surya namaskar benefits.

How to do surya namaskar yoga (sun salutation) and its benefits for health

Surya Namaskar (Yoga) means to bow down to the sun in the morning. The sun is the life source for this planet. In everything that you eat, drink and breathe, there is an element of the sun. Only if you learn how to better “digest” the sun, internalise it, and make it a part of your system, for surya namaskar benefits do you truly benefit from this process surya namaskar.

Generally, people understand Surya Namaskar as an exercise: it strengthens your back, your muscles, etc. Yes, it definitely does do all that and more. It is quite a complete workout for the physical system – a comprehensive exercise form without any need for equipment. But above all, it is an important tool that empowers human beings to break free from the compulsive cycles and patterns of their lives by surya namaskar.

Surya namaskar steps

Step 1: Pranamasana (Prayer pose)

Stand at the edge of your mat, keep your feet together and balance your weight equally on both the feet.
Expand your chest and relax your shoulders.
As you breathe in, lift both your arms up from the sides and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest in a prayer position.

Step 2:Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose)

Breathing in, lift the arms up and back, keeping the biceps close to the ears. In this pose, the effort is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
You may push the pelvis forward a little bit. Ensure you’re reaching up with the fingers rather than trying to bend backwards.

Step 3: Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose)

Breathing out, bend forward from the waist, keeping the spine erect. As you exhale completely, bring the hands down to the floor, beside the feet.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
You may bend the knees, if necessary, to bring the palms down to the floor. Now make a gentle effort to straighten the knees.
It’s a good idea to keep the hands fixed in this position and not move them until you finish the sequence.

Step 4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)

Breathing in, push your right leg back, as far back as possible. Bring the right knee to the floor and look up.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Ensure that the left foot is exactly in between the palms.

Step 5: Parvatasana (Mountain pose)

Breathing out, lift the hips and the tail bone up, chest downwards in an ‘inverted V’ posture.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
If possible, try and keep the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone up, going deeper into the stretch.

Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with eight parts or points)

Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Take the hips back slightly, slide forward, rest your chest and chin on the floor. Raise your posterior a little bit.
The two hands, two feet, two knees, chest and chin (eight parts of the body touch the floor).

Step 7: Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra posture.You may keep your elbows bent in this pose, the shoulders away from the ears. Look up.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
As you inhale, make a gentle effort to push the chest forward; as you exhale, make a gentle effort to push the navel down. Tuck the toes under. Ensure you’re stretching just as much as you can; do not force your body.

Step 8: Parvatasana (Mountain pose)

Breathing out, lift the hips and the tail bone up, chest downwards in an ‘inverted V’ posture.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
If possible, try and keep the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone up, going deeper into the stretch.

Step 9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)

Breathing in, push your right leg back, as far back as possible. Bring the right knee to the floor and look up.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Ensure that the left foot is exactly in between the palms.

Step 10: Hasta Padasana (Hand to foot pose)

Breathing out, bring the left foot forward. Keep the palms on the floor. You may bend the knees, if necessary.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Gently straighten the knees and if you can, try and touch your nose to the knees. Keep breathing.

Step 11:Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose)

Breathing in, roll the spine up, hands go up and bend backwards a little bit, pushing the hips slightly outward.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Ensure that your biceps are beside your ears. The idea is to stretch up more rather than stretch backwards.

Step 12: Tadasana

As you exhale, first straighten the body, then bring the arms down. Relax in this position, observe the sensations in your body.

Surya Namaskar benefits for health

• Strengthens the entire digestive system (including stomach, pancreas, intestines, liver, etc.) and cures, and prevents constipation.
• Invigorates the nervous system (including the brain, spinal cord, lower plexus, and cures brain-fag, forgetfulness, worries and other forms of mental derangement.
• Invigorates the heart and will cure and prevent blood pressure, palpitation.
• Surya namaskar benefits to Improve quality and circulation of the blood. Active circulation of the blood is the first law of health.
• Surya namaskar benefits to improve color and function of the spleen by enabling it to eradicate toxic impurities through profuse perspiration and to absorb vital energy from the atmosphere.
• Strengthens the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers, back, stomach, waist, abdomen, intestines, thighs, knees, calves and ankles. Strengthening the back is known to be a simple but efficient remedy for kidney troubles.
• Proven to halt falling of hair, and its tendency to greyness and prevents baldness by increasing nutrition to the hair and scalp, and the bonding of the neck backward and forward, insures good circulation to the bead.
• Reduces redundant fat, especially the fat about the abdomen, hips, thighs, neck and chin.
• Will remove kidney troubles. Strengthens the stomach, neck, back, and chest by the mere rolling of the stomach towards the spine, as in some of the positions of Surya Namaskar.
• Destroys the offensive odor of perspiration.
• surya namaskar benefits to Improve your blood circulation that aids in bringing back the glow on your face; preventing the onset of wrinkles, making your skin look ageless and radiant.
• Beneficial for women who are suffering from irregular menstrual cycles as it helps regulate it. Regular practice of the movements can also help in easy childbirth.