Yoga without sun salutations is like rain without clouds. We all know the sun salutation sequence as it plays an important role in obtaining the benefits of this asana. Surya namaskar or sun salutation is practiced facing the sun. This is why it is always done in the morning. We salute the Sun who gives us love and life. The reason for our life and therefore we draw energy from it. When we salute the Sun, we salute its energy, its power and its liveliness. Let us understand the benefits of being more connected to Surya Namaskar.
Step by step process to make Surya Namaskar
1. Prayer Pose (Pranamasana)
The person is supposed to stand facing the sun with both palms together near the chest. The breathing exercise should be followed in a standing position with your hands together. Inhaling and exhaling will lift the palms up and down. This posture helps give a good exercise to the arms, shoulders, palms, torso and legs and also refines the respiratory system.
2. Raised Arms Pose (Hastauttanasana)
While standing, lean back by stretching both hands behind and legs should be straight on the floor. Only the upper body should be leaned back. Breathing exercise is not mandatory here but the person should breathe deeply. This posture allows you to stretch your upper body and torso muscles.
3. Hands-toes pose (Hasta Padasana)
The person is supposed to lean forward while standing and effectively place both hands on the ground. He should try to bend as low as possible to free the torso. The person is free to exhale during this posture.
4. Equestrian Pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
Here one has to sit in a position such that the right leg is placed on the floor and the left leg is held back while both hands should be placed on the floor. Thus, the weight of the entire body rests on both hands. The face should be held high while performing this posture.
5. Stick Pose (Dandasana)
This posture is also known as Mountain Pose. Here the person is supposed to bend in such a way that both hands are placed together on the floor and the legs are also placed together. When bending, the hips are supposed to be upwards and the person should bend downwards to form a mountain.
6. Salute in eight parts or points (Ashtanga Namaskara)
In this posture, the person should lie on the ground in such a way that his face, hands, chest, shoulders, torso and legs touch the ground. The body is stretched with all body parts held on the ground. After reaching this position, the person should slightly and slowly tilt their head to the left first, then to the right, touching their ear to the ground. During this pose, breathe in and out meaningfully.
7. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Keeping the body on the ground and performing the process of inhaling, the person is supposed to stretch their upper body backwards with their head held high and their arms still held on the ground.
8. Mountain Pose (Parvatasana)
Here the person should then exhale while performing the same posture as the fifth posture. The person should bend over to form mountain pose.
9. Equestrian pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
Here the person should inhale and sit in such a way that their right leg is brought forward and their left leg is held back, with both hands extended towards the floor. This posture is the same as the fourth posture but here the right leg must be kept forward and the left leg backward unlike the fourth posture.
10. Hands-toes pose (Hasta Padasana)
This posture is the same as the third posture where the person leans completely forward and places their arms on the floor. It is supposed to exhale the inhaled air.
11. Raised Arms Pose (Hastauttanasana)
Now the person should stand, stretching the upper body back and hands high. This posture is the same as the second posture.
12. Standing Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The person should stand with their hands on each side of their body, with their face and all parts of their body straight. This posture is the same as the first posture but here the person does not risk crossing their hands. He can keep his hands at rest in this posture.
Benefits of Surya Namaskar
1. Tone your muscles
The stages of Surya Namaskar are such that they involve all parts of the body. From raised arm pose to forward pose, from equestrian pose to plank pose, to dog pose, it asks the body to bend. This helps to tone your calf muscles, tone your arms, strengthen your spine and shape your waistline. It also takes care of the joints, ligaments and the entire skeletal system of the body. The objective of the Sun Salutation is to take care of all the muscles as well as the chakras of our body.
2. Increase blood circulation
It is the magic of Surya Namaskar poses that benefits the entire circulatory system. There are specific times when the asana asks you to inhale and exhale. It is the breathing rate that increases blood circulation in the body. As a result, it helps to ventilate the lungs well. By performing Sun salutation regularly, it will generate fresh oxygen and reach the entire circulatory system. Your pain should disappear when there is no longer any obstacle to blood circulation.
3. Improves the radiance of your skin
As blood flow increases throughout your body, it has a calming effect on your body as a whole. In addition, the effect is seen on the face. The skin is hydrated. It starts to glow. Glowing skin speaks of health and makes the aura around it positive. The sun salutation poses to improve the elasticity of the body’s largest sense, the skin. Those who practice Surya Namaskar have radiant skin. Wrinkles and pigmentation become a very delayed phenomenon in their lives compared to other people of their age.
4. Increases energy and consciousness levels
Needless to say, one of the main benefits of Surya Namaskar is understanding it and increasing the inner level of consciousness. This happens because the entire asanas are based on the breathing pattern. With each pose, there is a rhythm of inhaling and exhaling. It brings relaxation to the body and mind. This increases the alertness of the mind. When you pay attention to your body, you automatically increase your energy levels. It sharpens the senses and allows you to live a stress-free life.
5. Improve your posture
Yoga teachers call the sun salutation “the perfect asana.” The reason is supported by several claims that this asana works. In addition to taking care of the circulatory system and increasing awareness of body, mind and soul, it takes care of your body posture. Since Surya Namaskar poses challenging postures that require you to stand up straight or whether it is the eight-limbed salute, bend forward, it strengthens the back and tones the muscles. The ultimate product of practicing Surya Namaskar is that you now have improved posture.
6. Emotional stability
Surya Namaskar attracts all the energy of the Sun and traps it in the body. The positive energy, power and liveliness of the Sun bring out the best in you. It calms your mind. You sleep well and reduce all stress levels. The effect is such that it eliminates all negative emotions. It takes care of anxiety problems. It makes you a happy person inside. You are less likely to become discouraged more quickly.
7. Hormonal balance
The sun salutation involves working on the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands. It serves to restore hormonal balance. It revitalizes the metabolism rate of the body. This ultimate asana manages the body’s cortisol level. Women find their menstrual cycles timely and painless. Women with PCOS will especially see their cycles improve. Surya Namaskar helps you maintain your weight, reduce stress levels, sleep well and take care of your intestines. When everything is in order, you should have perfect hormonal balance.
8. Nutrient Absorption
People have changed their preference to perform Surya namaskar to reap the benefits of Surya namaskar. One of them is to absorb nutrients and help carry out the body’s vital functions. Surya Namaskar poses improve the digestive area and remove all toxins from the system. Forward folds help it do this more. So, you don’t need to worry while performing sun salutation as it activates your digestive tract, takes care of the body ecosystem and rightly removes waste from the body.
In summary,
Surya Namaskar can be practiced in the morning, outdoors, preferably facing the sun. Surya Namaskar helps in keeping the body active and active and improves the processes of inhalation and exhalation.
We all know the saying: “There is no success without pain”. It’s true. To achieve our goals, we need to follow a diet in our daily life. What’s better than doing Surya Namaskar. You can start by doing two sets per day and then increase the number of sets you can do. It is best to hire a yoga teacher who can guide you in sun salutation poses. Today, the whole world practices Surya Namaskar to reap the benefits of Surya Namaskar, why not you?