Surya Namaskar, Sun Salutation

Surya Namaskar or sun salutation is one of the most ancient and comprehensive yoga techniques from ancient India, practiced worldwide today for its incredible health benefits. It is a way of expressing our gratitude to the sun which is a source of energy, for life on earth. The ancient rishis of India believed that the different parts of the human body are governed by divine light, and when we do sun salutation the vitality of the sun’s energy seeps into our body. There is a science behind it. The solar plexus located behind our stomach in the central part of our body  and is also known as the second brain. Regular practice of Surya Namaskar enhances this solar plexus, which increases the creative and intuitive senses.

Benefits of practicing Surya Namaskar

The benefits of Surya Namaskar are manifold, both physical and spiritual. The postures are the right blend of warm-ups and asanas. It helps to keep the body healthy and disease-free. Regular practice promotes balance in the body. Improves blood circulation and Strengthens the heart. Tones the digestive tract. Stimulates the core abdominal muscles, repairs the respiratory system.

Yoga experts are of the opinion that doing 12 sets of Sun Salutation is equivalent to doing 288 powerful yoga poses in a span of 12 to 15 minutes. Tones the spine, neck, shoulder, arms, hands, wrist, back and leg muscles, thereby promoting overall flexibility

Psychologically, it synchronizes the body, breath, and mind, thus making us calmer and boosts the energy levels with sharpened awareness.

Transforms Your System

• Helps lose weight
• Glowing skin and healthy Hair
• Ensures regular menstrual cycle
• Brings down blood sugar level
• Improves anxiety
• Helps your body detox
• Battles insomnia

1. Improves Blood Circulation of the Body
   Due to the active process of regulated inhalation and exhalation, the lungs are constantly ventilated and the blood remains oxygenated. It’s a great way to detox the body and helping it get rid of all the toxins.
2. Aids Weight lossSun Salutation is a complete body workout involving stretching, flexing, and toning the muscles, an excellent exercise for weight loss. When done at a faster pace, it is a great cardiovascular workout that helps lose weight. Even if it is done as an intensive physical exercise it works on every part of the body, and the benefits are manifold. We can increase the number of rounds at a relatively faster pace and watch the flab starting to disappear slowly. The 12 asanas with bends and stretches help lose flab. 

       3. Promotes a Regular Menstrual Cycle
          It also rectifies the problem of an irregular menstrual cycle. When practiced daily these asanas will help suppress this irregularity.

4. Healthy Skin and HairRegular practice of yoga will keep you youthful and healthy even in old age. Surya Namaskar in particular keeps the skin and hair youthful as it improves the blood circulation through regulated breathing. Thus it helps in bringing back the glow on the face, prevents the onset of wrinkles, rejuvenates the skin making it look younger and radiant. It also helps prevent hair loss.

          Surya Namaskar prevents the onset of wrinkles by relieving the body and mind of stress 

5. Anti-anxiety and Calming PropertiesSurya Namaskar calms the nervous system. It stabilizes the endocrine and thyroid glands and reduces the anxiety syndrome by inducing complete calmness and tranquility. Check this https://www.natural-cure.org/yoga-for-health/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression/

Surya Namaskar Asans, Poses

2. Hast Utthanasan (Raised Arms Pose)

3. Pada Hastasan (Hand to Foot Pose)

4. Ashwa Sanchalanasan (Equestrian Pose)

5. Parvatasan (Mountain Pose)

6. Ashtang Namaskar (Salute with Eight Parts or Points)

7. Bhujangasan (Cobra Pose)

8. Parvatsan (Mountain Pose)

Same as 5, Parvatasan.

9. Ashwa Sanchalasan (Equestrian Pose)

10. Pada Hastasan (Hand to Foot Pose)

11. Hast Utthanasan (Raised Arms Pose)

12. Namaskarasan (Prayer Pose)

This is one complete round. The asanas strengthen the core muscles, tones the arms, and gives great flexibility to the spine. Moreover, It helps in strengthening your entire skeletal system including ligaments.

The chief aim of this is to balance the entire system of the body.  The smooth alternation between forward-bending and backward-bending massages the solar plexus, which promotes deep abdominal breathing. This kind of organized breathing improves the respiratory capacity of the lungs.  Likewise, the sequence of movements in coherence with the breath develops a state of relaxed attention, and the sequential movements also develop the suppleness of the hips, pelvis, upper back, neck, and shoulders.

When can I do these asanas?

Though it can be done at any time of the day, however, it is best to do it at sunrise. When practiced in the morning, it helps revitalize the body and keeps us energized throughout the day. There are benefits of doing Surya Namaskar at other times of the day too. If you practice it in the afternoon, it energizes your body instantly whereas when done at dusk, it helps to unwind and relax.

Limitations

People with high blood pressure, hernia, heart problems, and intestinal tuberculosis should not practice Surya Namaskar.  Also, do not practice it during menstruation but it can be done in the first two months of pregnancy and even after two months of delivery.

Contact Jagadguru Kripalu Yoga and Naturopathy Hospital, Odisha for Yoga classes, lifestyle consultation, and naturopathy treatment.