Author: Aniruddh

Surya namaskara means saluting to lord Surya the source of energy to the world. Surya Namaskara is set of yogasana postures. It not only just physical exercise, it is a complete exercise for body, mind and soul. Daily performing Surya Namaskara Yoga postures has many advantages.

Main Advantages of performing Surya Namaskara Daily

Performing Surya Namaskar every day has many health benefits. Some of them are

• Beneficial for the health of digestive system.Regular practice of Surya Namaskara helps to improve the digestive system. It stretches the abdominal muscles and helps to lose excessive belly fat and gives flat stomach.
• Ideal exercise to cope with insomnia.Regular practice of Surya Namaskara calms the mind and helps to get sound sleep. Thus it helps in controlling insomnia and other related diseases
• Practice regulates irregular menstrual cycles. Practicing Surya Namaskar ensures the easy childbirth. It helps to decrease the fear of pregnancy and childbirth.
• Surya Namaskar practice boosts blood circulation and helps to prevent hair graying, hair fall, and dandruff. It also improves the growth of hair making it long.
• Regular practice of Surya Namaskar helps to lose extra calories and reduce fat. It helps to stay thin. Practicing Surya Namaskar is the easiest way to be in shape.
• Sun salutation exercise helps to add glow on your face making facial skin radiant and ageless. It is the natural solution to prevent onset of wrinkles.
• Regular practice of sun salutation boosts endurance power. It gives vitality and strength. It also reduces the feeling of restlessness and anxiety.
• The back muscles are toned up and strengthened to a great extent and the spine and arms become stronger
• It regulates the respiration system and improves lungs functionality

Procedure to perform Surya Namaskara

Surya Namaskara consist of 12 postures. Ideally Surya Namaskara should be done total 13 times along with Surya Namaskara Mantras given below chanting one mantra before starting each cycle of yoga postures.

Surya Namaskara Mantras

1. Aum Mitraya Namah
2. Aum Ravayre Namah
3. Aum Suryaya Namah
4. Aum Bhanave Namah
5. Aum Khagaya Namah
6. Aum Pushne Namah
7. Aum Hiranyagarbhaya Namah
8. Aum Marichaye Namah
9. Aum Adityaya Namah
10. Aum Savitre Namah
11. Aum Arkaya Namah
12. Aum Bhaskaraya Namah
13. Aum Shri Savitra Surya Narayanaya namah

Postures of Surya Namaskara

As said earlier, Surya Namaskara is a set of many Yoga postures. Let us look into different postures of Surya Namaskara.

Step1: Stand straight with your feet together and palms folded at the chest as if in prayer. Your toes can be slightly apart but the heels should be as close as possible.
Step 2:Raise your arms above your head and stretch back as much as possible to bend your spine backwards while inhaling air. Your abdomen should be stretched to the maximum limit and your biceps should be touching your ears with your hands parallel.
Step 3:Bend forward, go down and touch your toes with your fingertips. Don’t bend your knees and try to touch your knee with your forehead. When you do this, your stomach is compressed, so exhale.
Step 4:take your right leg back and stretch it while balancing it on the toe and keep your left leg folded in front of your chest. Keep your palms straight on both sides of the left foot on the ground. Look up and inhale.
Step 5:Take back the left leg as well and keep both the feet together while raising your hip from the ground and balancing yourself on all fours. You will look like an inverted V. Exhale while you do this posture.
Step 6:Slowly come down and rest your palms next to your shoulders, your knees touching the ground but your waist and hip slightly raised above so that they don’t touch the ground. Your face should also be downward facing and hold your breath during this.
Step 7:Lower your waist and raise your torso, making your arms straight and balancing yourself. Feel your spine bend and the abdomen stretch. Inhale when you do this and look straight.
Now, again raise your hip and balance yourself on all fours. Looking like an inverted V. Exhale while you do this.
Step 8:Bring the left leg forward and fold it so that the knee reaches your chin and look up. Keep the right leg behind as before and stretch. Inhale when you do this.
Step 9: With your palm at your toes, raise yourself up so that your forehead touches the knees and your spine bends forward. Exhale in this posture.
Step 10:Get up very slowly and take your arms above your head and stretch backwards while inhaling.
Step 11:Then come back to the first position with your arms folded and relax while breathing normal.
Step 12:Repeat the series with the other leg.