Surya Namaskar 04

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Salute to the Sun (Surya Namaskar)

By Fazilah Bazari

What is Salute to the Sun (Surya Namaskar)

Surya Namaskar is a well known and vitaltechnique within the yogic repertoire. Its

versatility and application make it one of themost useful methods to induce a healthy,vigorous, active life and at the same timeprepare for spiritual awakening and the resultantexpansion of awareness.

This unique practice has been handed downfrom the sages of vedic times. Surya meanssun and Namasakara means salutations. Inancient times, the sun was worshipped as a dailyritual because it is a powerful symbol of spiritual

consciousness. Worship of the outer and innersun was a religio-social ritual which attempted toplacate those forces of nature beyond manscontrol. It was initiated by enlightened sages whoknew that these practices maintained health andled to greater social creativity and productivity.

For most of us, todays lifestyle accentuates mental tensions, worries andseemingly insoluble problems at many levels, such as personalinterrelationships, economics and even geopolitical threats of war anddestruction. At the same time the amount of sedentary or semi sedentary

work is increasing due to the increase in technology and labour savingdevices. This has led to a situation in which mental and physical ill health isincreasing. Without an antidote, there seems to be little hope.

Yoga practices are an ideal antidote to stress and are proving to be the basisof a powerful therapy for mental and physical diseases. Surya namaskara isan integral part of the yogic approach to these problems and can be easilyintegrated into our daily lives as it requires only five to fifteen minutes ofpractice daily to obtain beneficial results remarkably quickly. It is thereforeideal for even the most active individuals, such as the busy businessperson,the parent with a family to manage and feed, the student who is facingexaminations or the scientist who spends most of the day thinking.


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Surya namaskara is a series of twelve physical postures. These alternatingbackward and forward bending asanas flex and stretch the spinal column andlimbs through their maximum range. The series gives such a profound stretchto the whole of the body that few other forms of exercise can be comparedwith it.

Most beginners will discover stiffness in their bodies from muscular tension,tightness in the tendons and toxic deposits in the joints. Stiffness, lack of

coordination and the tendency to strain can all be overcome throughpractising very slowly, with an emphasis on awareness and relaxation in eachposture. What little physical effort is applied then appears effortless. Regularpractice of surya namaskara is one of the most rapid methods of obtaining asupple body.

The practice should be mastered by first becoming familiar with the posturesindividually and then as a whole. Synchronizing the breath with themovements is the next step. When this is achieved it will be found that thebreathing sequence complements each posture, and to breathe in any othermanner would be awkward and difficult. The basic breathing principle followed

is inhalation during backward bending postures due to expansion of the chest,and exhalation with forward bending postures due to compression of the chestand abdomen.

Preparation for Surya Namaskar

Before commencing the practice, stand with the feet together, or slightly apart,arms relaxed by the sides of your body. Close your eyes and become awareof the whole physical body. Adjust your position so you feel comfortable andstable in your feet.

Develop awareness of your body as if you are relaxing while you are standing.Starting from the top of the head, move the awareness through the wholebody. Relax any tensions that you may experience as you are rotating yourawareness.

Feel the top of the head moving up as if you are attached to a piece of stringabove your head and feel your feet being pulled down by gravity and that allthe tensions from the top of your head are being pulled down through yourfeet into the ground. At the same time, become aware of your breath, feel themovement of breath moving throughout your whole body, like movement oflight or vital energy.

Now get ready for your practice.


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Surya Namaskar (1)

Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Body Posture:

Stand erect, with both feet flat and palmstogether at the chest, in the 'prayer

position'. Gently firm the thighs, buttocks, pectoral

muscles and draw the knee caps upward. Maintain your awareness on the palms,

feeling the pressure on the chest area. Mentally pay homage to the sun as the

symbol of light and of all source of life. Relax the whole body.

Breathing:

Inhale and Exhale as you bring yourpalms together.

Surya Namaskar (2)

Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)

Body Posture:

Extend both arms upwards, pointing thefingers; bend backwards, looking up.

Keep the arms separated, should widthapart.

Stretch the head as far back as iscomfortably possible and be aware ofthe curve of the upper back.

Breathing:

Inhale through the nostrils while raising


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the arms.

Surya Namaskar (3)

Padahastasana (Hand to Foot Pose)

Body Posture:

Bend forwards from the hips, bringing

your head toward the knees whilekeeping the knees straight. Do notstrain.

Keep the back straight, focussing yourawareness at the pelvis, feel thestretch at the back of the leg muscles.

Breathing:

Exhale through the nostrils while

bending forward. Try to contract theabdomen in the final position to expelthe maximum amount of air from thelungs.

Contra-indications:

People with back conditions should not bend forward fully. Bend from thehips, keeping the spine straight, until the back forms a ninety degree anglewith the legs, or bend only as far as is comfortable.


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Surya Namaskar (4)

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)

Body Posture:

Extend the right leg backwards, pointingthe toes while bending the left knee,

keeping the foot flat and sinking the pelvisdownward.

Keep the arms by the side. Bend backwards, looking up with the arms

pointing downwards, extending the fingerstoward the floor.

You should feel the stretch from the thighmoving upward along the front of the bodyall the way to the eyebrow centre.

Breathing:

Inhale through the nostrils. Keep the knees straight and the feet

relaxed, balancing your weight evenly.

Surya Namaskar (5)

Parvatasana (Mountain Pose)

Body Posture:

Facing downward, place the palmsand the feet flat on the floor whileextending the buttocks upward,bending at the hips.

Try to align the arms with the back,bending only at the waist, with theknees straight.

Relax the head and neck.

Focus your awareness in the neckarea.


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Breathing:

Half-way exhale through the nostrils. (Complete the exhale in thefollowing posture.)

Surya Namaskar (6)

Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute With EightLimbs Pose)

Body Posture:

Rest the toes, palms and knees on thefloor.

Lower the body until the chest and chintouch the floor, keeping the buttocksraised and the elbows in toward the

sides. Focus at the centre of the body or on the

back muscles.

Breathing:

Complete the exhale from the previous posture.

Surya Namaskar (7)

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Body Posture:

Lower the hips while pushing the chestforward and upward with the arms. Archthe back slightly push the chest forwardinto the cobra pose.

Unless the spine is very flexible the arms

will remain slightly bent.


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Focus awareness at the base of the spine.

Breathing:

Inhale as you push up into the cobra.

Surya Namaskar (8)

Parvatasana (Mountain Pose)

Body Posture:

Facing downward, place the palms andthe feet flat on the floor while extendingthe buttocks upward, bending at the hips.

Try to align the arms with the back,bending only at the waist, with the kneesstraight.

Relax the head and neck.

Focus your awareness in the neck area.

Breathing:

Exhale in the pose

Surya Namaskar (9)Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)

Body Posture:

Step forward with the right leg, bendingthe knee with the foot flat on the floorbetween the palms. .

This is the same as posture number 4,with the leg positions reversed.


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Breathing:

Inhale through the nostrils.

Surya Namaskar (10)

Padahastasana (Hand to Foot Pose)

Body Posture:

Bend forwards from the waist, bringingyour head toward the knees.

This is the same as posture number 3.

Breathing:

Exhale through the nostrils.

Surya Namaskar (11)

Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)

Body Posture:

Extend both arms upwards, pointing thefingers; bendbackwards, looking up.

This is the same as posture number 2.

Breathing:

Inhale through the nostrils.


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Surya Namaskar (12)

Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Body Posture:

Stand erect, with both feet flat and palms

together at the chest, in the 'prayer position'. This is the same as posture number 1.

Breathing:

Exhale through the nostrils.

Source: Surya Namaskar, A Technique of Solar Vitalization, by SW.Satyananda Saraswati, Bihar School of Yoga.

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