Traditional Sun Salutations - Surya Namaskar
Posted By : Yogi Mahesh Chetan.
Posted By : Yogi Mahesh Chetan.
Traditional Sun Salutations - Surya Namaskar
Defining Sun Salutation
Sun salutation, or Surya Namaskar, is a set of exercises performed by yoga practitioners as a warm-up. It is a key element of vinyasa flow yoga and includes inhaling and exhaling while doing poses in a synchronized way. This set of poses begins with offering prayer to the sun god and asking him to give us energy and wisdom to do the poses correctly.
Benefits of Sun Salutation
- It strengthens the entire digestive system, including the stomach, pancreas, liver, and intestines. It also prevents stomach aches and constipation.
- It develops lungs, and they capture more oxygen and prevent tuberculosis.
- Improves blood circulation and the distribution of oxygen all across the body.
- Stimulates the activity of glands.
- Eradicates toxic impurities by enabling the spleen and through perspiration.
- Reduces fat in major body parts such as abdomen, hips, thighs, neck and chin.
- Reduces smell of body odor.
- Helps maintain youthful buoyancy.
- Stops hair-fall and turning of hair color in grey due to ageing.
- Eradicates sexual debility and special weakness in men and women.
How to do Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)
Start by distributing your weight equally on both feet and stand straight. Bring your palms at the center of the chest. Remain in this pose with deep breathing and feel the ‘prana’ (life force) flowing through your body.
Now inhale and open your palms and raise your arms up and over your head. Bend your spine a little backward and pump up your heart and expand your chest. Look up while keeping your forehead relaxed.
Exhale and fold your hips forward and turn down into a full forward bend. You can bend your knees a little to ease up the pressure on your back and hips. Now draw your chin inwards and look at your legs.
Inhale deeply and lift up your chin, chest and gaze while remaining grounded trough legs, reaching down to your heels. Press your hands into your shins to straighten your spine. Remain in this pose for a while.
Breathe out and jump back to plank pose and shift your weight slightly forward. Now bend your elbows and lower your body halfway to the ground. Keep your upper arms parallel to the floor and close to sides.
Inhale, press backwards and come on tops of your feet while pressing down through your hands. Broaden up your chest by pulling back your shoulders while keeping your kneecaps, thighs and hips floated. Look up at the tip of your nose.
Breathe out with your toes tucked under, using the strength of your belly to pull back your hips in upwards direction. Your shoulders, spine and hips should be in straight line from your wrists. You can also bend your knees a bit.
Exhale 5 times while being at ease. Now jump suddenly with your feet forward towards your hands. Remain in this pose for a while. Your knees should be opened under your hips with your toes touched to the ground.
Now inhale with a deep breath and lift up your chin, chest with your spine straightened up. Also lift up your gaze in diagonal position while your legs remain straight and your spine in diagonal position.
Breath out and fold your body in forward direction completely. Loose up your back and keep it softened while bringing your face close to your legs, as if touching them. Your legs and body should be parallel to each other.
Take a deep breath and rise completely. Straighten up your spine and look up with your hands pointed skywards. Your whole body should be erect.
Breath out and return to Tadasana position. Pause for a while and feel the changes your body might be feeling. Your hands should again be in front of the center of your chest.
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