Surya Namaskar - One of the Best and Easy Way to Ensure Good Health for Inner and Outer Body

Surya Namaskar (Salutation to Sun) is a Yogic Exercise and is a sequence of different Yoga Postures (asanas). It is used to worship the Surya (Sun) at the time of sun rise (can be done in evening when sun sets). It has diverse effect on all aspect of human body and the living of the human. It is very good for physical and mental health, and an easy way to ensure the good health of both outer and inner body. If one can be regular with Surya Namaskar, it can make a lot of difference in her life. Surya Namaskar can be done just for ensuring the physical health i.e. in the form of simple physical exercise. In this state, it will help to ensure a good health for body. However further it can be used as a medium for Sadhana by using asanas, pranayam, mantra and focusing on energy sources in body (sever energy chakra). It is very helpful in Sadhana (a mean to achieve something, mostly through spiritual practice).

Surya Pranam (Namaskar) is believed to be an exercise to gather the energy from Universe.



Benefits of Surya Namaskar are:
  • It touches every aspect of Human body and nature and nourish these. 
  • It put the every part of body in motion and help to make these active. 
  • It helps to keep peace of mind and give more control on the mind.
  • It helps to keep body fit by nourishing the every part of the body.
  • It is a cure for many diseases, if any one does it regularly. 
  • It helps in loosing the extra fat from body
  • It increases the digestion power
  • It helps body to releases the poisonous gases and particles and inhale life giving force i.e. Oxygen. 
  • It keeps the body active throughout the day.
  • It puts pressure on Kidney in a way that it increases the flow of blood with these and ensure a good health of these organs
  • It increases the blood flow in whole body.
  • It is good for mind as well.
  • And much more.
Surya Namaskar has four different aspects as:
  • Yoga Postures which helps to keep the body fit and helps to strengthen the physical body. Postures are designed in a way that these move the spine backward and forward to give energy to whole body.
  • Every posture has inhalation or exhalation associated with it, except that of sixth posture where we need to held the breath outside.It is a part of Pranayam
  • Third aspect is Vedic, where every posture has an associated Mantra with it.
  • Fourth aspect is mediation i.e. focusing on different energy circles of body (chakra meditation).
Rules for performing Surya Namaskar:
  • It should be done with empty stomach
  • Right time to perform the Surya Namaskar is when the sun rises. However in some situation, it can be done when sun sets.
  • It should be done in open place where our lungs can inhale good oxygen.
  • It should be performed on a mat, not on floor so that to avoid the release of energy, which is gathered during the exercise in body 
  • Initially it can be started with one complete cycle, and gradually can be increases to 12 cycles. Experienced Yogis do it up to 24 times.
  • Shavasna should be performed at the end of the exercise.
  • Inhalation and exhalation should be in synchronization of body movement. It is defined below.
  • Mantra are recited at the beginning of each posture exercise. These are given below.
  • In Vedic context, Surya Namaskar should always be done while facing the rising or setting sun.
  • Pregnant ladies can do it up to fourth month of pregnancy or till their health allowed (whichever is earlier)
Sequence of postures, related breathing directions, Mantras and Energy Chakra to Focus on:
  1. Parnamasana (Prayer pose) 
    1. Exhale
    2. Om Mitraya Namah
    3. Anahata Chakra
  2. Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)
    1. Inhale
    2. Om Ravaye Namah
    3. Vishudh Chakra
  3. Hasta Paadasna (Standing and bend forward)
    1. Exhale
    2. Om Suryaya Namah
    3. Swadhisthan Chakra
  4. Ashwa Sanchalan Asana (Stretching one leg backward while in above bend pose)
    1. Inhale
    2. Om Bhanave Namah
    3. Aagya Chakra
  5. Parvta asana (Hill like shape on two legs and to hands )
    1. Exhale
    2. Om Khagaya Namah
    3. Vishudh Chakra
  6. Ashtanga Aasana (A parnam pose)
    1. Stop the breath outside
    2. Om Pusne Namah
    3. Manipur
  7. Bhujang asana (Pose like snake)
    1. Inhale
    2. Om Hirnaya Gharbhaya Namah
    3. Swadhisthan Chakra
  8. Parvta Asana
    1. Exhale
    2. Om Marichye Namah
    3. Vishudh Chakra
  9. Ashwa Sanchalan Asana 
    1. Inhale
    2. Om Adityaya Namah
    3. Aagya Chakra
  10. Hasta Paadasna 
    1. Exhale
    2. Om Savitre Namah
    3. Swadhisthan Chakra
  11. Hasta Uttanasana
    1. Inhale
    2. Om Arkaya Namah
    3. Vishudh Chakra
  12. Pranamasana
    1. Exhale
    2. Om Bhaskaraya Namah
    3. Anahat Chakra
Please refer to 'Surya Namaskar' for pictures of various postures and refer to other post for various Energy Chakras.

Also please don't forget to do Shavasana at the end of Surya Namaskar. It is very important and necessary.

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11 comments:

Pritu said...

I think this is a excellent short and sweet article which give a holistic view of the Shurya Namaskar, .... plz keep on posting such articles.
Thanks.
Saundaraya

Hemanth Srinivas said...

Hi thanks for the article...In what conditions do we need to do Suryanamaskar in evenings? I am planning to do both in mornings and evenings..pls advice.

Mohit Gupta said...

Dear Hemanth,

I am not expert here, however I believe that Suryanamaskar is an exercise for your physical and inner body. So there should not be any issue in doing this exercise in evening also. Morning time is preferred because

Body is refreshed after night long rest, so we can do exercise properly
Environment is refreshing in the morning, hence it is good for health
Mind works without much distractions in the morning, and hence we can have good concentration.

-Regards
Mohit

Mohit Gupta said...

One point to consider is that this exercise should be done empty stomach. So if one is doing it in evening, she needs to have a gap of around 3-4 hours to have empty stomach.

Anonymous said...

This is awesome.

Anonymous said...

this post is awesome. can u plz say that the recitation of the mantra is important or we can practice surya namaskar without reciting the mantra.

Mohit Gupta said...

As mentioned, Sun Salutation is to nourish both outer and inner body. Inner body means your spiritual existence. If you want to make your outer / physical body fit, only physical exercises (without mantra) will do good. However, if you want to take next step towards nourishment of inner body, then Mantra and meditation will help.

Anonymous said...

hii i am meranda. i am very happy to see this article. this is really wow. act i am suffering from psychological problem. i have stop taking medicines and started practicing pranayama regularly. can u plz tell me whether sun salutation is going to help in this.

Mohit Gupta said...

Hello Meranada. I am not specialist in this, rather, just practicing these like you. With my experience, I can say that Sun Salutation or Pranayama like exercises which nourish our physical body and inner body both, actually helps in keep these fit. So from that aspect, it should help in these kind of problems also. Our mind works well, when our body is fit and we have a good control on our mind. Pranayama, and meditation helps in that.

Anonymous said...

thanks a lot i'll definately try this.....(meranda)

Mohit Gupta said...

A good article for Surya Namaskar Benefits - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/Suryanamaskar-is-more-than-weight-loss/articleshow/10880819.cms

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