Surya Namaskar | Sun Salutation

Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar is one of the most popular and useful yoga practices. It’s a combination of twelve asanas, which exercises the whole body in single stretch one by one. There are different mantras for each and every step in this sequence. Following are the complete poses and steps for practicing Surya Namaskar:

Surya Namaskar Steps with Poses

Step1
To the direction of the sun with both feet touching. Bring the hands together, palm to palm, in the heart.

Step2
Inhale deeply and raise the arms up. Slowly bend backward, stretching arms above the head.

Step3
Exhale slowly bent forward, touching the earth with respect until the hands are in line with the feet, head touching knees.

Step4
Breathe and move the right leg away from the body in one big step backwards. Keep hands and feet firmly on the ground, with the left foot between the hands. Raise the head.

Step5
While exhaling, bring the left together with the law. Keep arms straight, bring the hips and align the head with the arms, that an upward arc.

Step6
Exhale and lower the body to the floor until the feet, knees, hands, chest and forehead are touching.

Step7
Inhale and slowly raise the head and bend backward as much as possible, bending the spine to the maximum (as in the Bhujang-asana or Cobra pose).

Step8
While exhaling, bring the left together with the law. Keep arms straight, bring the hips and align the head with the arms, that an upward arc.

Step9
Breathe and move the right leg away from the body in one big step backwards. Keep hands and feet firmly on the ground, with the left foot between the hands. Raise the head.

Step10
Exhale slowly bent forward, touching the earth with respect until the hands are in line with the feet, head touching knees.

Step11
Inhale and raise the arms up. Slowly bend backward, stretching arms above the head.

Step12
To the direction of the sun with both feet touching. Bring the hands together, palm to palm, in hart.Stand facing the direction of the sun with both feet touching. Bring the hands together, palm to palm, at the heart.

Surya Namaskar Postures/Images

Benefits Of Surya Namaskar

• Surya Namaskar is a complete body exercise. It keeps all internal organs, stomach, intestines, pancreas, spleen, heart and lungs, healthy and strong. Also muscles of external body parts, chest, shoulders, hands, thighs, legs becomes healthy and strong.

• It makes spine and waist flexible by removing disorders. It improves blood circulation in the body which removes skin diseases. These are the best twelve steps of surya namaskar yoga positions in sequence to burn calories, weight loss and complete health, fitness.

• Sun Salutation keeps the digestive system perfect. Mental and physical energy levels are balanced. It provides power to our soul and body, maintains mental peace, memory, power, strength. Reduces ageing of the body, hair fall and graying, keeps diseases away.

• It’s also very useful for women to maintain beauty, keeping the body in shape by reducing extra fat and flat abdomen. Also, helps to cure menstrual irregularity and easy child birth.

Precautions

• In Sun Salutation, forward bending asanas are strictly prohibited for those who suffer from ‘waist pain’. Though back-bending asanas can be practiced if felt comfortable.

• In the beginning Surya Namaskar must be practiced under the guidance of a experienced yoga teacher.