Sun salutation- exercise for the mind, body and soul

Suryanamaskar or even known as saluting the rising sun is one of the most highly spoken of forms of exercise today because this ancient yogic ritual can do wonders for your body that no other exercise can, for your mind that no spiritual course can and for your soul that no meditation can. No wonder that’s why it is such a highly endorsed form of yoga by all the leading celebrities. Suryanamaskar is usually done in the morning to express gratitude towards the sun. Sun is the source of life for planet earth. Everything we eat, drink or breathe has an element of sun. Apart from being a great form of exercise, it also helps to build dimensions within us where physical cycles are in sync with the sun cycles.

Benefits of Suryanamaskar

·         Tones up the abdominal muscles.
·         Improves digestive system and helps to get rid of constipation.
·         Ventilates the lungs and oxygenates the blood.
·         Regularizes the function of all the glands.
·         Stimulates the nervous system and improves focus, concentration and memory.
·         Helps you sleep better.
·         Improves skin and hair texture.
·         Prevent menstrual irregularities and menopausal symptoms.
·         Helps to lose weight.
·         Improves muscle, spine and waist flexibility.
·         Helps you feel energetic and adds to the spirit of youthfulness.
·         Helps to relax the organs and muscles through deep oxygenation.
·         Helps protect the heart, tone the body and calm the mind.

How to go about it?

Suryanamaskar is a repetition of 12 postures which needs good strength and stamina. So jumpstarting a schedule is definitely not a good idea especially if you haven’t exercised ever or not stretched your muscles since ages. You need to give your body time to open up by doing some basic exercises, stretches, yoga asana, and flexibility exercises. Once you have reached a basic level of fitness you can start with 3-5 suryanamaskar and then increase it gradually to 10 and 20. The idea is to get each posture right, as the essence of doing this ritual lies in perfection. But one thing everyone needs to remember is that warm is extremely important before starting the postures. 

·         Neck: start with moving your neck to the left while breathing in and bring it back to the centre as you breathe out. Repeat on the right and do this 3 times. Rotate the neck clockwise and anti-clockwise 5 times each.

·        Arms and shoulders: stretch you arms in front of your chest and move your palms up and down, close your fist and rotate them clockwise and anti clockwise 10 times each. Place your fingers on your shoulders and rotate your arms clockwise and anti clockwise 10 times.

·        Knees and back: Bend your knees slightly with palms on your thighs, join the knees and move them forward and backward 5 times, then rotate the knees clock and anti clockwise 5 times each. Now stay in that position and arch your back, hold for 5 seconds and then round the back for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times each.

·        Stomach: Stand straight with fingers interlocked and hands stretched above the head. Now raise your calves and bring them down, repeat 5 times.

·         Legs: stand with legs wide and knees straight, bend down and touch the floor, now turn your waist to your right and hold the ankle of the right leg for 10 seconds, repeat on the other leg.

 
Now once your body is suitably warmed up, you can start with the 12 posture course on bare floor or green grass.
 

1.      Pranamasana (Prayer pose): stand erect at the edge of your mat with feet together. Expand your chest and relax your shoulders. Now bring both your arms in front of the chest and join them in a prayer position. This posture induces a state of relaxation and calmness.

2.      Hastauttanasana (Raised Arms pose): inhale, lift the joint hands up and back pushing the pelvis forwards so that the biceps are close to your ears, the back is arched, stretching the whole body. This posture, stretches the chest, abdomen and spine and lifts the prana( energy) upwards to the upper parts of the body.

3.      Hasta Padasana (Hand to Foot pose):Exhale and bend forwards form the waist keeping the spine erect. Now place both the hands on the floor besides the feet. This helps to massage the abdominal organs like liver, kidneys, pancreas, uterus, ovaries and cause a good flow of blood to the brain.

4.      Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose):inhale, push the left leg back as far as possible and drop it to the ground, the right knee is bent in between both the hands.lift the spine and open the chest and look up.

5.      Parvatasana (Mountain posture): Exhale and bring your left leg back to the right, parallel to the ground and simultaneously push your hips up keeping the arms and legs straight and lowering your head between the arms forming a mountain like pose, try touching the heel to the floor. This pose helps to strengthen the arms , calves, legs and nerves. Take a deep inhalation while in the posture.

6.      Ashtanga Namaskara(Salute With Eight Parts Or Points): Exhale and gently drop both knees to the ground, slowly slide the body down and  bring the chest and chin to the ground. All eight limbs toes, knees, chest, hands and chin  touch the floor. The buttocks are kept up. Hold the breath. This posture develops the chest and strengthens arms.

7.      Bhujangasana (Cobra pose): On inhalation, lower the hips while pushing the chest forward and upward, elbows are bent so that the spine is arched and head is facing up. This posture helps to relieve tension is the back muscle and spinal nerves.

8.      Parvatasana (Mountain posture):Exhale and resume to posture 5.

9.      Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian posture): Inhale and bring the right leg in front between the hands , left leg remains back. Like posture 4

10.  Padahastasana (Hand to foot posture): Exhale, bring the left foot forward, join both the legs and resume posture 3

11.  Hastauttanasana (Raised arm posture): Inhale, raise the arms up and resume posture 2

1          12.   Pranamasana (Salutation posture): straighten the body, join arms in front of the chest and   resume posture 1.

Things to remember:

·         Try doing Suryanamaskar in the morning on empty stomach or in the evening 2 hours after a meal.

·         After the whole workout, lie down in shravasana on the back, with arms and legs relaxed on both the sides. Breathe deeply to feel the calm in the entire body.

·         Pregnant women should avoid doing Suryanamaskar.

·         People with arthritis, osteoporosis, slip disc, knee or back pain should consult a doctor before doing it.

·         Make sure you warm up well before doing the routine to avoid injuries.