Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

Namaskaram

Image courtesy of yogawithsubhash.com

After doing a little bit of stretching starting from ankle joints up to the neck area, the Sun Salutation is the first set of asanas we practice before beginning of our Yoga session.

Surya Namaskaram is the first thing one should do before beginning of any other asanas. It helps to loosen up the joints and tone up the major muscles in your body before the start of your yoga practice, just so you do not end up with unnecessary sprains and cramps. Surya Namaskaram involves 12 asanas arranged in a series of steps that falls into place together to form a complete salutation. Sun is the main source of energy to our earth and the nature. There are nutrients and vitamins that you can absorb from the sun ray, especially the morning sun. So to speak, it is best for the salutation to be done in the morning during the sunrise (6.45 a.m. to 7.30 a.m., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Local time). 


This is how you start the salutation.

1. [Pranamasana] Start with your palms together, placed near your chest to form a salutation. 

2. [Hasta Uttanasana] Bring your arms up and curve your back a little, look up at the sky/ceiling (if indoors). Keep your hands close together and no farther apart, preferably touching.

3. [Hastapaadasana] Extend your body and bend down to touch your feet. Your chin must be touching your chest (this will help to stretch your back bone and back muscles).

4. [Ashwa Sanchalanasana] From position no.3, place your hands beside your feet (left hand beside left foot, right hand beside the right foot). Bring your RIGHT leg to the far back, LEFT leg in a 90 degree position or less, and bring your head to look up and curve your back a little, while pushing your hip lower. As you can see in the picture, the left leg is lesser that 90 degrees, because the hip is being pushed lower to loosen the hip muscles.

5. [Parvatasana] From position no.4, place your palms down flat, and bring your LEFT leg to the back, preferably both feet must be flat on the ground. From this position, push your head to the back, to stretch your back further. At this position, you will loosen your ankle muscles, strengthen your leg muscles, because they are engaged and also stretch your back muscles and arm muscles.

6. [Ashtanga Namaskara] From position no.5, Bring your knees down, followed by the chest and then the chin. Your buttocks must be up. Stay in this position for 3 counts. Remember, only the KNEES, CHEST, and CHIN must be touching the ground.

7. [Bhujangasana] From position no.6, with your palms still flat on the ground, bring the remaining of your body to the floor, and bring your chest up, look up and stretch your neck to the back. Keep your elbows close to your body.

8. [Parvatasana] From position no.7, go back to mountain pose, and push your head to the back while you do that for a deeper stretch.

9. [Ashwa Sanchalanasana] From position no. 8, with your palms on the same position, bring your RIGHT leg to the front, to the same position as your palms and look up. Keep your LEFT leg far to the back.

10. [Uttanasana] Bring your LEFT leg forward and keep your feet together, bend down and touch your feet, and remember to your chin must touch your chest.

11. [Hasta Uttanasana] Lift up both your arms up. Remember to keep your hands together. Look up to the sky/ceiling.

12. [Pranamasana] Bring your arms down to your chest, with your palms together and form a salutation.









That is 1/2 a set. Repeat Step 1 to 12, Starting with LEFT leg in at the back at STEP 4 and LEFT leg in front at STEP 9.

That will make it 1 set of sun salutation. Also remember to stay in a position for about 3 seconds before you move to another position.

After each set / 2 to 3 sets of the salutation, do the following:-
1. Stand in Tadasana (Standing pose with arms beside you)
2. Feel the energy flow through your body. Take a moment to be in the present and feel your body, feel the air that touches your skin, the sun ray that is touching your body, feel your heartbeat. 

It is important to do it in between a few sets to feel the mind and body connection. That is what yoga is about. I do this after every 3 sets when i am doing a 12 sets routine and i will do it at the end of my 3 sets routine that i do daily at home.


Sun salutation is best done with this set of counters, 1, 3, 6, 12, 54, or 108 sets. 12 sets a day is a good one, looking at the busy schedule we all have. 12 sets a day takes about 1 hour to complete, provided you do it in a gradual pace and not too fast. I will always try to fit in 3 set a day and do a 12 sets namaskaram once in a week by the lake or outdoors.
I am an early riser and I do salutation way earlier than the sunrise, so at least for once a week, I try to do it outdoors with the nature and during the sunrise.

Some of the benefits of Sun salutation that I experienced from doing this are:-
1. Weight loss - if you do it right, with a good amount of stretching, you will be drenched before your 4th set. You will notice the waistline dropping as well as your arms.

2. Improves blood circulation - I had very bad blood circulation towards my feet, which did not give me a chance to sit on the floor for anything more than 5 minutes, I will have numbness and cold feet. 

3. Improves flexibility of muscles - You will be shocked at how quick your fingers touch your toes in a standing position. The feeling of hooking up your fingers to your toes and pulling yourself down, is just beyond explanation. I just love that stretch feeling, it gives the feeling as if I am getting very flexible. 

4. Improves menstrual cycle for ladies - Menstrual cycle is controlled by glands in our body. Instable menstrual issues such as late periods, painful menses, missed menses are caused by many other reasons, but mainly the glands in the body are not releasing hormones at the right time, hence you have delayed menses or missed menstrual cycle. Surya Namaskaram will help to regulate the glands for you and will stabilize your menstrual cycle.

5. Glowing skin - With the improved blood flow, your skin will have a better glow. It will also appear to be brighter.

Start your day with this beautiful routine and experience the magnificent changes that takes place in your body.

Om