Yoga - Surya Namaskar

Effective use of Surya Namaskar is experienced on three levels - body, mind and intellect. The practice of Surya Namaskar is a sort of aligning your body mind and soul. It gives us physical and mental health.

Only 35 to 40% of your muscles are used in daily activities. Rest of the muscles remain inactive. Surya Namaskar is a physical exercise where almost 95% to 97% of your muscles are switched on to active mode. They remain active, hours ahead during the day, till you recharge them the next morning. Daily practice in Surya Namaskar maintains steady state of these three, keeping the body in perfect health.

While performing Surya Namaskar the breathing exercise (Pranayam) gives more oxygen to your lungs. The rhythm of breathing becomes heavy with vitality. Each breath becomes deep and clear. It carries more oxygen to the parts of your body. The Chakras in the body get charged.
Best way to perform Surya Namaskar is to keep your mind blank, or chant a rhythmic mantra. Concentrate yourself on the meaning of the Surya Mantra, the steps in the Surya Namaskar, their sequence, the proper activities of the different parts of the body, the parts of the body where you feel stress, stretch and strain etc. This will shut your mind off from thinking. Thoughtless state of mind contains no mental stress and strain at all. It is a real rest to your mind. Freedom from mental and emotional anxiety is the sound rest to your body too.

The word ‘Moksha’ means to be relieved from fear and tears. It is to get freedom from all types of woes and worries. This state of mind gives you absolute happiness. Early morning with empty stomach is the best time for Surya Namaskar.

All the diagrams suggest the ten postures or asanas performed in surya namaskar. Each movement should be devided and performed gracefully. While performing asanas keep your belly, hip part loose. It’s important to perform each asana at a slow pace. The asanas if done in rhythm  improves your flexibility and tones your body.

There are 12 steps in Surya Namaskar, which can  be performed without break under one minute. 

You can gain perfection in the Surya Namaskar after a long and steady practicatient. Maintain slow and steady progress every day to reach to the right posture of the Asana. Be one with the art. The Sun God will take you to the path of progress.

It is said that twenty-four Surya Namaskar, if done properly, are equal to five hundred sit-ups / pull-ups. It may be a statement of exaggeration. But it is worth to experience the physical fitness that you attain after you start practising Surya Namaskar. At the beginning of the practice, one Surya Namaskar consumes 02.30 KCL. This exercise burns out a lot of calories and reduces body mass and body weight.


Persons suffering from slip-disk, arthritis, heart attack etc including pregnant women are suggested to take medical opinion before they start the practice of Surya Namaskar.

If your breathing goes fast while practising Surya Namaskar, either take some rest or stop performing more Surya Namaskar for the day.

After the practice of Surya Namaskar is over you better lay down in Shawasan / Yoga Nidra for some time.
 

Read more on Yoga and its benefits. 

 

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