SURYA NAMASKAR

Surya namaskar is a rhythmic combination of yogasana and pranayama. It starts with a small prayer and a mantra. This asana is usually done at sunrise as well as sunset. One has to face the sun. The asana begins with the chanting of the following verse:
1. Hiranmayena patrena satya sapihitam mukham Tat twam pusam apavarnu satya dharmaya drustaye.

2. Like the lid of a vessel, O Sun, your gold covers the entrance to the truth. Please open the door to lead me to the truth.
Soorya is sun and namaskar is salutation

1)   Physical:

      Regular practice of surya namaskar helps you prepare your body for other asanas by improving flexibility. It is also useful in weight reduction efforts.

      As surya namaskara is a chain of different asanas, one reaps the benefits of these asanas simultaneously. Individual benefits are described along with the related asana section. Surya namaskar exercises the muscles, bones, the respiratory and digestive system and the nervous system, (the sympthetic and parasympthetic) which act on the thyroid, pitutory, pineal, adrenal, pancreas and liver.

2)  Mental:

     If you do surya namaskar for at least 10 min per day, you notice positive changes in you. You become more alert and get more happiness out of life.

3)  Pranic:

     Surya namaskar has a beneficial effect on almost all the chakras from muladhar to sahasrara

The starting shloka: (The prayer.)

Dheyah sada savitru mandala madhyawarti

Narayanah sarasijasana sannivistaha

Keyurawan makara kundalawan kiriti

Hari hiranya-maya-vapur-dhruta shankha chakrah.

Meaning

Oh! Surya Narayana You are the crown glory, carrying shankha chakra in your hands. YOU are the creator of joy and destroyer of sorrows. You cover the entire universe with the golden twilight. YOU are the Master, the Provider of the entire universe. Oh! Sun God make all my efforts as bright and brilliant as the sun in the solar system.

Surya Namaskar is done in 12 steps. The steps are summarised below. Click on the text to get the details of each Asana.

1. Namaskar Asana

2. Urdhva Hasta Asan

3. Hasta Pada Asan

4. Ardha Bhujangasana

5. Makar Asana

6. Sastanga Namaskar Asan

7. Bhujang Asana

8. Parvat Asan

9. Ardha Bhujanga Asana

10. Hasta Pada Asan

11. Pranam Asan

12. Namaskar Mudra

• This asana has all the advantages of Sheershasana and Padmasana. One who practises this asana achieves the perfect control of the body.
• It strengthens the brain by supplying it with an abundant flow of blood. This in turn increases the power of meditation and sharpens the intellect.
• It improves the eyesight and removes the weak

NamaskarMudra

Aum Bhaskaraya Namah:

The word Bhaskar means Prakasah, Tej; one who is Prakashman or Tejaswi. In order to get this divine happiness and self-satisfaction, bow to the Sun God and perform Surya Namaskar.Surya Namaskar is a prayer to the Sun God. You can call it .ActionPrayer.. A prayer means .thanks giving.. .The thanks giving. for what you have already received. You express gratitude to the Sun God for the previous day that was granted to you and expect HIS blessings for thecoming day. Prayer is not begging for blessings. Start every of your day with Surya Namaskar. Pray the Sun God early in the morning before the sunrays enter your house.

Namaskar Mudra:

The vital point: The Anahat Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Yellow as that of the rising sun. Location: At the level of the heart. Ruling element: Vayu, the wind. Relation to body: Touch. Skin.

Method:

Refer to Aum Mitraya Namah. Pranam-asan. Close your palms. (Adnya Chakara) Put the closed palms in the middle of the forehead.

Keep the shoulder-distance between the elbows.

Complete submission body, speech, mind, heart to the Sun God

Pranam-asan

Aum Arkaya Namah:

The meaning of the word Arka means extract. The sun is the concentrated form of life. HE is the essence of life. HE is the pure extract of how one.s life should be. HIS is the guiding light that enlightens our path of life. HE is the wisdom of life for us. The sun remains absent from HIS actions. In fact the Sun God is the action, the actor and the outcome of the performance. It is very difficult to follow and practice the life of the Sun God. But this is the only way of life to be happy. So worship the Sun God to give you the inspiration to follow HIS precept.

Pranam-asan:

The vital point: The Anahat Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Yellow as that of the rising sun. Location: In the centre of the chest. Ruling element: The wind, Vayu. Relation to body: Touch. Skin.

Useful to treat and prevent:

Nervous breakdown, fits, sensory deprivation etc. The chest cavity is enlarged to inhale more oxygen. The supply of more oxygen to all the cells activates the muscles. The experience of more energy and happiness is the result.

Method:

Retain your breath. (Kumbhak). Refer to Aum Mitraya Namah. Pranam-asan. Stand straight. Close the right toe and heel with the left. Put your chest out. Press your shoulders backward and pull them downwards. Keep your eyes on your nose-tip. Hands in namaskar position. Palms closed. Fingers closed at right angle to the ground. Thumb touching the middle part of the chest. Forearms in line with the ground. This is the last position of Surya Namaskar. This is the ready position for the next Surya Namaskar.

Sastang namaskar-asan

Aum Pushne Namah:

The word Pushnaihi means one that provides nutrition. The sun is the source of all types of food and medicines. Food is the only source of energy that builds our body. It giveswisdom . intellect to perceive the meaning of things & thoughts and power to act accordingly. So you should be grateful to the sun god for providing food to you. You should give respect and regard to the food youeat. Engaging yourself in other activities while eating food is a sort ofinsult to the food and the Sun God. Hence, watching TV, reading or playing games while eating should be avoided.

Sastang namaskar-asan:

The vital point: The Manipur Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Blue, Location: At the navel. Ruling element: Agni, The fire. Relation to body: Sight and feeling. The eyes and the brain.

Useful to treat and prevent:

Asthma, piles, arthritis, digestion problems etc. It builds you healthy. Bright eyes, glow on the face, dark hair, long stamina and strong body is the result. The involvement of brain and mind in your activities become keen and sharp. Retain breath.

Method:

(Kumbhak) Don’t move the palms and the toes. Take the body weight on your hands. Bend the arms at the elbow. Press the chin to the chest. Touch the ground with the eight points of your body. (Forehead, chest, knees, palms, toes.) Push both the elbows inside, towards each other. Uplift the hip part of your body.

Parvat-asan

Aum Marichaye Namah:

Marich means mirage. The Sun God is the creator of all types of mirages. HE is the creator of illusions, good and bad. HE is the originator of all good and bad impressions of life. HE is the commander of all such things. We have wrong desires to fulfill in our life. We work hard to get what we actually don’t want.

We don’t know what life really is. In this way we walk on the wrong path of life and our precious time is wasted in vain. We worship the Sun God to save us from the mirage of life. The other meaning of the word Marich means one who makes us aware of the sin. The word Marich also means the power that cures diseases. Here, pray the Sun God to give the wisdom to know what is good and what is bad for life.

Parvat-asan:

The vital point: The Vishudha Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Colour of smoke. Location: At the base of the neck.Ruling element: Aakash. The Space. Relation to body: Sound and speech. Ears and speech organs.

Useful to treat and prevent:

Swelling (Internal and external), knot in the muscle, wound with pus, pus discharge from eyes pimples anfreckles on skin, etc. Relieves the pain of the neck shoulders, arms,ankles, wrists. Gives stress and stretch to all the muscles from ankles toneck. Chemical and physical process of respiration becomes strong andhealthy. Result is increase in the body height and health.Breathe out.

Method:

Don,t move the position of the feet and the palms. Raise up the middle part of your body. Form a triangle with the palms waist and feet. Touch the heels to the ground. Put your arms and legs straight. Straighten your elbows and knees. Pull your head towards the knees. Touch the chin to the chest. Fix your eyes on the nose-tip.

Makar-asan

Aum Khagaya Namah:

Khaga means space(Akash), and gama means (go) – one who travels through the sky. It indicates the presence of the sun, the sunrays and the sun-warmth everywhere in the space. You can.t find a pinch of place in the sea without seawater so is the sun in the universe. There is no place, neither in our body nor outside in the entire universe, without the sunrays. You yourself can experience this fact. Close your eyes.

Ask someone to put on and off the electric tube light. Though your eyes are closed, you get the feel of the tube light. Wasting time in doing nothing is going fast near to the death point. It is a slow suicide. So pray to the Sun God to give us energy and wisdom to use the life span in the self-help and in the service to others.

Makar-asan: The vital point: The Vishudha Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Colour of smoke.Location: At the base of the neck.Ruling element: Aakash, The space.Relation to body: Sound and speech. Ears and speech organs.

Useful to treat and prevent: Swelling (Internal and external), knot in the muscle, wound with pus, pus discharge from eyes pimples and freckles on skin, etc. Relieves the pain of the neck shoulders, arms, ankles, wrists. Gives stress and stretch to all the muscles from ankles to neck. Chemical and physical process of respiration becomes strong and healthy. Result is increase in the body height and health.

Method:

Breath out. Keep both the hands in the same position. Take the weight of the body on the hands and the shoulders. Stretch the right leg backwards. Close the feet. Stretch them straight backwards. Straighten your legs and knees, arms and elbows. Keep your body – head to heels – in straight line in slanting position Fix your eyes on the ground at the right angle to the body.

Urddhva-hasta-asan

Aum Ravaye Namah:

The meaning of the word Ravaye is Shining. Good behaved pious men; saints and sages have this glow on their faces. This is the Effect of the Sun God. If you are not well at stomach just don’t eat after the sunset. The presence of the Sun God, during daytime, will digest the food. The seven power points (Sapta Chakra) in our body represent the Sun God. These seven points control and govern our physical and mental activities. They are the source of heat and energy to all our activities.

Urddhva-hasta-asan. (Breath in.)

The vital point: The Vishudha Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Colour of smoke. Location: At the base of the neck. Ruling element: The space. Relation to body: Sound and speech. Ears and speech organs.

Useful to treat and prevent:

Swelling (Internal and external), knot in the muscle, wound with pus, pus discharge from eyes pimples and freckles on skin, etc. Relieves the pain of the neck shoulders, arms, ankles, wrists. Gives stress and stretch to all the muscles from ankles to neck. Chemical and physical process of respiration becomes strong and healthy. Result is increase in the body height and health.

Method:

Close your palms together. Put your hands straight up. Straighten your hands and legs. Fix your heels on the ground. Close your right toe and heel with the left. Give upward stretch to your hands and legs. Look at the palms. Bend your head backward slowly, gracefully. Form an arch of the body above waist.

Pranam-asan

Aum Mitraya Namah:

We are referring to Sun as our friend. You ever long to experience the joy of his warmth and affection. The touch of twilight has dramatic effect on our body. It is a touch of warmth and care. It is a healing touch. It is the touch of mother that calms down the crying child instantly. The touch of love and affection of the Sun God cures our physical and mental worries.

Namaskar Position.

Retain your breath. (Kumbhak) The vital point: The Anahat Chakra. The colour of the Chakra: Yellow as that of the rising sun. Location: In the centre of the chest. Ruling element: The wind, Vayu. Relation to body: Touch. Skin.

Benefits:

Useful to treat and prevent: Nervous breakdown, fits, sensory deprivation etc. The chest cavity is enlarged to inhale more oxygen. The supply of more oxygen to all the cells activates the muscles. The experience of more energy and happiness is the result.

Method:

Stand straight. Close the right toe and heel with the left. Put your chest out. Press your shoulders backward and pull them downwards. Keep your eyes on your nose-tip. Hands in namaskar position. Palms closed. Fingers closed. At right angle to the ground. Thumb touching the middle part of the chest. Forearms in line with the ground.