Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation)

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Step 1:

• Process - Keep the head, the neck and the whole body erect. Keep the knees close together, shoulders straight, feet together and hands folded at chest level. Look straight, exhale and close the mouth. Inhale and hold the breath.
• Breathing Pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Do not stiffen the body, be relaxed.
• Benefits - Helps to keep mind steady, helps to develop awareness.

Step 2:

• Process - Stretch the arms up and arch the body back backwards from the waist, eyes open and looking at the sky. Push the hip out, expand the chest and relax the neck.
• Breathing Pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Do not bend your knees and elbows. Keep the upper arms and ears aligned throughout
• Benefits - ensures:
  
  • Elasticity of lungs and they are stretched.
  • Flexibility of spine as it gets contracted.
  • Toning of muscles of abdomen, chest, forearms and upper arms as they get stretched.

Step3:

• Process - Continue holding the breath and head down without bending the knees. Press the palm down on the ground and the fingertips in line with the toes.
• Breathing pattern - Exhale slowly through the nose.
• Precaution - Ensure that your upper arms and the ears are aligned. Do not bend your knees. Go to the extent your body permits.
• Benefits - Increases suppleness of spine as it gets stretched, improves functioning of abdominal glands and digestive functions. Increases blood supply to facial muscles, eyes and brain. Helps to improve memory, concentration and nervous system.

Step 4:

• Process - Inhale take the back leg back and place knee and toes on the floor. Bring the right knee in front of the right knee in front of the right armpit. Bend the neck as far back as possible. Look up and hold the breath.
• Breathing pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Palms and left foot should be in the same line. Do not look down or bend your neck.
• Benefits - Activates Surya-nadi leading to toning of Sympathetic Nervous System’s function. Improves eyesight as you gaze up. Improves functioning of thyroid glands as throat is stretched up. Tones up lungs and functioning of abdominal glands. Tones the calf muscles and thigh muscles.

Step 5:

• Process - Retaining the breath, move the right leg backwards and place the toes, ankle and the knees in such a way that they touch one another. Support the weight of the body on hand and legs.
• Breathing pattern - Exhale
• Precaution - Do not bend or arch up the neck and spine. Position the shoulders above the palms without bending the elbows.
• Benefits - Strengthens palms, wrists and elbows. Muscles of forearms and upper arms are strengthened. Toes and floor muscles of the feet become elastic and flexible. Helps to relax entire spine. Enables one to keep the body (as also mind) in a balanced state.

Step 6:

• Process - Retaining breath, place the knees on the floor. Lower the chest, so that it touches the ground. Slowly exhale. The chest should lie between the arms.
• Breathing pattern - Exhale fully and hold the breath.
• Benefits - The testicles and prostate glands of the men and the ovaries and uteruses of the women are made very strong by this asana and make them produce very good progeny. The spinal cord and spine are also made very strong. The menstruations of women are regularized and constipation is thoroughly eradicated giving raise to healthy appetite. The chest, heart and lungs are made strong.

Step 7:

• Process - Inhaling, stretch the arm, keeping legs, knees and palms in the same position. Bend waist backwards and neck as far back as possible. Look up and hold the breath.
• Breathing pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Do not rest the knees on the ground. Straighten the toes on the floor.
• Benefits- Builds up self-confidence and alertness. Increases suppleness of spine. Enhance elasticity of lungs. Palms, wrists and toes are strengthened.

Step 8:

• Process - Bring the left foot back and place it beside the right. Simultaneously raise the buttocks and lower the head between the arms, so that the body forms a triangle with the floor. Aim to put the heels on the floor. Bend the head as far forward as possible so that the eyes are looking at the knees. Focus your awareness at the neck area.
• Breathing pattern - Exhale
• Precaution - Do not bend your elbow and knees.
• Benefits - Improves thyroid glands ‘functioning as chin and throat come closer. Calf muscles and thigh muscles gets toned. Flexibility of floor muscles of the feet is enhanced.

Step 9:

• Process- Inhaling raise the trunk so that it is perpendicular to the floor and bring the left leg forward. Fold it and stretch the right leg backward with the heel completely on the floor. Take the neck and the head as far back as possible.
• Breathing pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Palms and the right foot should be in the same line. Do not look up our bend your neck.
• Benefits - Activates Surya-nadi leading to toning of Sympathetic nervous system’s functions. Improves eyesight as you gaze up. Improves functioning of thyroid glands as throat is stretched up. Tones up lungs and functioning of abdominal glands. Tones the calf muscles and thigh muscles.

Step 10:

• Process - Holding the breath assume the position in Step 3
• Breathing pattern - Exhale
• Precaution - Ensure that your upper arms and the ears are aligned. Do not bend your knees. Go to the extent your body permits.
• Benefits - Increases suppleness of spine as it gets stretched, improves functioning of abdominal glands and digestive functions. Increases blood supply to facial muscles, eyes and brain. Helps to improve memory, concentration and nervous system.

Step 11:

• Process - Inhaling, perform the asana as in step 2.
• Breathing Pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Do not bend your knees and elbows. Keep the upper arms and ears aligned throughout
• Benefits - ensures:
• Elasticity of lungs and they are stretched.
• Flexibility of spine as it gets contracted.
• Toning of muscles of abdomen, chest, forearms and upper arms as they get stretched.

Step 12:

• Process - Come up slowly straightening the spine, raising the chest, shoulder, head and neck back to normal position with palms folded at chest level.
• Breathing Pattern - Inhale
• Precaution - Do not stiffen the body, be relaxed
• Benefits - Helps to keep mind steady, helps to develop awareness.

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Do’s and Don’ts for Practicing Surya Namaskara

• Surya Namaskara should be performed with empty stomach. Observe four hour gap after meals, two hours gap after snacks and one hour gap after beverage. Therefore the best suitable timings prescribed are early morning at Sunrise and evening at Sunset.
• It is preferable to do this exercise in open, fresh air. However well ventilated rooms also can be used.
• It can performed individually as well as in group. Group practice generates team spirit and cultivates collective consciousness.
• Perform Surya Namaskara on a clean mat or carpet.
• It is desirable to maintain 30 minutes gap for taking bath before or after the practice.
• Ladies should stop practicing after 3 months of pregnancy and can resume practice after 3 months from confinement.
• People suffering from hernia, spinal disorder, high blood pressure should practice Surya Namaskara after consulting the doctor as well as competent Yoga instructor.
• While practicing Surya Namaskara one should wear clothes which facilitate free movements of limbs and body.
• Surya Namaskara should be performed with full awareness about the effects that it is bringing at each position too the muscles, joints, nerves and in the respiration pattern.