Surya Namaskar: A Great Exercise Routine

Surya Namaskar: A Great Exercise Routine

Many people look for the best exercise routine to help them stay in good shape. Here is something that has been around for thousands of years and has withstood the test of time. It strengthens the body, circulation, the breathing, and keeps the body limber and in shape. And you can have this completely free of charge, without a fitness coach, by simply using the following instructions.

"Surya Namaskar" is Sanskrit which means obeisance or prostrations (Namaskar) to the sun (Surya). It implies that one rise before sun rise in order to do this exercise or pay obeisance to the rising sun. This is around 5 to 5:30 AM. Of course, this exercise is good no matter what time you may use it, but it is best done while the stomach is empty, before eating. It is a yogic exercise which consists of ten particular postures, one following another, in a fixed, cyclic order to ensure improvement and good health in one's digestion, agility, rejuvenation, beauty and longevity. It will also help one lose weight and trim the waist. There is no equipment to buy, or membership to a gym or fitness club that must be purchased. You just need a little space in your apartment or home. If, however, you begin to feel short-breathed or dizzy, then take a break. Also, pregnant women should not practice it, but can continue it during their period because it can help digestion and the flow of energy and outflow of waste needed at this time.

POSTURE 1: First you stand erect, ready to face the early morning sun. Stand straight with chest out and spine erect, looking forward with hands folded in front of the chest where the heart is located. It is like a stance of prayer in respect for the sun. Once you start doing the routine, you spend about one second in this pose, and the others that follow. Of course, if one is weak or aged, or if you are new to the routine, you may take this a little slower.

POSTURE 2: Now, while inhaling, raise your arms up in the air while keeping the hands together, and arch your self backwards as far as you can go, forming a crescent-like curve from your feet to the hands. This posture helps retain the flexibility of the spine.

POSTURE 3: Now, while exhaling, bring your hands down to your feet so that you quickly bend forward at the waist, while keeping the legs as straight as possible. The best position is to bring the hands flat to the floor on either side of your feet, while keeping the head as close to the knees as you can. If you are not that flexible, then just do the best you can. The most important aspect of this pose is that it squeezes the stomach and assists in digestion to extract any vitamins and nutrients in one's food, which helps turn it into blood. It also loosens any fat that has accumulated there. Postures 2 and 3 are actually the easiest to do, so if you cannot do the others, at least do these.

POSTURE 4: From position three, while inhaling, put your hands on the floor and lower your hips and stretch your left leg back as far as you can, letting the foot rest on the toes and the knee touch the ground, while you bend your right leg in a crouching stance, letting the right knee come up to your chest. Keeping your hands flat on the ground, your arms straight, arch your head upward and back so you are looking at the ceiling or sky. This forms a crescent shape from the left heel up to the top of your head. This position helps ensure flexibility of the spine and immunity from diseases in the left leg muscles and ligaments.

POSTURE 5: While exhaling, now keep your hands flat on the ground and carry the right leg back to parallel the left leg, sided by side, both feet pressing firmly flat against the floor, while bringing your hips up into the air as high as they will go. Keep your arms and back in a straight line as your head faces the ground, and bring the chin to the chest, making you look at your knees. This makes your body form an upside down "V" or a triangle between you and the floor.

POSTURE 6: Now, while keeping the hands and feet in the same places, having fully exhaled hold the breath and bring your hips down while moving the head and shoulders forward, straightening the whole body near the floor. Keep the face downward with the forehead, the chest and knees lightly touching the ground, and the hips slightly raised. With the forehead, chest, and two palms, knees, and feet touching the floor, it is called Sashtang Namaskar, or prostrations with eight points touching the floor. Do not touch abdomen or nose.

POSTURE 7: The next posture, while inhaling, flows from position 6, which is done merely by straightening your arms and lifting your chest upward and arching your head back so that you are looking at the ceiling. Your feet and knees rest on the floor while your arms hold the rest of your body a little above it. Again you form a body-length crescent, from your feet up to your head. This yogic position is known as "the cobra".

POSTURE 8: Now exhale and let your body flow into position 5

by lowering your head and chest,

keep your arms and legs straight, and raise your hips as high as they will go. As your head faces the ground, keep your arms and back in a straight line and bring the chin to the chest, making you look at your knees, which forms an upside down "V" again.

POSTURE 9: Now, while inhaling, we flow into the same position as number four, but stretch the other leg. So we first bend the left leg and bring the left foot forward on the floor. Keeping your hands flat on the ground, bring your hips down while moving the chest and head forward, allowing the left knee to reach up to the chest, and then arch your head up and back. The right foot stays in its place, letting the foot rest on the toes, which makes the right leg get stretched backward when your chest moves forward. This gives the body a crescent shape from the right heel up to the top of your head. This position helps ensure flexibility of the spine and immunity from diseases in the right leg muscles and ligaments.

POSTURE 10: Now we go back into posture three. Keep your hands in place as you bring your right leg forward to be parallel with the left leg. With both feet flat on the floor (if you can keep them that way), and the legs kept straight, the body is bent at the waist, while exhaling, with the forehead touching the knees (if you can bend this much). If you are not this flexible and cannot bend like this, then simply do it as best you can and keep the head as close to the knees as possible.

POSTURE 11 - 12: Now, while inhaling, stand up and raise your arms up in the air while keeping the hands together, and arch your self backwards as in posture number two.

Hold this for a second and then go back into posture number one and join the palms in front of your chest as in prayer. Now the whole cycle of postures is completet and can start again for the next Surya Namaskar.

You may want to do each posture separately the first time you do this to familiarize yourself with each one. Then begin to do it as a flowing movement from one to the other, through all ten postures. Do it as a cycle of 100 Surya Namaskars, or even more, if you want. You will certainly notice the difference in your health, weight, flexibility, energy level, and even overall attitude.

The idea is that you do about 100 Surya Namaskars every morning, and the time to do them should not be a consideration. With practice, these poses will flow more smoothly and quickly. If each pose lasts about a second, then the full Surya Namaskar can be done in about 10 seconds or so.

http://www.howcast.com/videos/249-How-To-Do-a-Basic-Sun-Salutation

Mantras:

ध्येय सदा सवितृ मण्डलमध्यवर्ति, नारायण सरसिज़ासनसन्निविष्ट ।

केयूरवान मकर कुण्डलवानकिरीटी, हारी हिरण्मय वपूर्धृत शंख चक्र ॥

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.

ॐ मित्राय नमः Om Mitraaya Namah

ॐ रवये नमः Om Ravaye Namah

ॐ सूयार्य नमः Om Suryaaya Namah

ॐ भानवे नमः Om Bhaanave Namah

ॐ खगाय नमः Om Khagaaya Namah

ॐ पूष्णे नमः Om Puushne Namah

ॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः Om Hiranyagarbhaaya Namah

ॐ मरीचये नमः Om Mareechaye Namah

ॐ आदित्याय नमः Om Aadityaaya Namah

ॐ सवित्रे नमः Om Savitre Namah

ॐ अर्काय नमः Om Arkaaya Namah

ॐ भास्कराय नमः Om Bhaaskaraaya Namah

ॐ श्रीसवितृसूर्यनारायणाय नमः

Om Shree Savitru Suurya Naaraayanaaya Namah

आदित्यस्य नमस्कारान, ये कुर्वंन्ति दिने दिने ।

आयु प्रज्ञ बलं वीर्यम, तेज़स तेषां च ज़ायते ॥

नमोधर्मविधानाय नमस्‍ते कृतसाक्षिणे

नमः प्रत्‍यक्षदेवाय भास्‍कराय नमोनमः ||

Adityasya namaskaran ye kurvanti dine dine

Janmantar-sahashreshu daridrya nopajayate

Namah dharma-vidhanaya namaste kruta-shakshine

Namah pratyaksha devaya bhaskaraya namah nama-h.

Meaning:

One who performs Surya Namaskar regularly gets no poverty (Poverty of wealth, health and intellect.) lives after lives.
Oh! Lord Bhaskara. YOU are the Dharma incarnated. (YOU yourself are all the divine virtues.)
YOU are the soul witness to all my deeds, good and bad.
YOU are the only God in shape and form. I bow to you (with all my body, mind and soul.)

Major FAQ's

1) What is Surya Namaskar ?

One Surya Namaskar is a sequence of 10 simple asanas (Yoga postures) performed gracefully. Surya Namaskar is a Sun Salutation that is traditionally performed at dawn facing towards the rising sun. Its roots can be found in the yoga philosophy of Vedic traditions. The routine helps develop all five personality levels, namely physical, prana, mental, intellectual, and spiritual. This helps individuals to lead a very healthy lifestyle with a profound sense of well-being.

2) What are the benefits of Surya Namaskar ?

Surya Namaskar in a set of ten yoga postures provides good exercise to the whole body, calms the mind, and sharpens the intellect.

Surya namaskar energizes the entire neuroglandular and neuromuscular system of the body and its regular practice ensures a balanced supply of oxygenated blood and perfect harmony to all the systems of the body thus involves the entire psychosomatic system of human constitution.

Surya-namaskar is a complete exercise to all the muscles and joints of the body. It tones all the muscles of the body and reduces fat thereby helping to control obesity and metabolism of the body..

• It strengthens the spine and abdominal muscle to control nervous system and activity of the internal organs.
• It expands the rib-caze, increases the capacity of lungs making the breath smooth and easy.
• it activates the glands and regulates the hormone.
• It encourage the lymph drainage thereby increasing the immunity and resistance of the body.
• It increases the circulation of whole body thereby acting as an excellent cardiac workout to enhance the blood circulation and warming up the body.
• It increases concentration, memory, learning and focusing ability and vigilance.
• It is relaxing and rejuvenating, and tension, stress and anxiety melt away as you perform Surya Namaskar.

Surya Namaskar practice stimulates and conditions virtually every system in the body. It is good for the heart and stimulates the cardiovascular system. It oxygenates the blood and helps strengthen the heart. Surya Namaskar is good for the digestive system and the nervous system. It stimulates the lymphatic system and supports respiratory system health, as well.

Surya Namaskar is an excellent alternative to caffeine and other stimulants. If you suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances, you will find practicing Surya Namaskar aids in helping you fall asleep without the need for depressants.

3) Who should and should not practice Surya Namaskar?

Surya Namaskar Yajna is appropriate for every age group with certain limitations and subject to medical conditions. Pregnant women should not practice after first 3 months. People with high blood pressure or heart disease should consult their physician before practicing Surya Namaskar. People with back pain should also consult physician before practicing Surya Namaskar.

4) How to do Surya Namaskar ?

Different schools of yoga do Surya Namaskar with slight variations. There are more than 40 forms of Surya Namaskar. This site presents easy to follow instructions and videos on How-to-dos.

5) Why Surya Namaskar?

Our goal is to promote physical and mental well-being by means of Surya namaskar – a basic sequencs of yogic postures.

Simple asanas (postures) for physical development

Mental, intellectual and spiritual development

Inculcate the Yoga practice in our daily life

Lead a healthy lifestyle with

Eternal bliss

6) When do we practice Surya Namaskar?

The best time to practice Surya Namaskar is early in the morning on an empty stomach during Sun rise. You may or may not see the sun based on the location of your practice.

7) How many positions are there in Surya Namaskar?

The Suryanamaskar is done in more than 40 different styles all over the world.

There are set of well balanced movements that will stretch all the muscles in the body.

HSS has devised a 10-step routine of Surya Namaskar that is simple to follow.

8) Which day is celebrated as Global Surya Namaskar day?

Kreeda Bharathi in India celebrates the Ratha Saptami day as “Global Suryanamaskar day”.

9) What is the meaning of Surya Namaskar starting sloka?

Always worship the Sun [ Our Energy Source ] sitting at the centre of galaxy, on lotus, wearing Keyur, Makarkundal Crown, holding Conch and Chakra and having glittering golden body.

10) What is meaning of the Surya Namaskar ending sloka?

Those who regularly perform Suryanamaskaras attain healthy long life. They become strong, knowledgeable and have courage to fight with valour. They posses brightened personality.