Practicing suryanamaskar for better health

An introduction to suryanamaskar – the sun salutation exercise

Let us start learning suryanamaskar (surya namaskar) by first paying our tribute to the sun. Importantly, since the advent of consciousness, man has always recognised the importance and role of the Sun in life.

Since the beginning of time, man has attributed all life to the energy of the sun. In fact, in India, the qualities of the sun were aggregated into a deity called savita / savitr. Savita was also the deity of rta or excellence in Samskrtam. Interestingly, rta is a cognate of asa in Persian, arête (perfection in Greek) and ariete in Latin.

Also, daily prayers to the Sun are called sandhyavandana (worship of sun’s transition), and the exercise is called suryanamaskar (Sun salutation). Additionally, there is a very important vedic sloka (verse) called adityahridayam (heart like the sun), which is supposed to infuse valour and remove fear.

Specifically, many temples in India, such as one at Konarak and Suryanarkoil venerate the sun. There’s also one in Multan, Pakistan. Additionally, there’s a temple in Beijing, Mayan Sun temples exist in Palenque (South Mexico) and El Zotz (Guatemala), and multiple temples exist in Japan built to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. Finally, pre-Islamic Egypt worshipped Ra, the Sun God and one can visit the many temples which exist today.

Furthermore, in India there are festivals associated with the sun – makar-sankaranti / Pongal associated with uttarayana or northward movement of the sun, karka-sankaranti associated with dakshinayana or southward movement, and ratha-saptami, when the Sun is believed to turn his chariot north.

Undoubtedly, human existence and culture has been inextricably linked to the sun. Indeed, many cultures of the old world, such as Iran, India, and Far East start their New Year when the Sun enters Aries, the first zodiac constellation.

What are the steps to practice suryanamaskar?

Finally, let us understand the kriya associated with the Sun, which is called suryanamaskar (sun salutation). Importantly, this kriya is a 12-step process, comprising namaskarasana, hastottanasana, padahastasana, asva-sancalanasana, adho-mukha-svanasana, caturanga-dandasana, ashtanga-namaskarasana, bhujangasana, (balasana), asva-sancalanasana, padahastasana, hastottanasana, and then coming back to the namaskarasana position.

However, School of Yoga has inserted balasana after bhujangasana to reverse the spinal pressure of bhujangasana, and make this kriya a more effective one. This variation has been renamed as vishwa suryanamaskar (visva-suryanamaskara) or the universal sun salutation.

What is the vishwa suryanamaskar (visva-suryanamaskara) technique?

A single cycle of suryanamaskar consists of 12 independent positions linked into a flow or kriya.

Position 1: Namaskarasana (namaskar pose).

• Stand upright, keep your feet straight and together, and face the Sun. Next, place your hands together at the chest in anjali-mudra.
• Breathe evenly.
• Let the yoga drishti (focus) be on the anahata-cakra or centre of the chest.
• Breathe in through the nose.

Benefits: This brings balance in posture, calmness in the mind, relaxation in the spine, and evenness in the breath (removes agitation in the breath).

Position 2: Hastottanasana (hands stretching pose).

• Breathing out, straighten and stretch your torso backwards with hands over the head as far as possible.
• Hold your hands straight.
• Hold for 2 counts.
• Breathe in and straighten the body. Keep hands up.
• Let the yoga drishti  be at the tip of the thumb (angushtamadhye).

Benefits: This yoga posture stretches the spine, and infuses blood to the cerebro-spinal system.

Position 3: Padahastasana (feet to hands pose).

• Breathing out, bend the torso forward at the waist, so that your hands rest close to the feet.
• However, in case of difficulty, bend your knees slightly and bring your hands to the ground.
• Push your head as close to the knees as possible. Try and keep your legs straight.
• Let drishti be urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).
• Hold for 2 counts.

Benefits: The movement forward presses the abdominal viscera, helping to reduce fat and assist weight reduction. Also, there is infusion of blood to the abdominal organs, which improves their health and functioning. Lastly, the forward bending action also compensates for the previous reverse stretch, thus increasing blood supply to the cerebro-spinal system.

Position 4: Asva-sancalanasana (horse parading pose).

• Breathe in, and use your hands to take the weight of the body,
• Stretch one leg backward as far as possible, in a sliding motion without your hands and legs leaving the floor. This is to ensure that your balance is not lost.
• Stretch the leg such that the thigh of the other leg presses the chest.
• Breathe out as you stretch the torso and neck backwards. Hold for 3 counts
• Let drishti be urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).

Benefits: This stretching action is very good for overall health of the musculoskeletal system. Also, this increases strength and flexibility of the hip, pelvic area, knees and shoulders.

Position 5: Adho-mukha-svanasana (downward facing dog pose).

• Breathe in and balancing the body on the hands, slide the front foot backwards to join both feet. Keep both legs slightly apart.
• Breathing out, shift the weight of your body from your hands to your legs by moving buttocks up and back. Keep knees and hands straight.
• Push back until your hamstrings, hands and back are stretched and taut.
• Let the drishti be urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).
• Hold for 3 counts.

Benefits: The movement of the body backwards helps in the maintenance of balance, strength and flexibility of the thighs, hamstrings and ankles.

Position 6: Caturanga-dandasana (quadra-limb stick pose).

• Breathe in, and balancing the body on the hands, bring the torso forward, until the body is flat and straight, like a board.
• Keep your hands straight at the shoulder. Also, keep your back and legs straight.
• Rest the entire load of the torso on your hands.
• Let drishti be urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).
• Hold for 3 counts.

Benefits: The holding of position strengthens the abdominal muscles and helps in reduction of weight. Also, the straight and stiff posture increases the strength of the back and abdominal muscles.

Position 7: Ashtanga-namaskarasana (8-point namaskar).

• Breathing out and balancing the body weight equally between your hands and legs, slowly sink to the floor using hands to take the weight of the torso.
• Keep your torse/ body straight.
• Let the yoga drishti be at urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).

Benefits: No major benefit. In fact, this is an interim asana.

Position 8: Bhujangasana (cobra pose).

• Continue breathing out, stretch your torso, back and head up smoothly.
• Let both legs and hips rest on the ground together.
• Let the drishti be urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).
• Hold for 3 counts.

Benefits: The stretching action is very good for the overall health of the back, shoulders and neck muscles.

Position 9: Balasana (baby pose).

• Breathing out, draw your torso back and fold the body like an accordion at the knees and hips.
• Bring your head close to the ground and stretch both hands as far forward as possible.
• Let the yoga drishti be urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).
• Hold for 3 counts.

Benefits: The movement presses the abdominal viscera, helping to reduce adipose which assists weight reduction. Also, there is infusion of blood to the abdominal organs, which improves their health and functioning.

Additionally, the forward stretching relieves the stresses of previous stretching actions, thus improving the health of the cerebrospinal system.

Position 10: Asva-sancalanasana (horse parading pose)

• Breathe in. Using your hands to take the weight of the body, slide forward the same leg that you slid back before, along the floor, and place between the hands.
• Stretch the other leg at the knee so that the folded leg presses the chest.
• Breathe out as you stretch the torso and neck backwards.
• Hold for 3 counts.
• Let the drishti be at urdhva-drishti (open space gaze).

Benefits: The stretching action is very good for overall health of the musculoskeletal system.

Position 11: Padahastasana (foot to hand pose)

• Breathe in, slide the back leg forward to meet front leg between the hands.
• Breathing out, straighten both legs while keeping hands on the floor.
• Let the yoga drishti be at the tip of your finger (angushtamadhye).

Benefits: The movement forward presses the abdominal viscera, helping to reduce belly fat and assisting in weight reduction. There is also infusion of blood to the abdominal organs, which improves their health and functioning. Finally, the forward bending also compensates for previous stretches, thus increasing blood supply to the cerebro-spinal system.

Position 12: Hastottanasana (hands stretching pose)

• Breathe in, straighten the body.
• Breathing out, stretch your torso backwards with your hands over the head as far as possible.
• Keep your hands straight.
• Breathe in and straighten your body.
• Return to namaskarasana.
• Let the yoga drishti be at the tip of the thumb (angushtamadhye).

Benefits: This posture stretches the spine, and infuses blood to the cerebrospinal system. Also, the namaskarasana brings balance in posture, calmness in the mind, relaxation in the spine and evenness in the breath (removes agitation in the breath).

How to perform suryanamaskar ?

• Each cycle of suryanamaskar comprises two routines, one each for the left and right leg.
• When you take one leg back for asva-sancalanasana, bring the same leg forward at the end of the cycle.
• For people who are just starting surya namaskar practice, 3 cycles should be enough.
• With experience and increase in flexibility, one could increase it to between 6-12 cycles twice a day.
• For working professionals, 6-12 cycles of suryanamaskar in the morning and 6-12 cycles in the evening, before meals, is recommended.
• There will be those that are extremely fit; for them, there is no real limit. Only, please check with your physician and if you have a heart or musculo-skeletal condition, please practise slowly and under supervision.
• Apply this refrain, “with caution, be bold” in the practice of surya namaskar.

What are the benefits of suryanamaskar?

• First, the stretching, counter stretching and forward stretching actions while practicing suryanamaskar help exercise every joint in the body, through a complete range of motions energising and strengthening the muscles with increased blood supply, making them strong, supple, elastic and flexible.
• Second, the spinal cord and cartilages get rejuvenated for the same reason. So, this exercise is very good for strengthening the back, retaining the arch of the spine and preventing backaches.
• Third, the flushing of the back with blood also tones up the sympathetic nervous system.
• Fourth, the compression of the abdominal viscera assists in reducing fat tissue around the abdomen. Also, the pressing action increases intra-abdominal pressure, and therefore it is useful in all digestive ailments.
• Finally, the aerobic nature of the kriya ensures that the breathing routine increases stamina and lung functioning.

What are the suryanamaskar contraindications?

• Importantly, if one experiences any back ache, stop! Remember, never push to the point where there is discomfort. Also, when pain or discomfort starts, stop immediately. Undoubtedly, over time and with practice, the back will begin to flex without pain.
• Also, even though suryanamaskara is good for increasing flexibility and strength of the back, people with spondylosis should consult a doctor before starting.
• Lastly, practitioners suffering from heart, kidney ailments, vertigo and other ailments or those recovering from surgery must do the surya namaskar only under advice of their doctors.

What are the noteworthy points when performing suryanamaskar?

• Firstly, suryanamaskar is a kriya (aerobic action exercise), not an asana (static pose).
• Secondly, as far as possible, this kriya should be performed in an open area at dawn or dusk to catch the morning or evening rays of the sun (vitamin D) and benefit from the oxygen rich air. However, this is not a constraint. Practitioners may perform the suryanamaskar anywhere if the above option is not available.
• Thirdly, try to practise suryanamaskar on an empty stomach or at least 2 hours after solid food and 30 minutes after liquid food, to reduce resistance to movement and ensure optimum blood flow to all organs.
• Importantly, try to follow the breathing as far as possible. This will improve stamina and pulmonary function.
• The general rule is that one should breathe out when stretching or compressing the torso. If the lungs and abdomen are empty when they are being stretched or compressed, there are lower chances of reflux or stomach cramps. Also, the lowered resistance to bending or stretching motion makes the exercises easier to perform.
• Drishti means point of focus. Drishti during practise of suryanamaskar can be difficult, but when practised, will ensure increased situational awareness.