What is ‘Surya Namaskar Yoga’ (Sun Salutation Yoga) and How To Do It?

In your hectic schedules, it is always hard to find time for healthy habits. To stay fit, you need not necessarily workout in the gym or follow a Paleo diet only. Rather do Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation Yoga. This age old yoga practice is time tested for its ability to discharge negative energies from your body. If you do not know what is Surya Namaskar Yoga and how to do it, read on.

What is Surya Namaskar Yoga?

Precisely speaking, Surya Namaskar Yoga encompasses 12 steps or Hatha Yoga asanas. These asanas in Yoga are the forward and backward bending poses that give full stretch to your body. It is a complete workout that translates into 288 asanas in yoga with just 12 steps of Surya Namaskar.

What Are The Benefits of Surya Namaskar?

Surya Namaskar Yoga is all about good health, especially for those, stressed out after day’s work. Its benefits for good health include –

• Purification of blood with better circulation
• Improvement in digestive system
• Oxygenation of blood
• Promoting healthy nervous system
• Reducing Fats
• Strengthening the muscles
• Prevents hair loss and premature greying
• Making the skin supple and youthful

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Step by Step Postures of Surya Namaskar Yoga

Before following Surya Namaskar Yoga step by step, ensure that you do it empty stomach. Though early morning is the best time to do this yoga, the evening is also fine for the busy bees. An empty stomach is a key here! As far as continuity is concerned, practice 12 rounds of Yoga Sun Salutation, if possible. Sounds hard but once you are accustomed to it, you’ll love it.

So, below are the 12 Yoga steps of Surya Namaskar.

Step 1: ‘Pranamasana’ or Salutation

The series of Surya Namaskar Yoga steps begin with this prayer posture. Stand still, keeping your feet together. Relax the shoulders and join your palms together in prayer position. By stimulating Anahata Chakra in body, this pose relaxes you from inside.

Step 2: ‘Hastauttanasana’ or Raised Arm in Yoga Sun Salutation

Inhale and lift up your arms with palms facing upwards. In this posture, stretch your complete body including abdomen and chest. Keep your biceps closer to ears and avoid bending backward.

Step 3: ‘Padahastasana’ or Hand to Foot in San Salutation Yoga

Exhale and bend your body forward. Keep your spine straight and your legs perpendicular to the ground. Now, bring your hands down to your feet. In Yoga, Surya Namaskar postures like these are highly effective to manage the organs including kidneys, liver, adrenals, and pancreas. It also stretches the hamstring muscles.

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Step 4: ‘Ashwa Sanchalanasana’ or Equestrian posture

Inhale and bring back your left leg with the knee touching the floor. Bend the right leg and lift your spine to look up.

Step 5: ‘Parvatasana’ or Mountain Posture in Surya Namaskar

This step comes on exhalation. Bring your right leg to the back with left leg. Raise the hips and look down at the ground to make a triangular pose. Keep your heels flat and inhale deeply.

Step 6: ‘Ashtanga Namaskar’ or Salutation with Eight Points

Exhale and bring your knees down to the ground. Slightly lift up the hips while your chest and chin should touch the ground. Eight parts of your body, viz, 2 hands, 2 knees, 2 feet, chin, and chest touch the ground in this posture.

Step 7: ‘Bhujangasana’ or Cobra Pose in Sun Salutation Yoga

Exhale and slowly slide to forward position. Raise your chest upward. Ensure that your spine is arched well and upper abdomen is raised above the ground.

Step 8: ‘Parvatasana’ or Mountain Pose

Exhale and once again, follow this asana.

Step 9: ‘Ashwa Sanchalanasana’ or Equestrian Pose

This is again a repetition. Breathe in and bring your right leg between hands with left leg touching the ground at back.

Step 10: ‘Hasta Padasana’ or Hand to Foot

Breathing out, join your legs and follow the step no. 3 again.

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Step 11: ‘HastaUttanasana’ or Raised Arms

Inhale and lift up your spine with both hands above your head. Slightly bend towards the back.

Step 12: ‘Tadasana Yoga’ in Surya Namaskar

Exhale and straighten the body. Relax and follow the step no. 1.

These are the Yoga Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation postures. Complete at least 12 sets of this yoga every day. One set means 2 rounds of these 12 postures, first with the right side and then the left side of your body. Once you add Surya Namaskar in yoga regimen of your daily routine you will begin feeling the positive changes in your body and mind! After all, with the power of yoga and Sun Salutation, results are bound to be positive!

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