SURYA NAMASKAR

Taking out 10 minutes a day to worship your own body for your own health benefits is not asking much. Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar is one such asan which covers eight postures and involves movement of your entire body. The yoga is best practiced with Sunrise and in fresh air. In all there are eight postures. The last fours postures are cyclic or repetition to make for the complete salutation.
 

1. Face the Sun and stand straight feet adjoined. Raise your hands above and in a circular motion bring your palms together ‘Namaskar position’ right in front of your heart.

2. Inhale. Raise the arms upward and slowly bend backward.

3. Exhale. Bend forward bringing head and hands in the same synchronization. Touch ground with the hands (palms if possible). Head should touch your knees.

4. Inhale. Keeping the hands and feet firmly on the ground bend down slowly (as if to sit) now leave the left foot between the hands while stretch the right leg back away from the body. Raise your head.

5. Now Exhale and bring the left foot together with the right. Your body should be all straight and aligned appearing like a slant resting on your arms and feet.

6. Inhale. Slowly, lower your hips to the ground. Do not let your stomach touch the ground. Exhale and bring the entire body to the ground but let only the feet, knees, hands, chest, and forehead touch it. (Not your face, stomach, elbows & thighs)

7. Inhale and slowly raise the head and bend backward as much as possible, bending the spine to the maximum (This posture is Bhujangasan).

8. While exhaling, bring the left foot together with the right. Keep arms straight, raise the hips and align the head with the arms, forming an upward arch.

9. Do the Posture 4, but stretching the Left Leg now. Keeping the hands and feet firmly on the ground bend down slowly (as if to sit) now leave the Right foot between the hands while stretch the Left leg back away from the body. Lift the head upwards.

10. Return to Posture 3. Exhale. Bend forward bringing head and hands in the same synchronization. Touch ground with the hands (palms if possible). Head should touch your knees.

11. Return to Posture 2. Inhale, raise arms upward and slowly bend backward

12. Return to Posture 1. (Palms together ‘Namaskar position’ right in front of your heart).

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