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Surya namaskar (Surya means Sun and Namaskar means Salutation) is a series of simple postures that can be easily made a part of your daily routine. Traditionally it is done in the mornings facing sun to give a good stretch to the whole body and the benefits of solar energy. It is an easy practice that can be learned and practiced quickly.
Surya namaskar has 12 steps. You need a yoga mat or a comfortable flat surface to do sun salutation. Make sure you keep your body in a good posture and relaxed. Surya namasakar has a good sink of breathing and stretching. Initially you can focus on stretching, but as you get comfortable with the flow of the stretch make sure you take care of the breath as well. As a general rule when you are stretching, you breath out and when you relax (at least your chest) you breath in.
Stand at the edge of a mat with your feet together and body weight distributed on both feet equally. By taking deep slow breath in lift your arm together and by breathing out, bring hands together to make prayer sign.
By breathing out, stretch upper body upwards by keeping your lower body straight on the mat as if you are a king cobra.
Take deep breath in and lift your arms above your head. Bend your upper body and arms as backwards as possible by keeping the prayer sign.
By breathing in, stretch the hip upwards to form a mountain
By breathing out bend forward. By separating hands, stretch the arm forwards and place them on side of ankle or holding the ankle while the whole body is bent at the waist. Maintain the upper body as close to the legs as possible.
By breathing out, bring one leg forward close to your palm, so that you look like step 4.
By breathing in, stretch one leg backwards keeping it as straight and stretched as possible. That leg rest at the balls of the feet.
By breathing in, bring second leg also forward near the palms so that you like step 3.
By breathing in lower your body on the mat by keeping your hip and chin slightly raised and touching your palms, forehead, nose, knees and balls of feet on the ground.
By breathing out, stretch arms and body upwards. Stretch arms above head by keeping palms together going as backwards as possible (reverse of step 2)
By breathing out, stretch the second leg backwards and close to the other leg the same, making the whole body like a log resting on arms and toes.
By breathing in bring back palms to the centre of the chest to make the prayer sign.
Different postures can be combined in your sun salutation according to your personal comfort, preference or needs. There are different types of suryanamasakar including different postures. You can repeat the suryanamaskar multiple times to give your body a good stretch. You can also increase the pace of suryanamaskar to make it cardiac.
