Sun Salutations – A Beginners Guide to Surya Namaskar

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, and Jane and Gerald were already up and moving. They greeted the new day with a beautiful, synchronised flow of poses and breathing patterns called the Surya namaskar, or sun salutations. 

This simple routine had become their secret to a happy, healthy relationship. The gentle movements and deep breathing helped them start their day with mindfulness and clarity. They felt more patient, kind, and thoughtful as parents and partners. 

The sun continued to rise as they flowed through each pose until finally, they finished with a long savasana or corpse pose. They lay there for a few moments, soaking in the peace and stillness that the practice had brought them. 

What is Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutations?

Surya Namaskar is a graceful sequence consisting of twelve poses linked together by a continuous flowing motion accompanied by deep breathing. Each pose counters the one before, stretching your body differently, and alternatingly expanding and contracting your chest to regulate and harmonise your breathing. For example, one round of Sun salutations consists of two sets/sequences, the first leading with your right leg and the next leading with your left leg in the fourth and ninth positions. You can start by doing two to four sets and gradually increasing to twelve rounds. 

This sequence of movements can be practised at varying levels of awareness, from physical exercise to a complete sadhana (spiritual practice). 

The Sun Salutation is a sequence of yoga poses that can be performed as a stand-alone exercise, or it can be used as a warm-up before practising an asana (pose). Traditionally, it has been recommended that you perform three sets of Sun Salutations to warm up before moving into deeper postures. 

To get the most out of it, perform it on an empty stomach, outside or in a well-ventilated room facing the sun, gratitude towards the sun at dawn and dusk. Then, for a couple of weeks, if you are entirely new to yoga asanas, start with this gentle joint-opening sequence. 

There are many diverse types of sun salutations. For instance, vinyasa-style salutations include low planks and focus more on upper body strength. Erling leads the following sequence of the Sun Salutation, which is considered the most traditional form. It engages all parts of the entire body. 

What are the Benefits of Surya Namaskar? 

Surya Namaskar (also known as Sun Salutation) is a series of yoga poses performed in sequence. It improves strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and concentration. It also helps reduce stress levels, improve blood circulation, and boost the immune system. 

The benefits of Sun Salutations include: 

• Improved Strength – Surya namaskar strengthens muscles throughout the body, including breathing, standing, walking, running, jumping, lifting, carrying, and moving. 

• Reduced Stress Levels – Surya namaskar reduces stress due to its calming effect. 

• Increased Flexibility – Surya namaskar increases flexibility by stretching and strengthening muscles. 

• Improved Balance – Surya namaskar improves balance because it requires many different muscle groups. 

• Improved Coordination – Surya namaskar improves coordination by increasing awareness of movement patterns. 

• Boosted Immune System – Surya namaskar boosts the immune system by improving the brain’s and spinal cord’s oxygenation and circulation. 

• Reduces Fatigue – Surya namaskar reduces fatigue by reducing tension in the neck, shoulders, back, arms, legs, and feet. 

• Improves Blood Circulation – Surya namaskar improves blood circulation by opening the arteries and veins. 

• Increases Energy – Surya namaskar increases energy by stimulating the nervous system. 

• Improves Concentration – Surya namaskar improves concentration by improving mental alertness. 

How to Flow Through Sun Salutations 

Pranamasana: Prayer Pose 

Stand at the edge of your yoga mat, keep your feet together, and balance your weight equally on both feet. 

Expand your chest and relax your shoulders. 

As you inhale, lift both arms from the sides, and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest in a prayer position. 

Benefits: Establishes a state of humility, gratitude, concentration, and calmness. Helps maintain the balance of the body. Relaxes the nervous system. 

Hasta Uttanasana: Raised Arms Pose 

You lift the arms up and back as you inhale, keeping the biceps close to the ears. In this pose, the effort is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers. 

To deepen the stretch, push the pelvis forward a little bit. Ensure that you are reaching up with your fingers rather than trying to bend backwards. 

Benefits: Stretches abdominal and intestinal muscles, arms, and spinal cord. Expands the chest resulting in the whole intake of oxygen. 

Hasta Padasana: Hand to Foot Pose 

Breathing out, stretch forward, and bend downwards from the waist, folding to the floor, do not try to keep the spine erect. 

Bring the hands down to the floor beside the feet as you exhale completely. 

You may bend the knees, if necessary, to bring the palms down to the floor. 

To deepen the stretch, let the backs of the knees open. Next, invite your toes to open and stretch open.  

Benefits: Tones abdomen, muscles of thighs and legs. Stretches spine and back muscles. Opens the hips and shoulders. 

Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Equestrian Pose 

Breathing in, push your right leg back as far as possible. 

Bring the right knee to the floor and lookup. 

The left foot is in between the palms. 

Benefits: Tones abdomen, muscles of thighs and legs. It makes the spine and neck flexible. Good for indigestion, constipation, and sciatica. 

Dandasana Phalakasana: Plank Pose 

Take the left leg back and bring the whole body in a straight line as you breathe in. 

Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor. 

Benefits: Strengthens arm, back and abdominal muscles. It also helps in curing specific problems of the spinal column and cord. Improves posture. Calms the mind. 

Ashtanga Namaskara: Eight Points Salute 

Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Take the hips back slightly as in a child’s pose, then slide forward, 

And rest your chest and chin on the floor. Raise your posterior slightly. 

The two hands, two feet, two knees, and chest and chin should touch the floor. The abdomen remains off the floor. 

Benefits: Strengthen nerves and muscles of shoulders, arms, back and chest. Enhances the flexibility of the back and spine. Reduces tension and anxiety. 

Bhujangasana: Cobra Pose 

Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra posture. 

You may keep your elbows bent in this pose with the shoulders away from the ears. Look up. 

As you inhale, make a gentle effort to push the chest forward. As you exhale, make a gentle effort to lengthen your tail bone. Keep the toes of the top flat on the floor. 

Benefits: Benefits the adrenal glands and kidneys send them a richer blood supply. Tones ovaries, uterus, and liver. Muscles of the back, abdomen and entire upper body are strengthened. Aids in relief and elimination of menstrual irregularities. Relieves constipation. Elevates mood. Invigorates the heart. 

Adho Mukha Svanasana: Downward-Facing Dog 

Breathing out, lift the hips and the tail bone, chest downwards in an ‘inverted V’ (/\) posture. Roll over the toes and keep the knees slightly bent.  

How to deepen this yoga stretch? 

If possible, try and release the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone, going deeper into the stretch. 

Benefits: Stretches arm, back and abdominal muscles. It also helps in curing specific problems of the spinal column and cord. In addition, it increases blood flow to the brain and head region. 

Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Equestrian Pose 

Breathing in, bringing the right foot forward between the two hands, leaving the knee down to the floor, pressing the hips down, and looking up. 

Place the right foot between the two hands and the right calf perpendicular to the floor. In this position, make a gentle effort to push the hips down towards the floor, to deepen the stretch. 

Benefits: Tones abdomen, muscles of thighs and legs. It makes the spine and neck flexible. Good for indigestion, constipation, and sciatica. 

Hasta Padasana: Hand to Foot Pose 

Breathing out, bring the left foot forward. Keep the palms on the floor. You may bend the knees if necessary. 

Gently straighten the knees and if you can, try and let your weight draw the torso towards your feet. Keep breathing. 

Benefits: Tones abdomen, muscles of thighs and legs. Stretches spine and back muscles. Opens the hips and shoulders. 

Hasta Uttanasana: Raised Arms Pose 

Breathing in, rolling the spine up, hands going up and bending backwards a little bit, pushing the hips slightly outward. 

Ensure that your biceps are beside your ears. The idea is to stretch up more rather than stretch backward. 

Benefits: Tones abdomen, muscles of thighs and legs. Stretches spine and back muscles. It opens the hips and shoulders. 

Tadasana: Mountain Pose 

First, straighten your body on your next exhalation, then down the arms. Relax in this position and observe the sensations in your body. 

Benefits: Helps maintain the balance of the body. Relaxes the nervous system. 

Next, get ready for the prayer position for the other half of the sequence leading with the left leg in positions 4 and 9. 

In a sense, the Surya Namaskar or sun salutation, is the core of yoga: it improves overall body strength, builds stamina, and develops flexibility. The benefits of both Asanas and Pranayama can be attained in this series of 12 postures. It should ideally be done early in the morning, facing the rising sun, and each movement of the body is synchronised with a breath, exhaling at the folds and inhaling as you lengthen or stretch out the body. However, nothing in yoga is cast in stone, and it may be practised at any time, as long as it’s on an empty stomach.

Source: (thehindu.com)

Learn Sun Salutation from An Expert 

Join Erling’s online or in-person yoga; he will teach you this and other sequences and an integrated approach to yoga.  If you want to learn more about this pose, you can read more here.

Alternatively, send your questions and queries to info@erling.yoga. We look forward to helping you with your yoga practice. 

Find Inspiration

Looking for a way to get inspired? Check out our stunning Surya namaskar-yoga poster. This beautiful artwork, illustrated by artist and yoga teacher Elaine McCracken, is the perfect way to do just that. 

Elaine has used her knowledge and understanding of the pose to create a stunning and evocative piece of art. Each brush stroke is carefully executed, perfectly capturing the flowing movements, and expressing the pose’s timeless beauty. 

Hang this poster in your home, office, or studio as a daily reminder to take a moment for yourself and breathe. Let the serene image of the sun salutation wash away your stress and help you find your centre. Namaste.