Sun is the
star present at the center of the solar system with all the other planets
revolves around it in elliptical pathways. According to Bible, when God created
this Earth, he uttered "Let there be Light”, which is nothing but the aurora of
Sun!! I wonder without the radiance of this celestial body, where does the
globe get its illumination from. Indeed, the creatures of this beguiling planet
go blind with a pair of magnificent eyes eluding the opportunity to appreciate
the beauty of the Mother Nature.
Not only
the destroyer of darkness, the spiritual light residing in the solar orb is
the primary source of energy for us. We get the energy we need for living from
the solar energy received by chlorophyll and stored in the plants or from the
flesh of animals that eat the plants. The energy we obtain form coal or oil is
solar energy trapped by chlorophyll in plant life, millions of years ago. We
live by the sun through the agency of chlorophyll (taken from Autobiography of
a Yogi, pg.no:451).
Though the world
portrays this cosmic egg as a male, I could feel the warmth of a mother’s love
at the bosom of her infinite rays. She kiss us every day with her sunshine, nourish
us with food, provide us adequate oxygen to breath, protect us from many life
threatening micro organisms, bestow us a healthy body and the list goes on. My
entire life on this earth will not be enough to unfold the immeasurable love
she is showering on us!!
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| An illustration of how Sun protect us like a Mother |
SURYA
NAMASKAR – THE HIGHEST SALUTATION TO SUN GOD
Darkness diminishes, Luminescence
unleashes
Flora
flourishes, Fauna nourishes
Mortal
cherishes at the dawn of thee
Oh Sun god!
Salutations onto thee!!
Surya
namaskar is the yogic method of giving tribute to this holy star, the ruler of
lights. It is handed down to us from great Sages of Vedic age. There is a
saying “ Namaskara Priya Suryah”, which means salutation is beloved of Sun.
Hindus traditionally worship Sun everyday in the morning to seek his blessings
for a healthy body. The science of yoga insists that good physical health is
very essential for one’s spiritual progress and hence Surya Namaskar, a sequence
of twelve positions of prostration, has been fabricated to increase the
vitality and vigour of solar energy in the body, ensuring sound physical
health. All postures of Surya Namaskar are chiseled in such a way that each
position counteracts the previous one and alternatively contracting and
expanding the chest, to regulate the breathing. Every posture is accompanied
with a mantra which can be chanted either physically or mentally. Each mantra
incorporates twelve different names of sun preceded by one of the six bija
mantras. The chanting of first six mantras initiates the upward movement of
powerful vibrations of energy from Mooladhara to Ajna chakra, where as the
recitation of remaining six mantras brings the downward movement of energy from
higher chakra to lower chakra activating the internal organs during the practice
of Surya Namaskar.
Consistent
practice of this graceful sequence will ward off all the impurities of body and
mind and makes one fit for the practice of Yoga Asanas and the other higher
limbs of Yoga. One can reap the best fruits of Surya Namaskar when practiced
during early hours of morning, facing the direction of Sunrise. Like twelve
hours in day where the heat of Sun varies for every hour between Sunrise and
Sunset, body temperature changes while flowing through each position of this
age old method of practice. Let the mind bend, arch, bow down and flow along
with your physical body for the rhythm of your breath to quench the ambrosial
nectar of this Divine Yogic practice!!!
“No asana practice
is complete without Sun worship. Without its focusing of mental energies, yoga practice
amounts to little more than the gymnastics and, as such, loses its meaning and
proves fruitless. Indeed, the Surya Namaskar should never be mistaken for mere
physical exercise – for something incidental, that is, it simply precedes the
asanas of yoga”, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
PRACTISE OF SURYA NAMASKAR
POSITION1: PRANAMASANA (Prayer pose)
Stand upright with the feet together
Join your palms together in Namaskar
Mudra in front of Solar plexus
Breathing: Normal Breathing
Mantra: Om Hraam Mitraya Namaha (Salutations to the friend
of all)
Awareness:
Physical - on the chest area
Spiritual- Anahata Chakra
POSITION2: HASTA UTTHANASANA (Raised
arm pose)
Separate the hands
Raise and stretch both arms
Arch back with your arms stretched
by the side of your ears and drop your head back
Breathing: Inhale
Mantra: Om Hreem Ravaye Namaha(Salutations to the
shining one)
Awareness:
Physical- on the stretch of the abdomen and expansion
of chest
Spiritual- Vishuddhi chakra
POSITION 3: PADAHASTASANA ( Hand to
Feet pose)
Bend forward from the hips and place
the palms on either side of the feet or grab your heels
Bring the forehead as closer to the
knees
Keep the knees straight
Breathing: Exhale
Mantra: Om Hroom Suryaya Namaha(Salutations to you who,
induces activity)
Awareness:
Physical- on the back and pelvic region
Spiritual- Swadhisthana chakra
POSITION 4: ASHWA SANCHALANASANA (equestrian
pose)
Take your right leg back, keep your
right toe and knee on the floor.
At the same time, bend the left
knee, left foot placed in the same position with finger tips placed on either
side of the left foot.
The head should be tilted backward
with lower back arched.
Breathing: Inhale
Mantra: Om Hraim Bhanave Namaha (Salutations to you,
who illumines)
Awareness:
Physical- on the stretch from the thigh through the
lower back and on the eyebrow center while balancing
Spiritual- Ajna chakra
POSITION 5: PARVATASANA (Mountain
Pose)
Place the palms down and bring the
left leg back placed closer to the right leg
Simultaneously lift the tail bone up
and lower your head between the arms with shoulder blades pushed away
Arms and legs should be straight
with heels pressed down
Breathing: Exhale
Mantra: Om Hraum Khagaya Namaha (Salutations to you,
who moves quickly in the sky)
Awareness:
Physical: on the stretch of the hamstrings,
calves, shoulders and neck and on the relaxing hip
Spiritual: Vishuddhi chakra
POSITION 6: ASHTANGA NAMASKARA
(Salute with eight parts)
Lower your knee, chin and chest on
the floor with palms placed on the either side of shoulders
Legs together with balls of the feet
pressing the floor
Buttocks, hip, abdomen should be
raised
Breathing: The breath is held out in this pose
(no respiration)
Chakra: Om Pushne Namaha (Salutations to the giver of
strength)
Awareness:
Physical- on the abdominal region
Spiritual- Manipura chakra
POSITION 7: BHUJANGASANA (Cobra
pose)
Glide your shoulders forward and
arch back with your heels together and toes stretched down
Shoulders pushed away, elbows can be
either bent or straight according to the individual’s flexibility with the hip
bone pressed towards the floor
Head should be dropped back
Breathing: Inhale
Mantra: Om Hraam Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha (Salutations
to the Golden, Cosmic Self)
Awareness:
Physical-On relaxation of the spine
Spiritual- Swadisthana chakra
POSITION 8: PARVATASANA (Mountain
pose)
Press your palms, lift your hip up
and press your heels down to mountain position
Breathing: Exhale
Mantra: Om hreem Marichaye Namaha (Salutations to the
lord of dawn)
Awareness:
Physical: on the stretch of the hamstrings,
calves, shoulders and neck and on the relaxing hip
Spiritual: Vishuddhi chakra
POSITION 9: ASHWA SANCHALANASANA
(equestrian pose)
Bring your right foot in the front
in between the palms and keep your left toe and knee down
At the same time bend the right knee
with finger tips place on the either side of your right leg
Arch the lower back and head tilted
back
Breathing: Inhale
Mantra: Om Hroom Adityaya Namaha (Salutations to the
son of Aditi, the Cosmic Mother)
Awareness:
Physical- on the stretch from the thigh through the
lower back and on the eyebrow center while balancing
Spiritual- Ajna chakra
POSITION 10: PASAHASTASANA (Hand to
foot pose)
Bring the left foot forward by the
side of your right foot
With palms placed by the side of
your legs or grab your heels and forehead touching your knee
Breathing: Exhale
Mantra: Om Hraim Savitre Namaha (Salutations to the
Lord of Creation)
Awareness:
Physical- on the back and pelvic region
Spiritual- Swadhisthana chakra
POSITION 11: HASTA UTTHANASANA (Raised
arms pose)
Raise the torso and stretch the arms
above the head with arms shoulder width apart
Arch the lower back, open the chest
and drop the head back
Breathing: Inhale
Mantra: Om hraum Arkaya Namaha (Salutations to you who
is fit to be praised)
Awareness:
Physical- on the stretch of the abdomen and expansion
of chest
Spiritual- Vishuddhi chakra
POSITION 12: PRANAMASANA (Prayer
pose)
Bring your palms in Namaskar Mudra
in front of your chest
Breathing: Exhale
Mantra: Om Hraha Bhaskaraya Namaha (Salutations to you who
leads to the enlightenment)
Awareness:
Physical – on the chest area
Spiritual- Anahata Chakra
POSITION 13 to 24:
The twelve positions of Surya
Namaskar are practiced twice to complete one round. Positions 1 to 12
constitute half a round. In the second half, the same positions are repeated
with the following two changes
1. In Position 16, Instead of the
right foot, bring the left foot back
2. In Position 21, bring the left
foot in the front in between the palms, instead of right leg
Thank you!!
