In Sanskrit, ‘Surya’, means ‘Sun’ and ‘Namaskar’, means ‘Salutations or bowing down’. Hence in simple words, it’s the act of bowing down to the natural creation, the Sun, which gives energy and life for all the living things around us, including humans. This balanced sequence of 10 poses starting from Tadasana, awakens the body beautifully, keeping in mind not only the salutations for the Sun God, but also the intense stretch for the body which is much needed after a good six hours of sleep. The body is tight and rigid during the first part of the day and in order to reduce this stiffness, with improved blood circulation, Sun Salutations series are performed early morning facing the Sun. Traditionally, the Surya Namaskar A series, when done at sunrise on an empty stomach brings in the much desired results, when facing the first rays of the sun.
Surya Namaskar is considered to spiritually uplift while providing a deep sense of inner connection to the physical body and the mind following the right way of breath movement in each pose along with the chanting of mantras designed for that specific pose in the entire series. With repeated practice, this sequence will help in achieving a sense of well-being and bring about a change in the physical structure, building not only strong muscles but also brings in a sense of self confidence. An overall health benefit is derived as each pose in the series of 11 poses, has its set of benefits associated with the physical body and the mind.
