Sūrya Namaskāra, Sun Salutation

Is there life on earth without the power of the sun? The sun, the central star of our planetary system, is the basis for all life on earth. Since ancient times, peoples have worshipped the sun and dedicated prayers to it. In India, one of these prayer forms in yoga is a sequence of movements of various yogic exercises called Sūrya Namaskāra, which means sun salutation.

The sun is associated with the sūrya nadī or piṅgalā nadī (subtle life channel). This is one of the three main energy channels that runs through the right side of the body along the spine and left side of the brain. Sūrya nadī is responsible for all physical life processes and the masculine aspects of our personality. It is often depicted as a red river.

On the physical level, sūrya nadī represents the sympathetic nervous system.

Regular practice of the sun salutation has a balancing effect on the solar energy channel, the sūrya nadī, which is usually over- or under-active. A balance of the sūrya nadī means balance in body and mind and with other positive effects. For example, hundreds of muscles are used and the major organs are gently massaged through stretching. Digestion, blood and lymph circulation are stimulated and, depending on the rhythm of the movements, the heart is strengthened. In addition, the body becomes more flexible and all chakras (energy centers) are stimulated. The exercises increase the immune system and help to maintain or gain a healthy body weight. The practitioner has deep and rhythmic breathing at least once a day while harmonizing the breathing with the movements. This brings fresh oxygen to the lungs and helps with increased mental clarity. Scientific studies have shown that regular practice of Sūrya Namaskāra increases awareness and improves health. Thus, the practitioner experiences a sense of well-being.

When is it best to practice Sūrya Namaskāra?
In the morning with the rising sun is the best time to do the sun salutation. The body is gently awakened by the stretching and benefits from the flexibility throughout the day.
However, you can also do the sun salutation in the evening at sunset. At this time, it prepares in some way for the evening meal, as it stimulates digestion.
Regardless of the time, it is essential to practice Sun Salutation, like any other yoga exercise asana, only on an empty stomach and with the bowels emptied.
From my experience, it is more effective to incorporate 20 minutes into your daily routine than an hour or two occasionally.

Who can practice Sūrya Namaskāra ?
Generally the sun salutation is suitable for all ages. Exceptions are women during their menstrual period. For pregnant women, the sun salutation can be performed carefully until about the 12th week and then resumed slowly from the 40th day after birth to bring the uterine muscles back into shape. People with high blood pressure, a heart attack or hernias are not advised to do sun salutations. People with some back problems, such as slipped disc or sciatica should choose other yoga asanas.

Where and how should it be practiced?
It is best to practice outside in nature or in a quiet, well-ventilated room facing east (or west in the evening). It is appropriate to perform sun salutations on a yoga mat or a suitable surface, if possible made of natural material. If you do not have the sun physically in front of you, you can imagine it internally, for example, in the morning you imagine the rising sun. The important thing in the movement sequences is breathing. Mostly you inhale when you stretch and exhale when you bend your body. (see illustration below).

In the beginning, one should perform the sun salutation slowly. Calm and deep breathing is important to combine it harmoniously with the movements. When stretching or bending backwards, the chest is open and one breathes in. When bending forward, you exhale, which helps to go deeper into the position.

For an even deeper effect, the sun salutation can also be done with the eyes closed.

How many rounds should you perform ?
Best is to do 12 rounds of the sun salutation, one set consists of 2 rounds (alternating between the right and left leg). However, as a beginner you can start with 2 rounds. When you can do the 12 positions fluently, the movements are brought into harmony with your own breathing rhythm, then you can increase the number of rounds. It is very important to respect the limits of your body and especially in the beginning, to take rests between the rounds or the single positions.

The 12 rounds connect us with the rhythm of the universe, which includes, among others, the 12 zodiac signs of the year, the 24 hours of the day and the biorhythm of the body.

Since harmonization with the biorhythms is one of the essential approaches in Ayurveda, yoga, including the sun salutation, plays an important role in prevention and health maintenance.

There are many variations of the sun salutation, here you will find two different ones.
The common sun salutation on the lower picture shows the movement sequence with the 12 positions and the associated breathing.
In the two videos a simplified version of the sun salutation is shown, which is good for beginners or for weakened people. In addition, here we distinguish between a sequence of movements for women and one for men.

This article is intended to serve as an inspiration. It is important to learn the sun salutation under professional guidance, so that the individual positions can be corrected and physical damage does not occur. In case of back problems, persistent other pain or other chronic body ailments, please consult a doctor.