Sūrya Namaskār
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Sūrya Namaskār (the Sun salutation) is called the king of asanas. It is a sequence of 12 postures, each symbolizing a sign of the zodiac. This sequence of asanas has the amazing ability to activate the best characteristics of your birth chart by bringing energy to your body, a clearer thinking through emotional balancing, and a restored health, thereby enabling you to express your intelligence and uniqueness. It is a technique to experience a conflict-free life, fulfillment and eternal bliss.
Its practice awakens the body’s innate intelligence to produce energy from the sun. It is designed to access the etheric energy all around you. When performed facing the East in the first rays of the morning sun, along with the appropriate breathing technique and the mantra, the effect on the individual mind, body and spirit is incomparable.
It is said that the daily practice of Sūrya Namaskār is enough to work on the whole body organs, cakras and mindfor the whole day.
Sūrya Namaskār mantras
A mantra is a composition of syllables, words or sentences that, when repeated with awareness and visualization, has a powerful and penetrating influence on the mind. Before each repetition of Sūrya Namaskār, one chants the corresponding mantra, which is a glorification of the Sun. This simple method leads us to the experience that the outer Sun symbolizes the shining intelligence in our inner sky. We come to understand our connectivity to the cosmic energy that pervades all the grahas. The characteristics of our sign get activated to unfold its inherent potential.
- Auṁ hrāṁ mitrāya namaḥ Salutations to the friend of all
- Auṁ hrīṁ ravaye namaḥ Salutations to the shining one
- Auṁ hrūṁ sūryāya namaḥ Salutations to the one who induces activity * Auṁ hraiṁ bhānave namaḥ Salutations to the one who illumines
- Auṁ hrauṁ khagāa namaḥ Salutations to the one who moves swiftly
- Auṁ hraḥ pūṣṇe namaḥ Salutations to the giver of strength
- Auṁ hrāṁ hiraṇyagarbhāya namaḥ Salutations to the golden Cosmic Self
- Auṁ hrīṁ marīcaye namaḥ Salutations to the Lord of dawn
- Auṁ hrūṁ ādityāya namaḥ Salutations to the son of Aditi, the infinite Cosmic mother
- Auṁ hraiṁ savitre namaḥ Salutations to the eternal benevolent mother
- Auṁ hrauṁ arkāya namaḥ Salutations to the one who is praiseworthy
- Auṁ hraḥ bhāskarāya namaḥ Salutations to the one who leads to enlightenment
Sūrya Namaskār āsana sequence
To blissfully enjoy the benefits of any āsana, make sure your body is warmed up, the spine limber and stretched out before entering the postures.
- Stand with feet slightly apart. Bring hands together into prayer position in front of your chest. Keep your eyes open during the practice of the āsanas. Chant the corresponding mantra loudly.
- Inhaling, gracefully sweep the arms up over your head and gently arch the spine backwards.
- Exhaling and bending from the hips, sweep the arms forward and down so the hands touch the floor close to the feet and the forehead comes in close to the knees. Bend the knees to allow for greater ease in doing this.
- Step the right foot back as far as you can and as you inhale, lift your heart center up.
- Step the left foot back and assume the plank position with spine, neck, and head in a straight line, hands placed directly under your shoulders.
- On the exhale, lower the knees, chest and chin to the floor assuming aṣṭānga namaskār. Point the toes. * Inhale, raise the head and chest off the floor by engaging the lower back and gently pushing with your hands. Keeping the elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, come into bhujangāsana.
- Exhaling, push with your hands, raise your hips into the air and back and assume the downward dog pose. Push your heels towards the floor.
- Gently look forward at your hands and step the left foot forward as far as you can, close to the hands. Inhale, lift your heart.
- Step the right foot forward to meet the right hand. Bend your knees if you need, exhale, and bring the head in close to the legs.
- On an inhale, sweep your arms up over your head and gently arch the spine, saluting the Sun.
- Exhale, bring your arms down and your hands back into prayer position in front of your chest.
Nithya Yoga is Paramahamsa Nithyananda's unique offering to the world, helping the practitioner to be in the state of yoga every moment. You will find further details on the benefits of Sūrya Namaskār in the book titled: Nithya Yoga - The Ultimate Practice for Body Mind and Being.