Surya Namaskar
This consists of 12 steps, which exercise every part of the body. It is a perfect asana by itself and should be practiced 12 times daily for full benefit. It not only gives us strength and health of the body but it also gives us a clear mind and good memory power. This is because the sun is the source of both wisdom and health. There are 12 aspects of the sun and that is why this is done 12 times. Each time we do one round we invoke the sun with a special mantra. We also repeat the Gayatri Mantra at the start of every posture.
Twelve Names of the Sun
1. Mitraaya Namaha! — Salutations to the friend of the world.
2. Ravaye Namaha! — Salutations to the one who is the eye of the world
3. Suryaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the one who sucks and dries.
4. Bhaanave Namaha! — Salutations to the one who is glowing and effulgent.
5. Khagaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the one who traverses the sky.
6. Pooshne Namaha! — Salutations to the one who supports and nourishes life.
7. Hiranyagarbhaaya Namaha! – Salutations to the golden orb.
8. Mareechaye Namaha! — Salutations to the grandson of the sage Mareechi.
9. Adityaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the son of Aditi.
10. Savitre Namaha! — Salutations to the one who produces and sustains life.
11. Arkaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the ray of light.
12. Bhaskaraaya Namaha! — Salutations to the one who radiates light.
First of all stand straight with feet together, knees locked, palms folded and pressed to your chest and meditate on the sun and repeat the Gayatri mantra. Ask the sun God – Surya, to give you long life, perfect health, perfect memory and liberation.
1. Take a deep breath. Stand on your toes and raise your hands above your head. Stretch to the maximum.
2. Exhale and bend from the waist and touch your toes. Do not bend your knees. If you can’t touch your toes, go as far as you can but don’t bend your knees.
3. Inhale. Place both palms on the ground beside your feet and stretch your right leg straight back. Lift your whole body up on your palms and throw your head back.
4. Hold your breath and stretch your left leg also to the back. Your body now is straight as a board. Keep your head straight and look straight in front. From now onwards you should keep your hands and your feet in the same position until the 11th posture. The body should move between these two boundaries.
5. Exhale and go into the rest posture or rabbit posture. Your arms are stretched straight forward and your legs are bent at the knees and you will be sitting on your haunches.
6. Inhale and lift yourself up. Exhale and go into full prostration. Your palms, forehead, chest, knees and feet should touch the ground. Your bottom should be lifted off the ground.
7. Inhale and do the reverse posture. Lift your body up by pressing palms on the ground. Arch your back, throw your head back and look up.
8. Exhale and go into the dog posture. Without moving your palms and feet simply throw your head down and look down.
9. Inhale and exhale and go into the rest posture, rabbit posture. Arms are stretched straight forward and the body should go back and rest on the haunches as in the 5th position.
10. Inhale and bring your right foot forward and look up as in the 3rd position.
11. Exhale and touch your toes as in the 2nd position.
12. Inhale and come up and keep your palms folded and pressed to your chest.
These 12 postures complete one round. It is good to do 12 rounds if you can manage the time. First the right and then the left legs should be used in the 3rd posture. From the fourth to the eleventh posture the position of the hands and feet are fixed and should not be changed. Mantras should be chanted in the order given above.
This consists of 12 steps, which exercise every part of the body. It is a perfect asana by itself and should be practiced 12 times daily for full benefit. It not only gives us strength and health of the body but it also gives us a clear mind and good memory power. This is because the sun is the source of both wisdom and health. There are 12 aspects of the sun and that is why this is done 12 times. Each time we do one round we invoke the sun with a special mantra. We also repeat the Gayatri Mantra at the start of every posture.
Twelve Names of the Sun
1. Mitraaya Namaha! — Salutations to the friend of the world.
2. Ravaye Namaha! — Salutations to the one who is the eye of the world
3. Suryaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the one who sucks and dries.
4. Bhaanave Namaha! — Salutations to the one who is glowing and effulgent.
5. Khagaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the one who traverses the sky.
6. Pooshne Namaha! — Salutations to the one who supports and nourishes life.
7. Hiranyagarbhaaya Namaha! – Salutations to the golden orb.
8. Mareechaye Namaha! — Salutations to the grandson of the sage Mareechi.
9. Adityaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the son of Aditi.
10. Savitre Namaha! — Salutations to the one who produces and sustains life.
11. Arkaaya Namaha! — Salutations to the ray of light.
12. Bhaskaraaya Namaha! — Salutations to the one who radiates light.
First of all stand straight with feet together, knees locked, palms folded and pressed to your chest and meditate on the sun and repeat the Gayatri mantra. Ask the sun God – Surya, to give you long life, perfect health, perfect memory and liberation.
1. Take a deep breath. Stand on your toes and raise your hands above your head. Stretch to the maximum.
2. Exhale and bend from the waist and touch your toes. Do not bend your knees. If you can’t touch your toes, go as far as you can but don’t bend your knees.
3. Inhale. Place both palms on the ground beside your feet and stretch your right leg straight back. Lift your whole body up on your palms and throw your head back.
4. Hold your breath and stretch your left leg also to the back. Your body now is straight as a board. Keep your head straight and look straight in front. From now onwards you should keep your hands and your feet in the same position until the 11th posture. The body should move between these two boundaries.
5. Exhale and go into the rest posture or rabbit posture. Your arms are stretched straight forward and your legs are bent at the knees and you will be sitting on your haunches.
6. Inhale and lift yourself up. Exhale and go into full prostration. Your palms, forehead, chest, knees and feet should touch the ground. Your bottom should be lifted off the ground.
7. Inhale and do the reverse posture. Lift your body up by pressing palms on the ground. Arch your back, throw your head back and look up.
8. Exhale and go into the dog posture. Without moving your palms and feet simply throw your head down and look down.
9. Inhale and exhale and go into the rest posture, rabbit posture. Arms are stretched straight forward and the body should go back and rest on the haunches as in the 5th position.
10. Inhale and bring your right foot forward and look up as in the 3rd position.
11. Exhale and touch your toes as in the 2nd position.
12. Inhale and come up and keep your palms folded and pressed to your chest.
These 12 postures complete one round. It is good to do 12 rounds if you can manage the time. First the right and then the left legs should be used in the 3rd posture. From the fourth to the eleventh posture the position of the hands and feet are fixed and should not be changed. Mantras should be chanted in the order given above.
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