Image Source: Remedies Point

Surya Namaskar or Sun salutation is a lot more than just praying to the Sun and exercising. It relaxes and rejuvenates you, like aromatherapy. It’s a combination of 12 asnansa that activate your body, mind and chakras. It provides you energy throughout the day. Apart from the perfect posture, proper and timely inhaling and exhaling adds to the benefits. Usually, 12 Surya Namaskar are performed and with each performance, a mantra is chanted, which is offering a prayer to the Sun. You perform a perfect Surya Namaskar only when you practice all three of these processes together. If you are not aware of the names of this asana, when to breath in and out and which mantra to chant with each Surya Namaskar, read and practice the following steps and soon you will perfect the Surya Namaskar.

The twelve mantras to chant while performing twelve Surya Namaskar are as follows

1. om mitrāya namaḥ

2. om ravaye namaḥ

3. om sūryāya namaḥ

4. om bhānave namaḥ

5. om khagāya namaḥ

6. om pūṣṇe namaḥ

7. om hiraṇya garbhāya namaḥ

8. om marīcaye namaḥ

9. om ādityāya namaḥ

10. om savitre namaḥ

11. om arkāya namaḥ

12. om bhāskarāya namaḥ

Following is the details of the asana.

1. Pranamasana

Breathing: exhale

Chakra: Anahata

Position: Heart

Directions

Stand straight, facing the Sun. Hands folded near the chest, in Namaskar position. Keep the feet together, breathe out normally.

2. Hasta Uttanasana

Breathing: inhale

Chakra: Vishuddhi

Position: Throat

Directions

Raise the arms upwards, bend backwards (as far as you can) facing the sky. Arch the back while bending backwards.

3. Hastapaadasana

Breathing: exhale

Chakra: Swadhisthana

Position: Sacrum

Directions

Without bending the knees, bend downwards, touch your forehead to the knees. Hands should touch the yoga mat on either side of the feet, palms flat on the floor.

4. Aekpaadprasarnaasana

Breathing: inhale

Chakra: Ajna

Position: Third eye

Directions

Stretch the left leg backwards and balance the leg on the toes with the heel raised upwards. The right leg should be bent at the knee and face the sky. Hands should be stretched with palms flat on the floor.

5. Adho Mukha Svanasana

Breathing: exhale

Chakra: Vishuddhi

Position: Throat

Directions

Keeping the palms, flat on the floor, stretch back the right leg parallel to the left. Raise the hips and bend the head downwards, pointing towards the navel.

6. Ashtanga Namaskar

Breathing: suspend

Chakra: Manipura

Position: Solar plexus

Directions

Lower the hips. The toes, knees, chest and face should touch the yoga mat while raising the hips a little.

7. Bhujangasana

Breathing: inhale

Chakra: Swadhisthana

Position: Sacrum

Directions

Stretch the arms and lift the chest so the back arches and bend the head backwards to face the sky.

8. Adho Mukha Svanasana

Breathing: exhale

Chakra: Vishuddhi

Position: Throat

Directions

Keeping the palms, flat on the floor, bend the head downwards, facing the navel and raise the hips forming an arch of the body.

9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Breathing: inhale

Chakra: Ajna

Position: Third eye

Directions

Keeping the left leg stretched backwards, and balancing the leg on the toes with the heel raised upwards, bend the right knee back upwards and face the sky. Hands should be stretched with palms flat on the floor.

10. Uttanasana

Breathing: exhale

Chakra: Swadhisthana

Position: Sacrum

Directions

Without bending the knees, get up, forming an acute arch of the body, touch your forehead to the knees. Hands should touch the floor on either side of the feet, palms flat on the floor.

11. Hasta Uttanasana

Breathing: inhale

Chakra: Vishuddhi

Position: Throat

Directions

Raise the arms upwards, bend backwards (as far as you can) facing upwards. Arch the back while bending backwards.

12. Pranamasana

Breathing: exhale

Chakra: Anahata

Position: Heart

Directions

Fold back the hands in namaskar, near the chest and breath normally.

Benefits

Surya Namaskar is performed early morning, during the Sunrise, this helps us to soak our body in the Sun rays and absorb the Vitamin D, which is rarely available in other edible ingredients. It not only helps to reduce the extra fat from the body and enhance the flexibility, it also helps all our internal organs to function properly, regulates the blood circulation, eases childbirth and reduces anxiety and insomnia. Surya Namaskar is beneficial to everyone irrespective of their age and gender. It is advised that even a pregnant woman should perform Surya Namaskar. So burn up an incense and start with Surya Namaskar.