This is a guest post by Kevin.
The Surya Namaskar, also known as the sun salutation pose, is one of the most well known of yoga arts and practiced by many who perform yoga on a regular basis. Meditation is one of the most important aspects of yoga and the surya namaskar is one of the most highly rated meditation techniques within the discipline.
Many beginners will have the question of how to do surya namaskar playing on their minds when they start practicing yoga. There are 12 sun salutation poses that are achieved when performing the surya namaskar. Understanding the various surya namaskar steps will help you perform the posture more efficiently as well as reap full benefits of the meditation technique.
The surya namaskar steps are best performed as soon as you wake up in the morning as it helps vitalize and unblock the entire system. The intense stretching exercises also help burn fat from different areas of the body while also toning a number of muscles.
How to Perform Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar:
Once you have washed your face and hands on rising in the morning, position your yoga mat or a piece of cloth to stand on and you are ready to begin.
- As you begin, the first step is to stand straight and keep your feet close together. Fold your arms at the before your chest. As you stand in this position you should recite Om Mitrayah Namaha which translates in English as friend of all. These are mantras or chants that you need to recite with every pose that you perform.
- Once this is done, you move into the next position. For the next pose you will have to lift your arms right above the shoulders and head and let your palms touch each other. Also see to it that you have your ears and biceps touching each other. Lean backwards and allow the abdomen to stretch as far as it can and recite the Om Khagaya namaha. This translates into ‘Stimulator of the senses’ in English.
- In the third pose, you should bend in the forward direction and allow the palms of your hand to fall on either side of your feet. Stay in this position for some time and then touch your knees with your forehead and exhale slowly and deeply. As you exhale you should also recite the chant Om Suryaya Namaha which means the ‘guide of all.’
- In the fourth position, you need to pay attention to the positioning of the leg. As you move to the next position push one of the legs back and keep the one in front. Keep the palms firmly on the floor. After this slowly lift your head as you inhale deeply simultaneously. The next chant recitation is Om Bhanavae Namaha which means the ‘bestower of beauty.’
- You now switch the leg positions bringing the behind leg in the front and the one in front behind. While doing this see to it that your hips are above the floor and use only your hands as a support for the body. The hands should be in a push-up position. As you move into this position exhale slowly and recite the chant Om Ravaye Namaha that translates to ‘praised by all.’
- Once you are through with these five positions you move on to the sixth position wherein you lower the, forehead chest and knees with the palms firmly on the ground next to the chest. Allow the elbows to bend in an upward-outward direction. Hold the breath while chanting Om Pushnae Namaha which basically means ‘the nourisher of all.’
- Move to the seventh pose by lowering your waist and raising the upper body to look upwards while keeping your arms straight and recite the Om Hiranya-Garbhaya Namaha (the creator).
- In the eight position you need to raise your hips and bring your head towards the floor. Position your body in such a way that you are looking directly at your navel. Keep your heel fixed to the floor. Once in this position recite the mantra or chant Om Marichiye Namaha which means ‘destroyer of diseases’
- The ninth posture is a repetition of the fourth pose only with changes in the chant recitation. In this pose you recite Om Adityaya Namaha or ‘the Inspirer’
- In the tenth pose you repeat the third posture reciting the chant Om Savitre Namaha. or ‘the Purifier’
- Steps 11 and 12 are repetitions of steps 2 and 1, respectively while chant the Om Arkaya namaha (the radiant) and the Om Bhaskaraya Namaha (the illuminator).
You can get more info about sun salutation at http://www.yogawiz.com/surya-namaskar-sun-salutation-step-by-step.html
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