The surya namaskar yoga is also called sun salutation sequence. Unlike the common notion that Surya Namaskar is for weight loss, it is designed for an overall physical and mental wellbeing.The Surya Namaskar Steps consists of several kinds of poses or asanas that will free your mind from all kinds of pain and tension. It is also an opportunity to thank Surya or Sun God for his contribution to the life on earth. It has a total of 12 yoga postures, that can improve your flexibility, both of the body and the mind.
So if you want to develop a healthy lifestyle along with reducing a few inches off your waist, then we suggest you India’s best Surya Namaskar yoga steps or sun salutation poses. The article shared below provides details.
How To Do Surya Namaskar Step by Step With Benefits:
Don’t know how to do surya namaskar steps? Surya namaskar yoga has total 12 steps. In this article we will explain step by step instructions for Surya Namaskar steps images and its health benefits for you.
Surya Namaskar Steps With Pictures (Sun Salutation Poses):
1. Pranamasana (Prayer Pose) Or The Standing Pose:
The first step or pose of Surya Namaskar has been recognized as the standing pose or prayer pose or Pranamasana.
- For this you must stand straight and bring your feet together.
- Bend your elbows and let your palms face each other as if you are doing a Namaste.
- Now keep your eyes closed and chant the Om mantra.
- Take your time during this whole process.
- Don’t speed it up. Since this is the first step of Surya Namaskar, you can take a couple of minutes.
- Make sure your mind stays focused throughout the session.
2. Hasta Uttanasana (The Raised Arms Pose):
After you have finished the first step, come to the second step which is known as Hasta uttanasana or the raised arms pose.
- For this, you should stay in the standing position and raise your hands.
- Now as you do this, bend your torso along with your hands backwards.
- Take deep long breaths and keep chanting the Om mantra.
- You can also say Om KhagayaNamaha.
Benefits Of This Pose:
- This pose is known for several health benefits.
- From balancing your body, improving the digestion and also stretching the back and leg muscles.
3. Hasta Padasana (Hand To Foot Pose):
The hasta padasana yoga or hand to foot pose is the third step of Surya Namaskar yoga.
- For this you must remain in the standing position.
- Now raise your hands and keep them straight.
- Make sure they are parallel to the ground.
- Now bend forward and touch the knee with your forehead.
- Take a few deep breathes and continue chanting the Om Mantra.
Benefits:
- This move will help in increasing your blood circulation, improving the overall health and also the stimulation of the lymphatic system. This step might not be the easiest to do, therefore you need to take the help of an instructor.
4. AshwaSanchalanasana (The Equestrian Pose):
The ashwasanchalanasana (equestrian pose) is 4th step of surya namaskar yoga.
- To do this sun salutation pose, you have to take one leg at the back and one leg towards in the front in a bending position.
- Keep your arms straight and extend them towards the ground.
- Breathe in deeply and look up as if you are looking towards the sun.
- Now chant Om BhavayaNamaha.
- You have to do this pose for two minutes or so before you move on the next Surya pose.
Benefits:
- This pose will help in increasing flexibility, relaxing your senses and toning your digestive tract as well.
5. Dandasana (Stick Pose) Or The Push Up Pose:
The 5th step of surya namaskar yoga is dandasana (stick pose) or push up posse.
- To do the push up pose, you need to bring both your legs towards the back and lift yourself off the floor.
- Make sure your hands are extended downwards.
- In fact, it is through the hand that you should be able to support your body.
- Now breathe in and out deeply and chant the Om Mantra.
- You can also say Om Ravi Namaha.
Benefits:
- This pose is best for improving your overall health.
- It will remove body pain and release the tension from it as well.
- Your neck area will be relaxed.
- It will give a lot of strength to your arm muscles as well.
6. Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute With Eight Parts Or Points):
The ashtanga namaskara (salute with eight parts or points) is 6th step of suryanamaskara yoga.
- To do the sun salutation pose, simply bring your body to the ground.
- Let your elbows face upwards and your hands can be flat on the ground.
- Your knees should be bent and they can touch the ground.
- Now hold your breath there and keep chanting Om PushneNamah.
- Don’t forget to take deep breaths.
- All the effort shall be wasted if you forget to take deep breaths.
Benefits:
- This exercise will give you a lot of strength in your back muscles, arms and wrists.
7. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose):
The 7th step of suryanamaskara is the bhujangasana (cobra pose).
- To do the looking upward pose, simply rest your body to the ground with your palms facing the ground.
- Now raise the upper part of your body.
- Keep your arms straight as long as you can and breathe very slowly.
- Chant Om HiranyagharbhaNamah.
Benefits:
- This pose will help in the stimulation of nerves and the overall improvement of the nervous system.
- Your body will also feel relaxed after this.
8. Parvatasana (Mountain Pose):
The 8th step of suryanamaskara yoga or sun salutation pose is parvatasana (mountain pose). To do this mountain pose,
- You have to bring your hips up and let your head be on the floor.
- Keep your eyes fixed at your naval and your heels are to be locked on the floor.
- Now take a few deep breaths as you continue to chant Om MarichiyeNamaha.
Benefits:
This one is also beneficial for removing all kinds of stress and tension and strengthening all corners of your heart. You are definitely going to gain a lot in terms of health by doing the inverted pose.
After you have done all these 8 steps, you have to repeat all the poses. Repeat the fourth step as 9th step and chant Om AdityayaNamaha. After you have done that, it is time for you to repeat the third step as 10th step and chant Om SavitreNamaha. Soon after that you can repeat the second step as 11th step and chant Om ArkayaNamaha. Following this step you need to the final and most important step which the first position with tadasana and then chant Om BhaskarayaNamaha.
9. AshwaSanchalanasana (The Equestrian Pose) Or Looking At The Sun Pose:
It is like 4th step of the above steps of surya namaskar yoga or sun salutation poses. simply follow the 4th step.
10. Hasta Padasana (Hand To Foot Pose):
It is called the standing forward bend or the Hand to Foot pose:
- First, stand straight with your feet together and arms next to the body
- Make sure your weight is balanced on both the feet
- Breath in and raise your arms above your head
- Now breath out and slowly bend forward towards your feet
- Keep the pose for 20-30 seconds and continue breathing
- Slowly stretch your arms and come back to the original position
Benefits:
- Stretches all the muscles in your spinal column
- Stimulates the nervous system and improves blood flow
- Tones the abdominal muscles and aids in reduction of belly fat
11. Hasta Uttanasana (The Raised Arms Pose) Or The Bending Backward Pose:
This is the second pose and the 11th pose of the Surya Namaskar sequence.
- For this, you should stay in the standing position and raise your hands.
- Now as you do this, bend your torso along with your hands backwards.
- Take deep long breaths and keep chanting the Om mantra.
- You can also say Om KhagayaNamaha.
Benefits Of This Pose:
- It improves digestion
- Stretches your abdominal muscles
- Expands your thoracic area
12. Finish With The Tadasana:
This is last of step of the 12 steps of surya namaskar yoga. It is like first step of this sun salutations.
- For this you have to stand straightly and bring down the arms then relax them.
- And observe yourself what happen in your body.
Benefits Of Surya Namaskar Steps Or Sun Salutations:
The sun salutation is full of health benefits. It is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that helps you lose weight and tone every region of your body. Your respiratory and circulatory system will also improve and your body shall be free from any kind of serious disease. The following are some of the best benefits of following surya namaskar steps:
1. Makes You Healthy:
The whole session where you practice the 12 different asanas or postures as steps of surya namaskar is highly helpful for your body. It helps to increase blood circulation and also develops your brain. Besides the practise of these postures makes breathing easy and thus eases you overall. It warms up the whole body which also makes you a stronger person internally.
2. Digestive Problems:
Practicing the 12 steps of Surya namaskar can cure you completely of any digestive problems if you have any. The basic reason is that there happens a basic contraction and expansion of the abdominal portion which proves to be extremely beneficial for the digestive system. Especially for people who have constipation or ailments such as dyspepsia should definitely make it a routine.
3. Build Abs:
You have already learnt how to do surya namaskar step by step and now the bigger surprise is that you can gift yourself with prominent abs with the practise of these regularly. It is also true that you can try these exercises to tone your stomach and abdominal portion. This is because these asanas are a great workout for the inner muscles and thus helps to tighten them.
4. Detox:
Detoxification is extremely essential for everyone and learning how to do surya namaskar steps can make the whole process very easy. This is because while doing Surya Namaskar steps a lot of oxygen is inhaled by the lungs which keeps all your blood oxygenated and thus enhances the circulation. Also with the regular practice of surya namaskar steps, a lot of gases such as carbon dioxide are left out of the body.
5. Anxiety Relief:
The practise of surya namaskar steps helps to calm you down a lot and also enhances mental awareness. It is like a relief from all your mental stress and so these steps are known as anxiety relievers. It also normalizes the activity of the endocrine glands and also improves the memory and the nervous system.
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6. Flexibility:
The whole process of the surya namaskar postures make you more flexible anytime and more agile as well. This is because the postures included in the Surya Namaskar process help in the complete work out for the whole body and leaves no part at rest. Since you are having to focus on all parts of the body, you become more active and flexible too.
7. Menstruation Problems:
Practicing of the 12 postures of the Surya Namaskar help in regularizing your periodic cycle and if you are facing the problem of irregular periods then you should definitely perform these postures to help yourself to get relief from the same. Besides these yogic postures also helps in the time of child birth and so should be followed by all women for a healthy body an hearth both.
8. Toned Arms:
Most of the people, especially men have a desire to flaunt broad chests and built-up and broad arms. If this is the same what you desire then surya namaskar is a great way to achieve this. Besides the arms, the spine also gets strong and the Surya Namaskar is effective in tonic all the muscles of the body altogether to make you leaner and a fitter person every day.
9. Maintains Youthfulness:
As we have already read that practisingsurya namaskar helps in the enhancement of blood circulation which brings a glow to your face and skin overall. This helps in retaining the youthful look and also prevents wrinkles. This is like a natural boon to everyone thus because age does not wait for anyone but you can sure slow down the process in this way.
10. Fat Reduction:
It is a proven fact that you can simply shed pounds of fat with the practise of surya namaskar. It is mainly because the whole process has a lot of cardio vascular benefits in the whole thing. Women should however not practise this when they are on with their periods and also after the third month during pregnancy. Otherwise also people should keep away from this in case they have pain problems or hernia.
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Additional Tips For Surya Namaskars:
Here are some important tips which can help in maximizing the benefits of Surya Namaskar:
- Do some warm up exercises before the sequence to increase flexibility
- Surya Namaskaras are best done facing the east direction in the morning and west direction in the evening
- Maintain a smile on your face, as if showing your gratitude to the sun
- Increase your awareness on the body to increase the energy flow
- Breathe normally and maintain a calm and relaxed mind
Those are the . As you have seen here, Surya Namaskaras are a perfect combination of Asana (pose), Prayanam (breathing) and Mantra (chanting). It is important to synchronize all three of them to reap the benefits of this exercise. Along with being physically fit, regular practise of suryanamskaras are sure to improve your mental health as well. It is the perfect way to channelize your inner energies into a perfect harmony with nature. Do let us know if you have any additional tips or experiences to share.
