What is Surya Namaskar | 12 Poses of Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar

The exercise being done for respectful bowing (obeisance) to the sun, is called Surya Namaskar. This exercise is to be done keeping the face toward the East direction.

For more asanas;

• How to do Pavan Muktasana and Tadasana? - Click Here
• How to do Trikonasana and Dhanurasana? - Click Here
• How to do Vrukshasana and Pada Hastasana? - Click Here
• How to do Chandrasana and Shavasana? - Click Here

• How to do Surya Namaskar?

12 poses of Surya Namaskar

Method:

1. Join both the hands in such a way that the thumbs remain in touch with the chest and the allows sideward as shown in the figure. Pull the abdomen inside as possible as you can. Expand the lungs. Keep the eyes in front. close the mouth and have deep breathing. (Pooraka)

2. Raise the hands upward. Keep both the palms facing the sun. Bend the body on the backward as possible as you can and pull it, back. Keep the eyes toward the sky, Breathe deeply.

3. Continuing kumbhaka, bend forward from the waist and put the palms of the hands sideward near the leg on the ground. Touch the knees with a forehead and exhale (Rechak) with the sound of nostrils.

4. After having Rechak, place the right leg on the back side in such a way that the knee and the toes touch the ground. The left knee shall remain near the left armpit. The toes of the left leg abd the fingures of both the hands shall remain in one line. Try to see upward as far as possible raising the head up. Then leaning from the waist, hold the breathe.

5. Continuing kumbhaka, take the left leg near the right leg. Adjust both the legs in such a way that toes, ankles and knees touch each other, The weight of the body shall be on both the hands and on the toes of the legs. The body shall remain slanting on the back side.

6. Continuing kumbhaka, bend both the hands from elbows and take the body downward in the straightened position touch the knees, chest and forehead to the ground, Draw the abdomen inside and take care that is does not touch the ground. After that have the complete exhaling (Rechak).

7. Keeping the legs, knees and the chest in the same position, straighten the hands and lift the trunk upward from front. Then inhale and bring the chest in front. Bend the waist on back side in round formation and see on the back side from above and then regain kumbhaka.

8. For this position, take the buttocks upward and come in the "Dand ke Liye Taiyar" (ready for dands) position. The toes of both the legs and both the hands should remain in touch with the ground.

9. Bring the left leg in between two hands and put it in line with the fingers of both the hands. Keep the chest stretched in front. Keep the head drawn backward from above. The left leg shall remain bent from the knee and the right leg shall remain straight behind.

10. Put the right leg inbetween two hands near the left leg. Keep the body bent downward. The forehead shall touch the knees. Have Rechaka with sound.

11. Raising both the hands upward keep the palms toward the sun and bend the body from the waist as back as possible and stretch it. Keep the eyes toward the sky and take deep breathing.

12. Continuing the Kumbhaka, raise the body upward from back and come in the Namaskar position. Then bring the body in the resting position.