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Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar - in Sanskrit) is so important and benefits in comparison to time and energy spent are so huge, that I put it into a separate chapter. I'll add more and more materials on it as we go.
What it is and what it does...
It is a dynamic sequence of simple asanas. Look at the step-by-step instructions, how-to videos and photos in a separate articles. Effects of practicing it include, but not limited to the following.
What Sun Salutation does to you:
It will wake up your body (Surya Namaskar in the morning will change the whole day).
You will bend forward and backward your back gently, dynamically. You will make your spinal column more alive, your back stronger.
You will stretch your legs, arms, and open your chest and shoulders... It will stretch whole your body.
You will tone, easy-in-the-morning (or evening) exercise your muscles (arms, legs, back and abdomen, chest and shoulders).
It will make you breath deeper naturally. You will develop, increase your lung capacity.
And thus you will provide your not only your body, but also you brain with oxigen. It will therefore wake up your mind to, will improve your memory and concentration.
It will wake up your blood circulation, it will massage gently and wake up your internal organs, will prepare your digestive system for the breakfast and the whole day.
In the evening it will take office stiffness from your shoulders and neck, from whole your body (or stiffness of the sleep in the morning).
It will make you healthier overall: your muscles, joints, internal organs, lungs and heart, your mind...
Here is a though for your reflection today:
we all will end up in a grave. The question is - how? You may crawl to it, alone, bored and disappointed, weak in your body and mind. Or your funeral would be attended by many of your friends and relatives, who were happy till the last moment you were with them - active, positive, and alive... What is the difference between two? - Many to be honest. And here is one from the list of most important ones - keeping your body, vehicle for your mind, healthy, flexible, strong, and alive.
How can we make a difference?
- Slowly, step by step. It doesn't work another way. We can not abuse ourselves (bodily and mental health) for years and then fix whatever would broke (sooner or later it will!) in an hour.
I have a proposal for you:
for next 30 days you devote 5 min of your morning (before breakfast) to Sun Salutation (details below). That's it!
don't look for excuses to avoid it - everybody have 5 min a day (OK, do it mid-day/evening if morning is really impossible, but if you do it in the morning - it would be so much better!)
Why?
- Because this is one of the best ways to have your vehicle healthy and hence your mind happier and your smile - shining. This is one of the Yoga "things" - and, you know, Yoga was proven to be effective by millions of people over thousands of years (quite a good recommendation, isn't it?).
These 5 min a day have a potential to change your life...
Start with this and if you would like more - come here again and read more - articles list grows every day (LINK to table of content).
If you practice (or going to practice) Yoga
Sun Salutation is the best warming up before Yoga practice. It allows to warm up body before proceeding with asana practice in Yoga - this way probability to harm, overstretch, etc. your body is greatly reduced. Surya Namskar could be done on its own as well.
Note: There are many possible ways to do Sun Salutation. There are underlying reasons behind every porticular movement, every particular posture at least for the Sun Salutation shown above and commented in my articles. But if you find another variation you like more - go ahead and practice that one. Just make sure that you know what are you doing and why.
Enjoy!
Namaste
Back to the top of the "Sun Salutation" page
Further reading
Sun Salutation step-by-step detailed how-to videos
Sun Salutation step-by-step detailed instructions with photos
Return to Homepage
Go to table of content
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