May 11, 2020 |
Read Time: 3 minutes
Surya Namaskar is an integral part of Yoga Asana practice. Yoga asana practice involves creating new body patterns with the purpose of opening up our body to new possibilities by working on reducing any resistances which have built up in our body due to various reasons like body blocks in flexibility and strength, unhealthy eating habits, faulty lifestyle, , and other aspects .
It is said that there are as many yoga asanas as the number of living species on this planet! One always asks questions like which asanas should I to do, which asanas are right for me, what is the combination of Asanas I should be doing every day? How do we decide this? There is no one protocol which works for all since Yoga is a very individualistic practice and the Asana practice will vary from person to person depending on the person’s present physical, mental and emotional reality. There is no ‘one size fit all’ formula in yoga. But, the practice of Surya Namaskar can be seen as a universal yoga asana flow of individual asanas stitched together in a very practical, powerful yet simple manner which not only becomes a great way to warm off for your daily yoga practice, but can also become the practice itself.
Surya Namaskar provides a platform to ensure a complete workout. There will be days when a practioner will not have time for a full session of Asana practice. A few rounds of Surya Namaskar ensures that the practioner gets the benefit of his usual session in a shorter time. Surya Namaskar is perhaps the perfect flow of breath- based movements alternating between inhale and exhale based postures resulting in a complete mindful practice ensuring that the body opens up in all possible ways.
Surya Namaskar is also an extremely effective way of starting one’s Asana practice every day. As one goes through a sequence of Asanas stitched together based on breath, one takes stock of how and where we are today at the body breath and mind level. It prepares us for the remaining Asana practice and also tells us what kind of practice one should have on a given day.
And, most important, Surya Namaskar is also a humble offering to the magnificent, magnanimous and selfless Sun. Through our practice, we express with humility and gratitude our obeisance to the all – powerful ever – present power of the Sun, without which there would be no life.
Ms. Mimi Partha Sarathy
Founder, Managing Trustee and Sr. Yoga Teacher Sri Krishna Wellness Yoga Centre
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
