The Sanskrit name Surya here refer to the sun and namaskar means ‘Salutions” . Sutya namamaskar has been handed down from the enlightened sage of Vedic Age. In yoga the sun is represented by pingala or surya nadi, the pranic channel which carries the vital , life – giving force. The dynamic group of asana is not regarded as being a traditional part of hatha yoga practices as it was added to the original asana group at letter time. However, it is an effective, way of loosening up, stretching, massaging, and toning all the joints, muscles and internal organs of the body. Its versatility and application make it one of the most useful method of inducing a healthy, vigorous and active life while, at the same time, preparing for spiritual awakening and the resulting expansion of awareness.
The seven basic asanas at the core of surya namaskara provide the basis for an integrated and complete practice. They are not only the basis for a beautiful series of postures but are also the seeds of a new and powerful experience of the physical organism.
The aim of the dynamic aspect of surya namaskara is to energize and harmonize the physical structure. When combined with breath and mantra it extends its effects into the more subtle bodies and areas of personality. As the practice slows down it becomes more subtle and we gain better understanding of the interaction of breath and nadis as well as body and mind. Awareness expands as the practice touches and awakens deeper areas of our personality.
Deepening of awareness requires the breaking down of our limitations. In effect we are exploring our physical posture as a doorway into new realms of experience. Therefore, we must overcome certain obstacles within both the body and mind. Stiffness of the physical body is merely a reflection of mental stiffness, rigidity in thinking and lack of creativity. Habits concentrate posture and flows of energy into set patterns which enhance certain body organs and functions but neglect others. It is this over-energizing of some areas and under-energizing of others that leads to disease, and it is this imbalance that surya namaskara seeks to rectify.
As we practice the series of seven asanas we should aim at gradually and progressively increasing our awareness of each posture. We have to feel as though we are getting more deeply inside the body in order to recon tact our physical dimension, and also to become more aware of, and break down, our limitations. Why can't we perform a certain posture? What is holding us back? Each obstacle we find must then be worked on slowly and steadily over a period of time. In this regard we can add other asanas into the series so that we enhance the effect of the practice of the body.
Sample practice
The following routine is one example of how the series of asanas in surya namaskara can be extended in order to aid the development of awareness and flexibility .It can be practiced before a dynamic series to limper up, or afterwards to aid awareness of prana.
Position 1: Pranamasana is a starting point for a meditative frame of mind during the practice. We should take time to develop awareness of the breath, the position of the hands and the effect of this position on our feelings and attitudes.
Position 2: Hasta utthanasana allows us to raise energy in the frontal passage, extending from mooladhara up to bindu and moving along the front of the body. Once the energy is raised we can stretch into tadasana, or by raising one hand a little more and then the other, stretch the sides of the chest and waist. We can also perform tiryaka tadasana in this position.
Position 3: Padahastasana relies on the use of gravity to gradually stretch the back of the body. The action of gravity is intensified by placing the interlocked hands on the back of the head. In this position we can pull the elbows backward in order to pull on the muscles on the front of the chest. This is beneficial in asthma, for example. From this posture we can move into dwikonasana, with the interlocked hands stretched our behind. The effect of gravity is further enhanced and the muscles of the shoulder girdles are relaxed and strengthened. Moving the arms from side to side stretches tension out of the shoulder girdles and provides a massage to the upper back, enhancing circulation. Another alternative is to move into samakonasana a few times and then to flop back into padahastasana.
Position 4: Ashwa sanchalanasana provides the basis for asanas to strengthen the pelvis, hips, thighs and sense of balance. We can raise the hands up in the air, as in hasta utthanasana, and thereby increase the stretch on the front of an extend leg and strengthen the thigh and hip of the bent leg. Alternatively, we can place the interlocked hands behind the back, as for dwikonasana, to enhance the curve of the back and intensify the practice even more.
Position 5: Parvatasana does not lend itself easily to many variations, however, by moving from one foot to the other we enhance the stretch on the back of the leg.
Position 6: Ashtanga namaskara is another practice which is difficult to vary. We should aim to bring the knees closer to the body to enhance the effect on the back.
Position 7: Bhujangasana is often difficult to perform early in the morning. When there is stiffness it is a good idea to perform positions 5, 6 and 7 dynamically a few times so as to loosen the back muscles. Tiryaka bhujangasana is also a very dynamic approach to loosening the back.
Suryanamaskar with Mantra and breathing
Sun Mantras
All the external sounds which we perceive are created when two or more objects, such as the vocal cords, strike together and set up a vibration in the atmosphere. The vibrations then enter the ear, in turn setting up vibration in the eardrum and its fluid. The nature of these vibrations is relayed to the brain where they are acknowledged and compared to the memory of all past sounds, and mental images are then created. In this way sound is continuously affecting the mind.
Mantras are combinations of sounds which are designed to produce a specific effect on the mind and its functioning. The mantra can be spoken aloud, whispered or repeated mentally, but mental repetition is the superior method. When a sound is mentally repeated with awareness and concentration, the thought takes on the form of that sound, it becomes that sound, and the energy inherent in that sound manifests in the mind.
Mantras are formulated from letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, each letter having its own particular vibrational frequency and corresponding effect on the consciousness. These fifty-two sounds, known as Devanagari, were realized by the ancient rishis of the vedic period during deep states of meditation. These highly evolved souls were able to touch on the source of all sound energy, the shabda brahman, the supreme consciousness manifesting as sound.
THE TWELVE SUN MANTRAS
Every year the sun passes through twelve phases, known as the signs of the zodiac in Western astrology, and as the rashis in Hindu astrology. According to Hindu astrology each rashi has specific attributes or moods, and in each of these twelve moods the sun is given a different name. These twelve names comprise the twelve sun mantras, which are to be mentally repeated in their respective order in conjunction with the twelve movements of surya namaskara.
These sun mantras are not merely names of the sun, every sound syllable contained within them is the vehicle of a basic eternal energy (shakti) represented by the sun itself. By repetition and concentration on these mantras, the whole mental structure will be benefited and uplifted.
Although these manstras do not require intellectual understanding, a translation of their meaning is given below for those with an enquiring mind, as well as for the more spiritually inclined who wish to use the mantras as a form of attunement with the source of spiritual illumination symbolized by the sun.
1. Om Mitraya Namaha (salutatins to the friend of all) The first position, paranamasana, embodies the attitude of reverence to the source of all life as we know it; the sun is regarded as the universal friend, endlessly giving light, heat and energy to support this and all other planets. In the scriptures, Mitra is described as calling man to activity, sustaining earth and sky and beholding all creatures without discrimination, just as the early morning sun signals the beginning of the day's activities and sheds its light on all life.
2. Om Ravaye Nahama (salutations to the shining one) Ravaye means one who shines and offers divine blessings upon all life. In the second position, hasta utthanasama, we are stretching our whole upwards towards the source of light to receive these blessings.
3. Om Suryaya Namaha (salutations to he who induces activity) Here the sun is in a very dynamic aspect as the deity Surya. In ancient vedic mythology Surya was worshipped as the Lord of the Deaves, pictured crossing the sky in the fiery chariot, drawn by seven horses. This is a beautify analogy and needs a correct interpretation. The seven horses actually represent the seven rays or emanations of the supreme consciousness, which manifest as the seven planes of existence: bhu (earthly, material), bhuvar (intermediate, astral), suwar (subtle, heavenly), mahar (the abode of the devas), janah (the abode of divine souls who have transcended ego), tapah (the abode of enlightened siddhas) and satyam (the ultimate truth of reality).
Surya symbolizes the supreme consciousness itself, which controls all these different planes of manifestation. Surya is regarded as the most concrete of the solar gods, one of the original vedic triad - his place being in the sky - while Agni (fire) is his representative on earth.
4. Om Bhanava Namaha (salutations to he who illumines) The sun is the physical representation of the guru or teacher who removes the darkness of our delusions, just as the darkness of the night is removed with every dawn. In the fourth position, ashwa sanchalanasana, we turn our face towards this illumination and pray for an end to the dark night of ignorance.
5. Om Khagaya Namaha (salutations to he who moves quickly in the sky) It is the sun's daily movement through the sky which is the basis of our measurement of time, from the earliest use of a sun dial to the sophisticated devices used today. In parvatasana, we offer obesiances to the one by whom time is measured and pray for progress in life.
6. On Pushne Namaha (salutations to the giver of strength and nourishment) The sun is the source of all strength. Like the father, he nourishes us with energy, light and life. We offer respects in ashtanga namaskara by touching all the eight corners of our body to the ground. In essence we are offering our whole being in the hope that he may bestow mental, physical and spiritual strength and nourishment upon us.
7. On Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha (salutations to the golden cosmic self) Hiranya garbha is also known as the golden egg, resplendent as the sun, in which Brahma was born as the manifestation of Self-existence. Hiranya garbha is the seed of causality, thus the whole universe is contained within Hiranya garbha in the potential state prior to manifestation. In the same way, all life is potential in the sun, which represents the great cosmic principle. We offer respects to the sun in bhujangasana, the seventh position, praying for the awakening of creativity.
8. On Marichaye Namaha (salutations to the Lord of the Dawn) Maricha is one of Brahma's sons, just as the rays of light are produced from the sun, but his name also means mirage. For our whole life we seek after a true meaning or purpose, like the thirsty person who seeks water in a desert but in fooled by mirages dancing on the horizon, produced by the sun's rays. In the eighth position, parvatasana, we pray for true illumination and discrimination in order to be able to distinguish between the real and the unreal.
9. On Adityaya Namaha (salutations to the son of Aditi, the cosmic Mother) Aditi is one of the many names given to the cosmic Mother, Mahashakti. She is the mother of all the gods, boundless and inexhaustible, the creative power from which all divisions of power proceed. The sun is one of her children or manifestations. In the ninth position, ashwa sanchalanasana, we salute Aditi, the infinite cosmic mother.
10. Om Savitre Namaha (saluations of the stimulating power of the sun) Savitre is known as the stimulator, the arouser, and is often associated with Surya who also represents the swame posture, padahastasana. Savitre is said to represent the sun before rising, stimulating and arousing man into waking activity, and Surya is said to represent the sun after sunrise, when activity begins. Therefore, in the tenth position, padahastasana, we salute Savitre to obtain the vivifying power of the sun.
11. On Arkaya Namaha (salutations to he who is fit to be praised) Arka means 'energy'. The sun is the source of most of the energy in the world we know. In the eleventh position, hasta utthanasana, we are offering respects to this source of life and energy.
12. Om Bhaskaraya Namaha (salutations to he who leads to enlightenment) In this final salutation we offer respects to the sun as a symbol of the great revealer of all transcendental and spiritual truth. He lights up the pathway leading to our ultimate goal of liberation. In the twelfth position, pranamasana, we pray that this pathway may be revealed to us.
BIJA MANTRAS
As an alternative to the twelve names of the sun, there is a series of bija mantras, or seed syllables. The bija mantras are evocative sounds that have no literal meaning in themselves, but set up very powerful vibrations of energy within the mind and body.
The bija mantras are:
1. Om Hraaam › hm‘⊃2; 2. Om Hareem › hr‘⊃2; 3. Om Haroom › hÿ‘⊃2; 4. Om Hraim › hm¡‘⊃2; 5. Om Hraum › h¡‘⊃2; 6. Om Hrah › h:
The six bija mantras are repeated four times during one complete round of surya namaskara.
Either the bija mantras or the sun mantras can be recited aloud or mentally depending mainly on the inclination of the practitioner and the speed of practice. If the speed is very slow then the sun mantras can be combined with chakra awareness. If the speed is a little faster then the bija mantras can be utilized in the same way. If the physical movements are done a little more quickly, then either the mantras can be recited alone without chakra rotation, or the awareness can be rotated through the chakras without mantra.
Psychic Centres
In the subtle body of a human being there are seven major psychic centres called chakras. They have their physical representation in the various nerve plexuses and endocrine glands. During surya namaskara these points are used for focusing the mind and developing concentration and awareness. Concentration in these areas allows us to activate the chakras and to tap into the higher psychic and spiritual energy which is associated with their increased functioning. The related physical structures also benefit greatly through this enhanced awareness.
The actual compression of the physical correlates of each psychic centre by any asana has a stimulating effect on the chakra involved. This is brought about by the compression, stimulation and rebalancing of the nervous and endocrine components. However, the activation of psychic centres through surya namaskara proceeds mainly through the development of internal awareness, concentration and visualization.
The physical stimulation from each asana enhances prana shakti, allowing us to better focus and concentrate our mental and physical energies at the chakra location. It is this dual aspect of taking our mental awareness to a highly charged physical structure which leads to fusion of mind and body, ida and pingala, and which ignites the chakra. This initiation culminates in spiritual awareness.
Location of the Chakras
Sahasrara
Bindu
Ajna
Vishuddhi
Anahata
Manipura
Swadhisthana
Mooladhara
Awareness of the chakras
When we are adept at the initial phases of practice, namely asana and pranayama, we superimpose awareness of each chakra during the asana. In order to do this, we require a clear concept of where the chakras are.
1. Mooladhara - in the male, half way between the anus and genitals, at the perineal body; in the female, just behind the cervix.
2. Swadhisthana - in the sacral area of the spine; its trigger point lies just above the pubic bone in front of the body.
3. Manipura - in the spine at the level of the navel; its trigger point is at the navel itself.
4. Anahata - in the spine behind the sternum (breastbone); its trigger point is at the sternum.
5. Vishuddhi - in the spine behind the throat; its trigger point is at the throat pit.
6. Anjan - in the centre of the head, half way between the eyebrow centre (bhrumadhya) and the back of the skull; its trigger point is at the eyebrow centre.
For further details of these and other psychic centres, refer to Kundalini Tantra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, published by Yoga Publications Trust.
The process of chakra stimulation proceeds in the following order:
While practicing each asana we endeavour to locate the chakra associated with it and develop our concentration of that centre. For this, some time is required, especially in the initial stages. However, no more than one minute should be spent on each asana unless you are practicing under guidance. As we increase the proficiency with which we locate the chakras, we can speed up the practice.
As proficiency in chakra awareness and visualization improves, the process of asana, pranayama and chakra awareness can be fused. One can utilize the breath to increase stimulation of the chakras. For example, visualize the psychic breath carrying prana into the body via the chakra as you inhale and flowing out of the body as you exhale. During breath retention become aware of the meeting of prana and apana in manipura. Of course, these types of advanced practices should be learned under expert guidance, for at this level surya namaskara becomes a part of the preparatory practices for kundalini yoga.
In the practice of surya namaskara we mentally touch all the chakras of the body, except mooladhara chakra. This develops the other chakras in preparation for the awakening of kundalini from mooladhara. The body must be strong and healthy in order to withstand the power of mooladhara awakening which is associated with the release of powerful, unconscious forces. Surya namaskara increases vitality in preparation for this event. Then other practices can be used to awaken mooladhara when the time is right.
Chakra concentration may be combined with mental repetition of the manstras, by feeling that the mantra is being repeated in or on the chakra. when the practitioner's concentration develops to a higher degree the vibrations of the manstras may be felt to be issuing forth from the psychic centres, a most wonderful and intense experience.
Expanding the experience When we take our time and move through surya namaskara slowly, with awareness and control of breath, we develop more understanding and knowledge of the body. One round may take ten, fifteen or even twenty minutes to perform, however, in that time we can perform fifty asanas or more and can loosen almost the entire musculature as well as affecting the internal organs. At the same time we are not falling into the old habitual tendency of forming habits, rather we are learning to creatively and intuitively flow with the needs of our body.
As we become accustomed to the joy and well-being of stretching, breathing and learning about the body, it becomes more and more difficult to develop the chronic tensions responsible for disease. The experience of exploring the body, realizing tension and feeling good is self-reinforcing and extends into the day no matter what activity we are performing or what position we are in. While sitting in a chair we can stretch our arms up or back, or while standing we can simply move into hasta utthanasana or fall forward into padahastasana to remove much of the fatigue and stiffness which develops during a busy day.
In this way we take the responsibility for our health and happiness into our own hands and are no longer at the mercy of restricting social conventions and external forces. We move outside set patterns of neurotic behaviour and begin to dance through life with joy and spontaneity. We also affect out minds of others in a positive way. Though people may initially make jokes about anything out of the ordinary they soon become inquisitive, especially when faced with their own tensions, generated by modern living. This is how fads develop.
Developing the practice of surya namaskara can have repercussions on our whole lifestyle and attitude to life. The exploration of ourselves that we initiate in our daily practice expands in concentric circles out into our daily activity, movement, interaction with people and things, and thus helps to change our lives in a positive and creative way.
Surya Namaskara in a Nutshell
Breathing Posture Mantra Concentration
1. Pranamasana Om mitraya Heart centre namaha Anahata Om harm
_______ Exhale
2. Hasta Om ravaye Neck centre Utthanasana namaha Vishuddhi Om hirm
_______ Inhale
3. Padahastasana Om suryaya Root of spinal namaha column Om haroom Swadhisthana
_______ Exhale
4. Ashwa Om bhanave Eyebrow centre Sanchalanasana namaha Ajna Om harim
_______ Inhale 5. Parvatasana Om khagaya Neck centre namaha Vishuddhi Om hraum
_______ Exhale
6. Ashtanga Om pushne Behind navel Namaskara namaha Manipura Om hraha
_______ Retain
7. Bhujangasana Om Root of hiranyagarbhaya spinal column namaha Swadhisthana Om hram
______ Inhale
8. Parvatasana Om marichaye Neck centre namaha Vishuddhi Om hrim
_______ Exhale
9. Ashwa Om adityaya Eyebrow Sanchalanasana namaha centre Om hroom Ajna
_______ Inhale
10. Padahastasana Om savitre Root of spinal namaha column Om hraim Swadhisthana
_______ Exhale
11. Hasta Om arkaya Neck centre Utthanasana namaha Vishuddhi Om hraum
_______ Inhale
12. Pranamasana Om bhaskaraya Heart centre namaha Anahata Om hraha
_______ Exhale
Note: Source of the blog is from Asana Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha book of Swami Satyananda S araswati
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