What is Surya Namaskara ?

Surya Namaskara, the sun salutation, is a complete yoga exercise that warms the body and prepares the mind before performing the various Asanas.

Known in Indian yogic practice, even in its apparent simplicity, the sun salutation is a complex exercise in reality, which must be taken care of in every single detail, listening to each other without too much effort if the performance seems difficult or tiring.

Surya Namaskara, or sun salutation, should be practiced consciously and at your own pace, respecting your body and recognizing its limits.

It is very important to study and practice the postures separately before performing the complete series of asanas (see also the video at the bottom of the page) .

When is the sun salutation used?

Practicing Surya Namaskara every morning means greeting the sun in the sky but also the one that lives within us. To deepen the practice of yoga it is necessary to become aware of every single movement we make, of the breath that enters our body, it means practicing observation and perceiving the inner energy that we greet, together with the sun.

Practiced on an empty stomach, as soon as you wake up, drinking just a glass of warm water with a few drops of lemon, the sun salutation will prepare you for the day's activity, stimulating Prana, or vital energy.

Watch the 7 moves of the sun salutation

Why do we practice Surya Namaskara ?

The sun salutation also gives considerable benefits to the body, not only to the spirit or the mind. Surya Namaskara, the sun salutation, is a yoga practice that tones the muscles, gives strength and elasticity to the body, strengthens the back, the spine, the pectorals, the joints, the legs and the arms. Furthermore, practicing the sun salutation regularly and daily, perhaps listening to the mantra, regulates sleep, memory, helps the immune system, cardiac activity, the nervous system, the activity of the endocrine glands, in particular of the thyroid, and the organs of the digestive system (liver, stomach, intestine, kidneys).

The sun salutation is recommended in particular to those people who suffer from hypertension, have palpitations, are frequently constipated, suffer from pains related to the menstrual cycle, are plagued by anxiety and worries.

Experiment : our body is "soleconductor" ! If you try to raise your palm directly towards the sun and place your other hand on your heart, you will feel, after a few minutes, the radiant heat and the beneficial energy of the sun radiate from your hand to your chest!