The sun is the ultimate source of energy for our planet. In Indian culture, the sun has always been considered a God and praying to the Sun God is also a common practice. Surya Namaskar or sun salutation is a form of a full-body workout that comprises multiple yoga asanas that aid in holistic well-being. In this article, we will be looking at what Surya Namaskar is, what steps are and how it benefits your mind and body. 

A Step-By-Step Manual for Practising 12 Poses of Surya Namaskar

How to do Surya Namaskar? There are 12 different yoga asanas that together form one sequence. In this section, we will be looking at the 12 poses of Surya Namaskar. 

• Pranamasana or the prayer pose
• Hasta Uttanasana or the raised arm pose
• Hastapadasana or the standing forward bend
• Ashwa Sanchalanasana or the equestrian pose
• Dandasana or the stick pose
• Ashtanga Namaskara or the salute with eight parts
• Bhujangasana or the cobra pose
• Adho Mukha Svanasana or the downward-facing dog pose
• Ashwa Sanchalanasana or the equestrian pose
• Hastapadasana or the standing forward bend
• Hasta Uttanasana or the raised arms pose
• Tadasana or the mountain pose

Multiple Benefits Associated with Surya Namaskar

Practising the 12 poses of Surya Namaskar is associated with multiple advantages for the human body and mind. In this section, we will be taking a look at how Performing it the right way and at the right time benefits your overall health and well-being. 

1. Improves Blood Circulation

It is said that the Surya Namaskar benefits your overall physical, mental and emotional health. One of the first benefits of Surya Namaskar is that it improves blood circulation in your body. The dynamic breathing process ensures that the blood is freshly oxygenated and also helps the body get rid of any poisonous substances. 

2. Facilitates Detox

The active breathing process when performing Surya Namaskar ensures that the lungs are well-ventilated and the blood is oxygenated. This also ensures that the body is detoxified of any poisonous gases and also carbon dioxide. 

3. Helps Lower Blood Pressure Levels and Reduce The Risk Of Heart Diseases

Heart problems can be highly dangerous for you. Surya Namaskar helps you reduce the risk of heart problems by strengthening the heart muscles and regulating heartbeats. Blood pressure and blood sugar levels can also be regulated with yoga poses. 

4. Activates The Heart

Yoga mudras are known to activate different chakras of your body. In the Pranamasana yoga step of Surya Namaskar, your hands clasped together in front of your heart activate the heart chakra. According to the Yogic norms, the lotus heart is encouraged to open up with attention.

5. Relaxes The Body

Yoga asanas are known to calm your mind and relax your body if performed correctly. The Surya Namaskar pose of the cobra and the downward dog pose have a calming effect on your mind. These asanas stimulate the nerves to relieve anxiety and strengthen the nervous system. These are some of the positive impacts. 

6. Improves Digestion

The increased blood flow in the body that reaches the stomach-related tract ensures that the digestive organs function better. Improved digestion is hence one of the important benefits. 

7. Aids Weight Loss

Wondering how to lose weight fast? Well, doing the Surya Namaskar steps regularly at a fast pace along with maintaining a healthy diet indeed helps you lose weight fast. It aids fat loss around the belly and also tones your abs. 

8. Strengthen The Joints And Muscles

Practising the sun salutation poses every day strengthens your joints and muscles, improves flexibility and makes your limbs more symmetrical. All these lead to the better functioning of your internal organs. 

9. Beneficial For The Lower Body

The Pranamasana yoga Surya Namaskar pose which is the first and the last pose in the cycle is known to strengthen your lower body. Other than strengthening the legs and feet, this asana is also beneficial for strengthening the hips, relieving sciatica and preventing flat feet. 

10. Healthy Skin And Hair

Last but not the least, Surya Namaskar benefits your skin and your hair. We have discussed oxygen and blood flow are improved by the yoga asana you perform in it. This leads to younger, wrinkle-free and glowing skin and shinier hair. 

Other than these, the Surya Namaskar mantra that you can chant with each posture has a positive impact on your body and mind. 

Conclusion

If you are a yoga enthusiast, you must have already tried the Surya Namaskar poses or must be looking forward to the same. With this, we conclude this guide on Surya Namaskar where we have looked at the steps and benefits in detail. We hope that this article will help you understand it better and you will be able to practice the same. 

FAQs

In this section, we will be answering some of the frequently asked questions regarding the Surya Namaskar 12 steps and their benefits. 

How long should each sun salutation stance be held?

An effective sun salutation session does not have to be a certain number of minutes long. As long as you are comfortable holding each stance and can prevent any injuries due to the same, you are doing it all right.

Some Yoga gurus suggest 3 to 5 seconds of holding each pose as a beginner and slowly increasing it as you practice more and get more used to the same. 

Does it help with belly fat loss?

Yes, if your goal is weight loss, It can be a great way to achieve the same. You can lose belly fat with it if you also follow a proper diet along with the same.

Also read: 8 Super Easy Yoga Exercises To Get Relief From Menstrual Cramps

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