10 Benefits of Sun Salutation
My students often tell me that a significant barrier to practicing yoga at home is uncertainty about what to do. I completely understand this feeling, as I've experienced it myself. You step onto your yoga mat, and then what? This challenge is one of the reasons why I'm fond of straightforward sequences like Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Once you know the movements by heart, flowing through the sequence becomes like a moving meditation. Such sequences are invaluable, particularly on days when time is scarce or when you're unsure which yoga practice to engage in.
Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskar, is a timeless sequence that has moved and energized human bodies for thousands of years. This ancient series of yoga poses holds significant power, suggesting there's something profoundly effective in its most simple, classical form. It integrates many essential and accessible yoga poses, serving as a crucial component of yoga practice and a valuable stepping stone for integrating yoga into your daily routine.
The Sun Salutation sequence offers a straightforward and efficient method to energize and strengthen our bodies. It's particularly beneficial on hectic days when you don't have much time to dedicate to your yoga practice, providing a quick yet comprehensive workout. Engaging in this sequence regularly can help to keep the body supple and strong, alleviate discomfort, and make you feel more alive and in tune with your body.
The accessibility of the Sun Salutation sequence makes it an excellent choice for incorporating a healthy and dynamic routine into your lifestyle. Suitable for all fitness levels and environments, it requires only a yoga mat and enough space to unroll it. This sequence is about harmonizing your body, mind, and breath in a beautiful symphony of movement and mindfulness.
However, even though Sun Salutation is a wonderful and quite comprehensive sequence, it shouldn't be the one and only sequence but rather be part of a well-rounded yoga practice. It's a great standalone practice when you want and need a quick practice that works most parts of your body.
Here are ten benefits of this amazing sequence:
Improves the flexibility of the spine: In yoga, the saying "you're as young as your spine is" highlights the importance of spinal health. A flexible spine not only facilitates ease and efficiency in daily activities but also fosters optimal posture, minimizing the risk of discomfort and strain linked to rigidity. Through the dynamic stretches and strengthening movements in Surya Namaskar, the entire back is revitalized, effectively alleviating tension in the lower back and enhancing overall vitality.
Opens the hip joints: Open hip joints infuse our movements with a sense of lightness and ease, making our steps feel a little lighter. When the hips are open, the body aligns more effectively, facilitating an even distribution of weight and stress across the body. This alignment is crucial for maintaining not just an upright posture but also for preventing chronic pain and injuries. Long periods of sitting, especially on chairs, can lead to tight hips, restricting movement and flexibility. However, engaging in practices like Surya Namaskar counteracts this stiffness by opening the hips through extension and flexion.
Makes the whole body feel vibrant: The constant strengthening and opening movement of the body, guided by your breath, makes the whole body feel alive!
Brings clarity and focus to the mind: By freeing your body from tension you free the mind from tension as well. By bringing the mind into the breath and following its rhythm, the mind can have a break from constant thinking and thus relax. By strengthening the body you strengthen the mind. By uniting the mind, body, and breath your brain gets stimulated in ways that bring harmony to your whole being.
Frees the breath: The whole sequence moves in one plane; from a backbend to a forward bend. Each backbend opens the chest and the diaphragm making more space for your breath to flow freely. Each forward bend opens the back of your body creating more awareness and space in the back of your lungs and rib cage.
Helps you to set intentions: Look deep within and find your intention for the day. Then, get on your mat, and while flowing through the Sun Salutation sequence, breathe your intention into your whole being with each inhalation, and with each exhalation let go of what is no longer serving you. The more often we repeat a thought the more it becomes a part of who we are, and the more likely it will manifest in our life.
Improves circulation: The breath-paced flowing movements of the Sun Salutation sequence actively engage your cardiovascular system, prompting your heart to pump more vigorously, thereby enhancing circulation and generating warmth throughout your body. This improvement in blood flow is crucial for delivering oxygen and nutrients to your cells and for the removal of waste products, supporting the overall health and functioning of your organs and tissues. Additionally, this increased circulation can help speed up the body's healing processes and reduce inflammation, contributing to a feeling of vitality and well-being.
Stretches and strengthens the entire body: The Sun Salutation sequence offers a comprehensive workout that engages every major muscle group in the body, effectively stretching and strengthening the shoulders, knees, thighs, and back. This holistic approach ensures that each movement within the sequence contributes to the development of muscle tone and flexibility across various parts of the body.
For instance, the forward and backbends involved can alleviate tension in the lower back, while the series of poses collectively work to enhance the flexibility and strength of the hip joints and leg muscles. Moreover, the synchronized breath and movement enhance proprioception—the body's ability to sense its position in space—thus improving balance and coordination.
Releases physical and mental stress: It's not only through stillness that we can release stress but movement plays an equally important role, especially when being sedentary most of the day. Sun Salutation is a great way to release pent-up stress that comes from not moving enough. When we exercise, the sensory nerve fibers in the muscles and joints get activated, which causes the release of oxytocin (the hormone of calm) in the brain. Moving through the Sun Salutation sequence connects the mind to body, soothes frazzled nerves, and reduces the feelings of stress and overwhelm; leaving you feeling mentally calmer and happier.
Gives you a good amount of health-promoting movement in a short amount of time: Surya Namaskar provides a substantial amount of health-promoting movement in just a short amount of time, making it an ideal practice for those with busy schedules. In just five minutes, you can complete several rounds, engaging and energizing the body quickly and effectively. This efficiency is particularly beneficial in today's fast-paced world, where finding time for extended exercise routines can be challenging.
The sequence's ability to offer a quick yet comprehensive workout is a great way to maintain your physical fitness, improve your cardiovascular health, and enjoy the mental clarity that comes with regular physical activity. The accessibility of Surya Namaskar, requiring minimal space and no equipment, further underscores its value as a versatile practice that can be incorporated into various daily routines, providing a swift and effective way to maintain health and well-being.
Flowing through the Sun Salutation sequence is an easily accessible way to introduce a healthy and active routine to your lifestyle. Practicing this sequence is doable almost anywhere you are and to all fitness levels! All you need is a yoga mat and enough space to lay that mat on the floor. No props, only the symphony of your body, mind, breath, and soul.
I’m excited to announce an upcoming event that provides a perfect opportunity to experience the full benefits of Surya Namaskar. Join me for a special Summer Solstice Yoga Class where we will flow through several rounds of the Sun Salutation. The solstice is a time to balance the solar (active, masculine) and lunar (passive, feminine) energies within oneself. This special class includes a mix of dynamic (yang) Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskars) and soothing restorative (yin) poses to achieve this balance.
Date: June 21st, 2024
Time: 13:00-14:15
Location: Mala Yoga, Gotthardstrasse 32, 8800 Thalwil
Price: CHF 20
Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to yoga, this class will offer a rejuvenating experience. Mark your calendars and get ready to flow together in celebration of the summer solstice!
