to practice in the morning or evening can practice while sleeping at night.
•Concentration is important.
Two: Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutation is one of the most common yoga routines. It’s considered a complete body workout. Performing Surya Namaskar early in the morning can have several health benefits. The routine consists of 12 forward and backward bending movements that stretch and flex the spinal column. It’s not that difficult to learn, and great for beginners who are looking to introduce themselves to yoga. Surya Namaskar has a deep effect in detoxifying the organs through copious oxygenation and has a deeper relaxing effect.
These alternating backward and forward bending postures flex and stretch the spinal column through their maximum range giving a profound stretch to the whole body.
A Workout for Busy People
•If you’re facing a time crunch or want to feel fit but don't know how, then Surya Namaskar is the solution. The best part about it is that it works well for busy people who often complain about not being able to do yoga because of lack of time. Doing at least 12 sets of Surya Namaskar, preferably at sunrise, at a fast pace provides a good cardiovascular workout. If done at a slower pace, these poses help tone the muscles and can be relaxing and meditative. And, it allows you to enjoy the stretch and makes the body more flexible.
•Surya Namaskar forms an excellent link between warm-ups and intense yoga postures. Start your early morning yoga routine with some warm-up stretches to ease out body stiffness. You can then do a few rounds of Surya Namaskar to help increase body flexibility and also prepare the body to stretch more during the intense yoga posture sequence.
•Surya Namaskar is considered a complete body workout. Yoga experts say that doing 12 sets of Surya Namaskar translates into doing 288 powerful yoga poses in a span of 12 to 15 minutes.
•One round of Surya Namaskar consists of 12 yoga poses. One set consists of two rounds of Sun Salutation: first stretching the right side of your body and then the left side. So, when you do 12 sets of Surya Namaskar, you are completing 12 sets x 2 rounds in each set x 12 yoga poses in each = 288 yoga poses within 12 to 15 minutes.
Benefits of Surya Namaskar
•Tones up the digestive system by the alternate stretching and compression of abdominal organs. It activates digestion and gets rid of constipation and dyspepsia.
•Strengthens abdominal muscles.
•Thoroughly ventilates the lungs, and oxygenates the blood.
•Acts as detoxifying agent, by getting rid of enormous quantity of carbon dioxide and other toxic gases.
•Promotes sleep and calms anxiety.
•Tones up the nervous system and improves memory.
•Normalizes the activity of the endocrine glands.
•Improves muscle flexibility.
•In women, stimulates the breasts to help firmness normally. Restores any lost elasticity, through stimulation of glands and the strengthening of pectoral muscles.
•Menstrual irregularity and assists in easy childbirth.
•Prevents loss of hair and graying.
•Helps reduce fat.
•Reduces abnormal prominence of the Adam's apple.
•Eliminates unpleasant smells from the body.
•Lends grace and ease of movements to the body.
•Revives and maintains the spirit of youthfulness.
•Broadens chest and beautifies arms.
•Makes the spine and waist flexible.
•Produces health, strength, efficiency and longevity.
Who Should Avoid Surya Namaskar?
•Pregnant women should not practice this after third month of pregnancy.
•Patients of Hernia and high blood pressure are warned against it.
•People suffering from back conditions should seek proper advice before commencing Surya Namaskar.
•Women should avoid Surya Namaskar during menses.
How to Do It?
Synchronizing the breath with the movements of the body is very important. inhale during backward bending and exhale during forward bending poses.
Three: The Twelve Postures
1.Pranamasana (Salutation or Prayer Posture)
Stand erect with feet together. Expand your chest and relax your shoulders.
Join the palms together in front of the chest in a Namaskar Mudra. Focus on standing straight, steady and in a meditative mood. This pose helps to induce a state of self-absorption, relaxation and calmness. It activates the Anahata Chakra. Exhale fully.
As you breathe in, lift both your arms up from the sides and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest in a prayer position. Breathing should be slow and steady breathing.
2.Hastauttanasana (Raised Arm Posture)
Inhaling, stretch both arms above the head keeping the biceps close to the ears, palms facing upward. Arch the back and stretch the whole body. This pose stretches the chest and the abdomen and lifts the Prana (energy) upward to the upper parts of the body propelled by inhalation. The effort is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers. Start breathing in as you stretch both arms, and hold your breath (Kumbhaka) in the stretched arm position.
3.Padahastasana (Hand to Foot Posture)
Exhaling, bend the body forward from the waist and down, keeping the spine erect. Avoid collapsing the chest or ‘over-rounding’ the upper back. Keep the legs straight and perpendicular to the ground. This pose massages the abdominal organs, especially the liver, kidneys, pancreas, adrenals, uterus and ovaries. The power of digestion increases and female disorders such as prolapse and menstrual irregularities are relieved. A healthy flow of blood is sent to the spinal nerves as they are stretched and toned. The hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh and calf muscles are stretched and toned. Inversion increases blood flow to the brain. The Prana is channeled to the lower regions of the body propelled by exhalation. As you exhale completely, bring the hands down to the floor, beside the feet.
You may bend your knees if needed to bring the palms down to the floor, but try gently to straighten them. It's a good idea to keep the hands fixed in this position and not move them until you
