Sun greeting is a traditional Indian practice which is a small muscle program that is both complete, economical and accessible to beginners. It is a pure moment of grace, well-being and full-health that allows you to warm your body by stretching each of your muscles.
Sun greeting (“Surya Namaskar” in Sanskrit) is a chain of postures (movements, flexions, extensions, twists) linked by the breath, which follow one another with great fluidity.
This ancestral practice celebrates the sunrise whose energy circulates in our body: radiation, heat, intensity, radiance. It is generally practiced in the morning, turned east, at the rate of 6, 12 or 24 repetitions.
Sun greeting is largely based on nasal breathing and movement variation in the spine. If you adopt this morning routine on a daily basis, it will bring you many benefits.
The benefits of the sun greeting
You will pass more pleasant days And more serene and you will increase your concentration capacity. In the longer term, the sun greeting works flexibility, promotes weight loss and, we suspect, improves breathing.
This practice inspired by yoga is so beneficial that it is difficult to list everything. It increases vital energy, develops flexibility and fluidity, softens the spine and the basin, strengthens the heart, creates internal heat, improves the sense of communication, promotes intuition, clarifies voice …
On the other hand, such sequences ofexercises physical is strongly not recommended in case of sciatica or low back pain, if you are injured in the arm or in the shoulder and, of course, in the event of a blow of fatigue …
How to practice sun greeting?
Tent of work first each posture individuallythen heals the transitions to gradually chain the 12 movements with fluidity. Synchronize them with your nasal breathing while remaining concentrated on each movement.
- Inspired. Standing, joined feet, arms along the body, well distributed body weight. Expired. Joined the hands in prayer in front of your chest.
- Inspired. Raise your arms up, stretch the whole body. Pushes the pelvis forward, by contracting the glutes, body weight on the heels.
- Expired. Leans the body forward, passing the arms in front (or by the sides, if you have back pain). Place the palms of hands on the ground, online with the feet. Fold the knees, if necessary.
- Inspired. Send the right foot (the left to the following greeting) to the rear. Looks forward.
- Block your breathing. Send the other leg back. The body weight is distributed over the hands and on the toes. The body forms a straight line. Do not lean the head forward.
- Expired. Put the knees, then the chest and forehead on the ground. The hips remain raised and the toes are returned. The elbows are high and close together, the shoulders pulled back.
- Inspired. Slide in front of the basin on the ground, lifts the head and the bust. Keep the legs tight, lengthens the feet. Remove the chest, low shoulders and close elbows.
- Expired. Return the toes, lift the basin so as to form a “V” upside down. Pushes the heels to the ground. Highlights the shoulders from the head.
- Inspired. Bring back the right foot (left to the following greeting) forward, in the hands. Looks forward.
- Expired. Brings the other leg forward and leans the body forward, from the pelvis. Place the palms of hands on the ground, online with the feet. Fold the knees, if necessary.
- Inspired. Raise his arms up, stretches the whole body. Pushes the pelvis forward, by contracting the glutes, body weight on the heels.
- Expired. Hands attached to the chest.
The mantras of the Sun Greeting
You have the possibility of associating the practice of your sequences of greeting in the sun with the recitation of the original mantras. Mantras are sacred words that allow you to replace thoughts with words.
When you master the greeting correctly, you can enrich it with a particular energy by the recitation of a mantra. You can sing the Sun Greeting Mantras aloud or in your mind. The important thing is to recite them by showing gratitude.
Before each greeting, place your hands joined in front of you, take a diaphragmatic inspiration, then recites the first mantra.
Words have real power. The intonations and meanings of the sun greeting mantras create a positive world. They make the asanas (postures) more fulfilling. They release blockages and provide well-being.
Looking for a clear and audible sound which vibrates at the level of your rib cage then begins a first chain. Continue the chain of greetings by changing mantra each time.
Here is the list of 12 classic mantras greeting in the sun as well as their meaning (you can even discover how they are pronounced by looking This video in French):
- Om Mitraaya Namaha: The one who is benevolent
- Om Ravaye Namaha: the one who is radiant
- OM Suryaya Namaha: the one who brings activity
- Om Bhaanve Namaha: the one who brings light
- Om Khagaya Namaha: the one who moves in the sky
- Om Pooshne Namaha: the one who nourishes us
- Om Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha: He who shines like gold
- Om Mareechaye Namaha: the one who radiates infinitely
- Om Aadithyaya Namaha: Aditi’s son, Divine Cosmic Mother
- OM Saviter Namaha: the one who is responsible for life
- Om Arkaaya Namaha: the one who is worthy of praise and glory
- Om Bhaskaraya Namaha: the one who brings wisdom and cosmic illumination
