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Sun-Salutation (Surya Namaskar): An art of healthy living
Sun-Salutation is one of the most important exercise in the daily morning Yogic regime.
Sun Salutation is excellent because it stretches and strengthens all the major muscle groups in the body and exercises our respiratory system. Anyone, male, female, children above 7 - 8 years to 60 - 70 year old people having normal health can do this exercise. Surya (sun) is the Soul, both of the moving and unmoving beings. - The Rig Veda Benefits of Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation: Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation refreshes our mind, gives energy to our body, relieves stiffness in our muscles. Daily practice of this exercise, increases our bone density, thereby helping us to keep away osteoporosis. Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is a holistic exercise that provides physical, mental, emotional & spiritual benefits. It improves muscles, joints, ligaments and the skeletal system by improving ones posture, flexibility and balance & provides all of the key health benefits of yoga. Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation stimulates & conditions practically every system in our body. It improves oxygen levels in the blood and helps strengthen our heart. It is good for the digestive system,nervous system. It stimulates the lymphatic system and supports respiratory system. Practicing Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation daily benefits the Endocrine system and enables the various endocrenal glands like thyroid, pituitary, pinel glands to function properly. These include the thyroid, pituitary.pinel glands as well as the adrenal gland, testes and ovaries. If you practice Surya Namaskar / Sun Salutation regularly,You will feel wonderful after performing the session. You can do Surya Namaskar's / Sun Salutation as a warm up exercise, before doing any strenuous workouts. Spirituality: Over the time, Surya Namaskar / Sun salutation helps you to achieve a sense of well-being and purpose. It is a spiritually uplifting exercise and promotes a keen awareness of the interconnectedness of your body, mind and breath. Sun Salutation: Sequence of poses & how they are to be performed is given below. ( 11 poses = 1 Sun Salutation ).
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Following is the illustrative table, showing to what extent one should undertake 'sun salutation exercise' according to their age.
Age (Yrs) Start with Incremental rise Max.limit 7 - 10 1 add 1 after every 4 days 25 10 - 14 2 add 2 after every 4 days 50 14 - 30 4 add 4 after every 4 days 108 30 - 50 4 add 2 after 2 days 50 Above 50 2 add 2 after 2 days 25 Sun Salutation: Description of Sequence of poses & how they are performed: Pose 1: To start sun salutation, bring your mind and body to attention. Stand up straight facing east towards the direction of rising sun with your feet together and your palms prayer-like in front of your chest. Look at the tip of the nose. Relax and begin to inhale. Pose 2: Continue inhaling,as you raise your arms in a wide circle out to the sides and overhead. Stretch your arms back as you lift them to allow the fullest expansion of your chest. Press your palms together above your head and look up at your hands. Stretch up and hold your breath. Pose 3: Breathe out as you bend forward from the waist, keeping palms together, tucking your head, and keeping your back straight as long as you can. When you've bent as far forward as you can comfortably, grasp the back of your ankles, calves, or thighs, bend your elbows, pull your upper body gently toward your legs, and tuck your chin toward your chest. Hold your breath out. Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent. Pose 4: Breathe in as you release your legs and stand up. Breathing out, immediately lunge forward with your right leg, keeping your toes tucked under. Support weight on both hands, right foot, left knee, and toes of the left foot. Tilt the head back; look up. Inhale and retain breath. When you repeat this exercise, alternate the leg you lunge forward with. For example, use the left leg instead of right. You may also want to do some experimentation to determine the comfortable distance to step forward so that you can perform Steps 4 and 5 in one fluid movement. Try to keep your left knee off the floor. Pose 5: Breathe in as you gently raise your arms in a wide circle out to the sides and overhead, palms together, looking up at your hands. Hold your breath. Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent. Pose 6: Breathe out. Bring both hands down on the floor on either side of your right foot. Bring your right foot back next to your left foot. Straighten your body into a "plank" position. Pose 7: Hold your breath out as you lower your body so that your chin, chest, and knees touch the floor (toes are still tucked under). When your knees touch the floor, relax the held breath and start to breathe. Pose 8: Continue breathing in as you curl your head back. Lift your chest and stomach. Keep your hipbones on the floor. Note: This is the Cobra Pose) Look up through your forehead. Hold your breath. Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent. Pose 9: Breathe out as you push your hips up and heels down into an inverted "V" position. Tuck your chin to your chest. Hold your breath out. Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent. Pose 10: Start to breathe in as you bring your left foot forward between your hands and lunge forward with your left leg. Continue breathing in as you raise your arms in a wide circle to the sides and overhead, with palms together, looking up at your hands. Hold your breath. Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent. Note: Alternate the leg you lunge forward with in this step as you did in steps 4 and 5. Try to keep your right knee off the floor if you can. Pose 11: Breathe out as you bring your right foot forward next to the left. Grasp the back of your ankles, calves, or thighs. Bend your elbows. Pull your upper body gently toward your legs, and tuck your chin toward your chest. Hold your breath out. Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent. Creates sound mind in sound body: Daily practice of Sun-Salutation or Suryanamaskar will make our mind more alert, improve our concentration & will help to maintain buoyancy of spirit & We will hold the master key to our heath & happiness through-out life --- i.e. childhood, maturity & old age. In short, it will create a sound mind in a sound body. |