WHAT IS S UR Y A N A M A S K A R ? Sur y a N a ma s k a r is a n an ci ent form of yog a . This f orm of y og a is a compl e te m e d i tat i v e t e chn i q u e in i t s e lf a s it in c l u des A s an a s, Pr a n a y a m a , Mantr a s and Mu d r a s . S u rya N a mas k a r has got three a sp e c t s : form, v i t al en e rgy and rh y thm. It is t he e a si e st w ay for a per s on t o get us e d to Yo g a, It sh o uld be done along cha n t in g m antr a s in e v er y p o stur e . Sur y a N a mas k ar is a combi n ation of 12 d i ffe r ent p o s t ure s , fo l l o w e d in a particul a r s e q u en c e w i th a sp e cific b r e a th i ng patte r n. It hel p s a n i n d i v i d ual to v i t a lize a nd unb l ock the w ho le s y s te m . It r e du ce s fat from al m ost a ll parts of the body a s it st r e tches eac h a n d e v ery mus c le and to n es it
S T EP 1 : PRAN A MAS A NA (PRAY E R POSE) S t a n d w i t h y o u r f ee t t o g e t h e r a n d p al m s fol d e d in f r o n t of y o u r c h e s t . C l o s e y o u r e y e s p r o p e r l y .
S T EP 2: H A S T A U T T A N A S A N A ( RA I S E D ARMS POS E ) R a ise y o u r a r m s o v e r y o u r h e a d a n d s h o u l de r s w i t h t h e p a l m s t o u c h i n g e a c h o t h e r a n d b ice p s t o u c h i n g y o u r e a r s. St r e t c h y o u r a b do m e n a s m u c h a s p o ssi b l e a n d l e a n b a c k w a r ds a n d i n h ale .
S T EP 3: H A S T A PAD A S A NA ( H A N D T O FO O T POSE) B e n d f o r w a r d a n d p l a c e y o u r p a l m s a t t h e side of y o u r f e e t . T o u c h y o u r k n e e w i t h f o r e h e a d a n d e x h a l e de e p l y .
S T EP 4: A S H W A S A N C H A L A N A S A NA ( E QUE S T R I A N POSE) T a k e o n e l e g b a c k a n d p l a c e t h e o t h e r l e g in t h e f r o n t w i t h p al m s fi r m on t h e g r o u n d. R a ise y o u r h ea d a n d i n h a l e .
S T EP 5: DANDASA NA (FOU R -L I MB E D S T AFF POS E ) As y ou b r e a t h e i n , t ak e t h e o t h e r l e g b a c k a n d b r i n g t h e w h o l e b o dy in a s t r a i g h t l i n e .
S T EP 6: A S H T A N GA N A MAS K ARA ( S A L U T E W I T H E I GHT PAR T S OR PO I N T S) L o w e r y o u r k n ee s, c h e st a n d f o r e h e a d w i t h y o u r p a l m s fi r m ly on t h e g r o u n d n e xt t o y o u r c h e st a n d el b o w s b e n t u p w a r ds. H ol d y o u r b r e a t h h e r e .
S T EP 7 : B H UJ A NG A S A NA (COBRA POS E ) L o w e r y o u r w a ist a n d r a ise y o u r u pp e r b o d y . L o ok u p w a r ds a n d k ee p y o u r a r m s s t r a i g h t . T h e n i n h a l e a t a s l ow p a ce.
S T EP 8 : PAR VA T ASANA (MOU N T A I N POSE) R a ise y o u r h i p s a n d b r i n g y o u r h ea d t o t h e f l oor w i t h e y e s on t h e n a v e l a n d h ee l on t h e f l oo r . T h is p o siti o n wi l l e x a c t l y l o ok l i k e a n i n v e r t e d ' V ' . T h e n a s u s u a l e x h a l e . .
S T EP 9 : A S H W A S A N C H A L A N A S A NA ( E QUE S T R I A N POSE) I n t h is s t e p t h e p os t u r e is t h e s a m e a s t h e f o u r t h s t e p . I nh ale .
S T EP 10: HA S T A PADASANA ( H A ND T O FOOT POS E ) I n t h is s t e p t h e p os t u r e is t h e s a m e a s t h e t h i r d s t e p . Yo u n ee d to e x h a l e .
S T EP 11: H A S T A U T T A N A SANA (R A I S E D ARMS POSE) T h is s t a ge is sa m e a s t h e s e c o n d s t a g e . I nh ale .
S T EP 12: T ADA S A N A (MOU N T A I N POSE) T h is st a g e m a r k s t h e f i n a l st a g e of Su r y a N a m a s k a r a n d it is si m il a r t o t h e fi r st s t a g e . Y o u h a v e to b r e a t h e n o r m a l l y.
P O S E M EA N I N G 1 . P r a n ama s a na W h o i s f r i e n d l y t o a l l 2. H a s t a u tt ana s a n a T h e s h ining o n e , t h e r a d i a nt o n e 3. H a s t a P a d a s a na W h o i s t h e d i s p e ll e r o f d a r k n e s s a n d r e s p o n s i b l e fo r b r in g i n g a c t i v it y 4. A s h w a S a n c h ala n a s a n a O n e w h o ill umin e s , t h e b r i g h t o n e 5 . C h a turanga D an d a s a n a W h o i s a ll - p e r v a d in g, o n e w h o m o v es t hr o u g h t h e s k y 6. As h t a nga N a m a s kara G i v e r o f n o u r i s h m e n t a n d f u l f il lm e n t 7 . B h u j anga s a na W h o h a s g o l d e n c olo r b r ill i a n c e 8 . P a r v a t a s a na W h o h a s g o l d e n c olo r b r ill i a n c e 9. A s h w a S a n c h ala n a s a n a T h e s o n o f A d i t i - t h e c o s m i c d i v i n e M oth e r 1 . H a s t a P a d a s a na T h e s o n o f A d i t i - t h e c o s m i c d i v i n e M oth e r 1 1 . H a s t a u tt ana s a n a Worth y o f p r a i se a n d g l ory 1 2. T a d a s a na G i v e r o f w i s d o m a n d c o s m i c ill umina t i o n