Watch
Sūrya Namaskāra, understood
Sanjana Prasad16 min
Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is a flowing cycle of twelve postures, each paired with an inhale or exhale so movement and breath become a moving meditation. Energizing and best done in the morning, it warms the body, wakes the spine, and builds strength, coordination and stability. Beginners can start with three to four rounds.
Key instructions
- Prayer pose (Praṇāmāsana) — stand tall, feet together, palms at the heart centre
- Raised arms (Hasta Uttānāsana) — inhale, tuck the tailbone and arch back
- Forward fold (Pādahastāsana) — exhale, fold forward from the hips
- Low lunge (Aśhva Sañchalanāsana) — inhale, step one foot back, knee down, look forward
- Plank (Kumbhakāsana) — exhale, step the other foot back, shoulders stacked over the wrists
- Eight-limbed salute (Aṣhṭāṅga Namaskāra) — knees, chest and chin (or forehead) to the floor
- Cobra (Bhujaṅgāsana) — inhale, slide forward and lift the chest, shoulders soft
- Downward mountain (Parvatāsana) — exhale, tuck the toes, lift the hips up and back
- Low lunge (Aśhva Sañchalanāsana) — inhale, step the foot forward between the hands
- Forward fold (Pādahastāsana) — exhale, step the other foot forward and join the feet
- Raised arms (Hasta Uttānāsana) — inhale, sweep the arms up and arch back
- Prayer pose (Praṇāmāsana) — exhale, palms back to the heart centre
Frequently asked questions
- How many rounds of Surya Namaskar should a beginner do?
- Start with about three to four rounds. Surya Namaskar warms the whole body and can be quite stimulating, so a few rounds is plenty at first; as the sequence becomes familiar the body finds its rhythm and you can gradually add more.
- When is the best time to practise Surya Namaskar?
- The morning. It is an energizing practice that warms the body, wakes the spine and boosts your energy, so it makes a strong start to the day rather than a wind-down before sleep.
- I can't step my foot all the way forward — how do I fix it?
- That usually just needs a little more hip mobility. To keep the flow going, bend the knee, drop the back knee down, and use a hand to guide your ankle forward until the foot reaches the top of the mat.
- How can I modify Surya Namaskar for shoulder or neck issues?
- Replace the eight-limbed salute (chest-and-chin to the floor) with Child's Pose, and the cobra with a gentle cat-cow, before lifting into downward mountain. You keep the backbend without loading the shoulders and neck.