This is one of my personal all time favourties in yoga, because it gives you a fantastic body work out and you can adjust it to your own needs and abilities particular as Dru Yoga offers so many modifications.

Here are the benefits!

Surya Namascara gives you physical stamina, a fantastic improvement in flexibility and an overall toning of the body. You don’t need go to the noisy gym and you can put your favourite music on and do yoga from home, or you can go out in the beauty of nature.

This sequence generally increases your oxygen and prana levels because you use the whole body in the movements and so as a result it increases your circulation. At a mild to medium pace it can be an aerobic exercise but this depends on the speed and number of repetitions you do. It also builds stamina and strength especially in the arms. But really this sequence is a perfect balance between flexibility and strength for all of the body.

Dru’s flowing Surya Namascara specifically tones all the abdominal muscles and the intestinal function because you are constantly contracting and folding in, or stretching and opening out.  

Because of this constant flow there a lot of action in the abdomen and this increases your digestive fire (ayurvedically). And according to Ayruveda a good digestive fire is proportional to you health, wellbeing and immunity. The fires in the body also burn up immune related bugs.

As this sequence gets the digestive processes going it is also good for constipation – so this could be the answer you are looking for!

It is quite important to adjust the pace and number of repetitions you do to your level of fitness, your temperament (Ayurvedic dosha) plus also your specific needs at that moment in time.

For example, when you are lacking energy and feeling tired you may need to do Surya Namascara gently and not too often. So you might just go to the level where you just feel you get your spark going again. Ayurvedically you also go slow for vata (airy) types.

If you are fiery in nature and get easily frustrated or angry (pitta dosha) then you would do this sequence with a lot of gentleness and awareness and as a result it will help you be more in control of your inner fire.

If you want to lose weight and have quite calm, accepting nature (kapha dosha) then you may find it helps to increase the number the of repetitions and you should try and do the sequences with quite a bit of vigour.

Emotional and energetic benefits

So far we have only discussed the physical benefits. Lets now move to the energetic and emotional benefits.

Surya Namascara is the number one panacea for low self-esteem. Doing this sequence on a regular basis e.g. daily, will make you feel as radiant as the sun itself! Try it for yourself - it really works.c

In ancient times the sun was seen as the giver of life-force, as a representation of friendship and of the inner light of the SELF too. Plus it was seen to give us the power to move forward in life.

I promise that by doing this sequence daily you will awaken and strengthen these powers of the radiant sun within you.

Energetically Surya Namascara awakens all of the yogic energy centres – the chakras. As a result you should experience a greater clarity in thinking, more compassionate feelings, greater energy and direction in your actions, a healthier sense of self, and clear communication. Through energizing the chakras this sequence promotes all of the markers of good health, and health in every sense of the word, that is, in every part of your being.

To learn Surya Namascara

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