The Sun as
Our Greatest Teacher
August 2024
Discover Your Inner Sun
A glorious sunny day... how good does it feel??!! The sun brings us radiance in every kosha, in every layer of our being: health, vitality, radiance, delight and so much more. In yoga and jyotish the sun represents our strength of character, our essential vital energy.
The yogic sages went further. To them, the sun is a living mirror of the light of our soul-force, the light of our inner wisdom. They gave this light a name: Surya.
This page aims to take you on a journey to experience the wisdom and wonder of your own inner light.
- Hanuman's power
- A 12-day Surya wisdom challenge
- Questions and thoughts for your classes, clients or friends
In Ancient Times...
In a deeply moving ancient story, Hanuman, the son of the wind, sought to learn everything about life and spiritual fulfilment. He searched for a teacher who could impart the greatest knowledge of all. Eventually, he realised this was the sun, Surya, the world's greatest source of light.
Hanuman asked Surya to teach him. Shining with dazzling radiance, Surya acknowledged he could, but doubted Hanuman would keep up with his relentless pace. He’s always on the move after all! However, Hanuman, agile as the wind, assured Surya he could meet the challenge. So he positioned himself in front of the sun, travelling backwards across the sky with his hands folded in front of his heart, absorbing the secrets of the universe. Eventually, he mastered the mystery and dharma of life.
How does this help us today? Hanuman here represents the seeker within us—the part that yearns for a life of fulfilment and joy. The sun represents our inner wisdom, always resplendent and able to enlighten us. It's awesome to consider the size of the sun compared to all other planets. If you hold your fingertip to the sky, it's about the same size as the moon. And by a remarkable quirk of evolutionary timing, the sun is precisely the same apparent size. Yet while the moon is only 1/4 of the size of Earth, the sun is so large more than a million Earths would fit within it.
Hanuman is reminding us to stand in front of our inner wisdom and be enlightened by its wisdom. The sun and the moon appear to be the same size. They invite us to dedicate the same energy and devotion to our inner teacher—the sun—as we give to the thoughts and emotions of our mind.
And when we do this, we will find the experience of our inner light to be millions of times greater than the experience of our mind!
12 Day Surya Wisdom Challenge
Connect with your inner radiance with this 12-day living yoga ritual, inspired by the 12 names of the sun.
Over these 12 days, strive to be like Hanuman and soak up the light of your inner wisdom.
- Follow the daily prompts below (hover or touch them ) or download the 12 day challenge sheet.
- Each prompt contains a mantra for you to use through the day, or when you are practising yoga, as a way of opening to this aspect of Surya wisdom
- Use the following question or technique as a way of focusing your day
If a thousand suns were to rise
all at the same time,
their splendour might compare
to the radiance of that great being.
- Bhagavad Gita 11:12
1. Mitra - The Friend of All
Om Hram Maitreya Namah.
How can you be a friend to all today?
2. Ravi - The Shining One
Om Hrim Ravaya Namah.
How can you bring more light and positivity into your life today?
3. Surya - The Giver of Light
Om Hrum Suryaya Namah.
How can you spread wisdom and knowledge to others today?
4. Bhanu - The One Who Illuminates
Om Hraim Bhanave Namaha.
Take time to be in the sun... or use your imagination... and feel Surya radiance being absorbed into your body.
5. Khaga - One Who Moves Silently in the Sky
Om Hraum Khagaya Namaha.
What steps can you take today to elevate your life’s path?
6. Pushan - One Who Nourishes
Om Hraha Pushne Namaha.
Imagine each disk in your spine shines like the sun. Feel elevated and tall!
7. Hiranyagarbha - The Golden Centred One
Om Hram Hiranyagarbha Namaha.
What creative potential can you tap into today?
8. Marici - Lord of the Dawn
Om Hram Marichi Namaha.
Pick a chakra and let the sun pour into it. Rest for quite a few minutes, and try to let this happen by itself.
9. Aditya - Cherished by the Mother of All
Om Hrum Adityaya Namaha.
How can you honour your heritage and roots today?
10. Savitri - The Beneficent One
Om Hraim Savitre Namaha.
What can you do to inspire and motivate yourself and others today?
11. Arka - The One Who is Fit to Be Praised
Om Hroum Arkaya Namaha.
How can you recognise and praise the efforts of others today?
12. Bhaskar - The One Who Leads to Enlightenment
Om Hraha Bhaskaraya Namaha.
Today, stand in front of the sun, and pour your heart out in prayer.
You have the radiance of the sun within you
Can you be like Hanuman this month and absorb not just sunshine but the prana of wisdom?
Even
After all
This time,
The Sun never says to the Earth,
"You owe me."
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.
― Hafiz
Questions and thoughts for your students, clients and friends
- The sun represents soul-force within us. Think of a moment when your soul-force was alive, vibrant, flowing, making a difference. What was that like?
- Can you think of a time when you helped someone else into that state? If you relive that moment... how do you feel now?
- In the 12-day Challenge above we invited you to pause and feel the sun's radiance being absorbed within your body. How does that feel? What changes?
- Also in the Challenge, we invited you to feel as if there is a sun shining between each intervertebral disk within your spine. If you do that through the day, how good does that feel for your posture? What benefits do you experience in your mind and in your emotional landscape?
- And finally, on Day 8 we invited to you to let sunlight pour in and infuse a chakra of your choice. What happens when you do that? How does your life change?
When I admire the wonders
of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,
my soul expands in the worship of the creator.
– Mahatma Gandhi
Big thank you.
Such an interesting challenge
Printed out and ready to start
Love to learn more about the sun
Mhairi
Ich danke von Herzen für diese Inspirationen, die mich, beginnend im August, jetzt auch über den Herbst, getragen haben. Es ist so schön, aus dem Wissen einer großen Gemeinschaft zu profitieren.