A complete routine

If you cannot find time to do yogasanas, Surya Namaskar is a good substitute, as it takes a few minutes only.

Surya, the sun, is the central source of energy in our solar system. Its warmth, brilliance and purity takes the form of vital life energy on Earth.

Surya Namaskar, or Salutation to the Sun, is a sequence of 12 asanas, to draw in peace, harmony and strength in the body.

In the initial stages, try to coordinate the steps with breathing.

Once you are comfortable with the flow of the asanas, awareness of the chakras and mantra recitation can be incorporated.

You may start with three rounds and gradually build up the stamina for 10 to 12 rounds.

Practise at the pace you feel omfortable with. If you feel tired at any stage, rest.

Gradually your system will gain strength and you will be able to perform these exercises almost effortlessly.

Ideally, these exercises should be performed early in the morning, exposing your body to the sun’s rays.

Surya Namaskar helps fight ageing and rejuvenates the entire body.

Its practice also nurtures the higher emotions of love, peace and compassion.

The practice of Surya Namaskar

1. Exhale and fold your hands in front of your chest.

2. Inhale deeply and raise your hands up and stretch backwards with your eyes open. Hold for a few seconds and gently move into the next step.

3. Exhale and bend down completely to touch the floor with the palms of your hands.

4. Inhale and bend the left leg while stretching the right leg backward with your toes and knees touching the ground. Look up.

5. Retain the breath, move the other leg back and lift both knees off the ground. The heels, hips, head move in one line, in a push up position.

6. Exhale and bring your body to the ground. Only eight parts of the body—two feet, two knees, two hands, chest and forehead—touch the ground. The abdominal region is raised.

7. Inhale while slowly raising your trunk, straighten the arms and bend your head backwards.

8. Exhale and form an inverted ‘V’ as in step 5.

9. Inhale and come down into the posture at step 4, bending the right leg and stretching the left.

10. Exhale and raise your body into the bending position as in step 3.

11. Inhale and raise yourself completely, stretching backwards as in step 2.

12. Exhale and bring your hands down. This concludes one round of Surya Namaskar.