Explainer: Surya Namaskar Is A Moving Meditation in Conscious Presence | 2025 Yoga Day Special
Surya Namaskar exercises the body from head to toe. But more than that, it exercises attention.
Published : June 21, 2025 at 3:13 PM IST
When the first light of dawn touches the Earth, we are reminded of something primordial and eternal: the rising sun. In yoga, this moment is honoured not just symbolically but somatically, through a practice known as Surya Namaskar. The body moves, the breath flows, and the mind begins to quiet. That is the essence of Surya Namaskar.
In the modern world, we are conditioned to view movement as a means to an end: burn calories, gain flexibility, improve health metrics. But the deeper intelligence of yoga invites a more profound perspective. It is not what you do, but the awareness with which you do it. Surya Namaskar is a perfect embodiment of that. When practised consciously, this flowing sequence of 12 postures becomes a sacred ritual. Each movement corresponds with an inhale or exhale, and in that synchrony, one begins to transcend the compulsive chatter of the mind.
Yoga teacher Meenu Verma from Mysore says us that Surya Namaskar exercises the body from head to toe. But more than that, it exercises attention. The spine stretches, the muscles awaken, and with every exhale, the mental noise dissipates just a little more. You are no longer thinking about the past or anticipating the future. You are simply here.
The Body as a Portal to Presence
The body (often ignored or over-disciplined) becomes a gateway. A study published by the National Institutes of Health found that Sun Salutations improve strength, endurance, and overall body composition. But these are by-products. The real benefit is in how you begin to feel more in your body; less identified with the mind, more rooted in “the Now.”
The sequence is beautifully adaptable. If your hamstrings are tight, you bend your knees. If your core is weak, you modify the plank. There is no ego here, no performance. Only alignment with what is, and a willingness to meet it without resistance. A complete round of Surya Namaskar engages 68% of your skeletal muscles. Cardiovascular markers improve, cortisol (the stress hormone) reduces, and oxygen consumption increases. The Government of India’s AYUSH Ministry offers free digital resources and videos through the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga. The Common Yoga Protocol is a wonderful way to begin this journey.
For women especially, this practice serves as a mirror to their cyclical nature. Meenu Verma points out that it helps with hormonal balance and menstrual irregularities. In truth, this ancient flow honours the rhythms we often suppress in the name of productivity. Surya Namaskar reconnects us with a wisdom deeper than medical scans or blood reports.
Neurologically, the rhythmic repetition of Surya Namaskar stimulates both sides of the brain, creating coherence and balance. The alternation between forward bends and backbends gently resets the autonomic nervous system, shifting us from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) dominance. In this stillness, we encounter a clarity that cannot be forced. As the breath slows and the heart aligns with the rhythm of the Earth, you begin to access not just better health, but deeper awareness.
Sunlight on the Soul
Traditional texts and teachers suggest practicing Surya Namaskar between 5:30 am and 7:30 am. This is not merely for physical reasons, but because the early morning carries a special vibrational stillness. The world has not yet begun its hurried pace, and the inner space is more accessible. The ancient yogis knew what science is now beginning to affirm: movement infused with breath and awareness becomes a medicine. It detoxifies not just the body but also the emotional residues we carry: anger, fear, regret, anxiety. Each bow to the sun becomes a bow to the deeper Self.
Tips for practising Surya Namaskar:
While Surya Namaskar is a potent practice, it must be approached with humility.
- Always practice on an empty stomach.
- Move slowly. Listen to the body’s feedback.
- If you are new or healing from injury, seek guidance. As Meenu Verma says, the aim is not perfection, but connection.
It is easy to get lost in the numbers—230 calories burned, 10 mmHg blood pressure drop, 30-minute sessions. But the most important thing you lose in this practice is not weight, but mental fragmentation. On this International Day of Yoga, may each salutation be not just to the sun in the sky but to the light within you.
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