Sun Salutation is also defined as- Surya Namaskar is a well-devised mixture of Yoga asanas and breathing practice. Before practitioners undertake the practice of advanced yogic postures and breathing practices like Pranayama, the spine and body muscles should be flexible enough. The Surya Namaskar tones the entire body, and strengthens muscles and joints. One must practice this flow if they want to improve complexion as it ensures a better functioning digestive system. Improve sleep as it helps combat insomnia and reduces stress levels.

When was surya namaskar invented?

In the 1920s, Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, the Rajah of Aundh, popularized and named the practice, describing it in his 1928 book The Ten-Point Way to Health: Surya Namaskars.

Which country invented Surya Namaskar?
Surya Namaskar's Origin
The practice of Surya Namaskar can be traced back to the Vedic period in India. The Vedas are a collection of ancient texts that form the basis of Hinduism. In these texts, the sun is worshiped as a god, and saluting it is seen as a way to honor its power and energy.

What sun is made up of?

The sun is a big ball of gas and plasma. Most of the gas — 91 percent — is hydrogen. It is converted into energy in the sun's core. The energy moves outward through the interior layers, into the sun's atmosphere, and is released into the solar system as heat and light.

How did the sun salutation evolve?

The sequence of poses now known as Surya namaskar may have developed from an early sunrise practice honouring Surya as the source of energy and light for the world.

What happens when you do 108 Surya Namaskar?

Different muscle groups are stretched and contracted alternatively – no muscle strain. Increased flexibility and stamina. Cleansed chakras or nerve centres.

Why do we do 12 Surya Namaskar?

Surya Namaskar can help you learn how to internalize the sun as part of your body system. The Surya Namaskar's design with the twelve postures can help the twelve sun cycles become in sync with your physical cycles. The solar plexus is the central point of the human body.

Benefits of Surya Namaskar:-
Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation according to Ayurveda helps to balance the three doshas – vata, pitta and Kapha. The Surya Namaskar Asana sequence is aimed at energizing the solar plexus, Manipur chakra, at the navel- which in yogic physiology is the basis of the physical body.

All 12 postures each stretching various ligaments and giving different movements to the vertebral column. The vertebral column is bent forward and backward alternately with deep inhalation and exhalation of breath and a little retention of breath in some cases.

• Improved concentration
• Enhanced memory power
• Increased energy levels
• Physical strength
• A calm and focused mind
• A happy state of being
• Better immune system
• Higher efficiency
• Increased learning capacity
• Optimized metabolism

With cut-throat competition everywhere, children are exposed to stress and anxiety at an early age. Surya Namaskar helps children calm their minds, improve concentration, and build endurance. It reduces the feeling of anxiety and restlessness, especially during exams.

Regular practice of Surya Namaskar also gives strength and vitality to the body. It also aids in muscle growth and makes the body more flexible. Children as young as five-year-old can also practice Surya Namaskar daily.

Improves Blood Circulation: Apart from generating a lot of movement in the body, the breathing patterns in the Surya Namaskar make you inhale and exhale to exercise the lungs. It also ensures that fresh oxygenated blood is reaching all parts of the body. Exhaling helps discard toxins from the body.

Helps regularize the period cycle: Regular movement of the body in the form of exercise anyway ensures a smoother period, but the particular muscles that are worked upon during this pose enable a regular cycle.

Generates weight loss: This asana is great for burning calories, and when done at a rapid pace, it can be converted into a cardio exercise. Over a period of time, it will not only help in weight loss, coupled with healthy eating.

Tones muscles: Once you get into the groove of doing the asana on a regular basis, it will help tone your abdomen and arms. It will also improve the flexibility in your body and strengthen the body from the inside.

Improves hair and skin quality: The Asana is powerful in keeping a person’s body youthful and healthy. Blood circulation will help improve the glow on your face and prolong the aging of the skin and greying of hair.

Has meditative properties: Since the Surya Namaskar requires concentration, that helps a person be calmer and improves memory. The concentration on the movements and breathing will enhance the function of the nervous system, thereby reducing stress and anxiety.

Summary:-
Surya Namaskar is generally considered to be a morning practice, designed to harness the prana shakti (life energy) which is most abundant at dawn. The sequence stimulates all muscles, organs, systems and chakras in addition to cultivating concentration and stillness of mind.
It provides a complete workout for the body, mind, and spirit. It is an energizing and efficient way to connect with inner strength and stability and is often used as a warm-up at the start of a longer yoga practice.
The exact origins of Surya Namaskar are widely debated. Some scholars believe it to be thousands of years old, whilst others contend that the physical sequence is a 20th-century creation, designed by the raja of Aundh to accompany ancient Vedic mantras which honour the sun.
The oldest known text to describe Surya Namaskar as a sequence of asana is the Yoga Makaranda, written in 1934 by T. Krishnamacharya. Although Krishnamacharya is often considered to be the father of modern Hatha yoga, it is unclear whether he invented the sequence or learned it from his predecessors.
The twelve asanas which comprise Surya Namaskar are:

1. Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)
2. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)
3. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose or Low Lunge)
5. Chaturanga Dandasana (Plank Pose)
6. Ashtanga Namaskara (Eight Limbed Salute)
7. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog Pose)
9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose or Low Lunge)
10. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
11. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)
12. Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Whilst this sequence is widely accepted as the traditional version, modified variations are taught by different schools of yoga, sometimes even incorporating additional postures. For example, Ashtanga yoga teaches two sequences, Surya Namaskar A and Surya Namaskar B, both of which contain different asana to those listed above. In some traditions such as Sivananda, each step of the sequence is combined with a Sanskrit mantra.

The transition from posture to posture is facilitated by either an inhalation or an exhalation, allowing the practitioner to connect to their breath as a means of cultivating concentration. The repetitive nature of Surya Namaskar fosters a meditative practice, in which little thought needs to be given to the movement once it has been learned. Additionally, Surya Namaskar provides many overall health benefits such as:

• Maintaining cardiovascular health
• Stimulating the nervous system
• Improving strength and flexibility
• Enhancing cognitive functions
• Relieving stress and fatigue
• Regulating hormones

The sequence should be practiced at least three times daily for maximum benefit. Those who have issues with blood pressure or have had recent injuries or surgery should check with a medical professional prior to practicing Surya Namaskar.