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APRIL 2011 TOPIC OF THE MONTH

SUN SALUTES FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Surya Namaskar or the sun salutes are the foundation of our practice. Although they seem very physical sun salutes are devotional in nature. Their main focus is on meditation, inhales and exhales, bandhas, and drishti. This is where we establish our moving and breathing synchronization which is the heart of this practice--it connects our body, mind, and breath calming the mind while energizing our body, making space for good thoughts, and building a firm foundation which will support the rest of our practice.

Sun salutes and yoga postures stir up a lot of energy in our body. Left undirected this energy can stir up negative issues, if we make the conscious effort to direct this energy we can use it more productively, so it is helpful to start your practice with an intention. In Sanskrit this is known as Bhavana, which means "to be" or "to become". So in essence you can "dream it", use your intention to help direct your energy in your practice, dream the positive effects you want from the practice and focus your mind on that. This helps give our practice inner significance--an inner meaning with a practical method that improves health, clarity of mind, and is spiritually uplifting.

In yoga philosophy the Sun represents health and vitality--mentally and physically. By practicing sun salutes they bring health to our body and peace of mind to our head. Health is our greatest wealth, both in the body and mind. When practiced with a meditation in mind the sun salutes gather the strength of the mind developing inner happiness and aiding in mental focus.

There is a mantra that goes with the sun salutes to help us develop the meditative side of our practice. This is actually more a meditation than a mantra that you just recite. The Rig Veda outlines a meditation that goes with each position of Surya Namaskar A, however in my practice I have found it useful to repeat this meditation to myself while holding down dog. This is taken from the verses in the Rig Veda but I have tweaked it to suit me, you also can do the same, make it fit you--with the sun in my mind I meditate on the following:

	Please bestow upon me the good fortune of having only good thoughts
	Of hearing and speaking only Satya words and seeing good things-- not evil (Satya is the Sanskrit word for truth, but it means truth that does not hurt--so you want to speak the truth no matter what, but you don't want to hurt with it no matter what . . . very difficult!)
	Of having a sound, strong, and light physical body
	that I may live a long life and attain yoga (and personally I add--spread the yoga joy ;).

The mantra then goes on to ask for longevity, a disease free body, stillness of mind, powers of concentration, ability to think profound thoughts, be unwavering, and to maintain a perfect equilibrium in body and mind.

There is also a mantra for Sun Salute B. Surya Namaskar B is said to benefit the heart, which I think is funny as when a beginner first starts practicing sun salute b they find themselves quickly winded, but if you keep with it you will get a stronger and more cardiovascularly fit heart from practicing them giving you a strong heart. (On a personal note many people don't think you can get your cardiovascular training from yoga, but i would beg to differ. I commute on my bike, but not when weather is cold or bad. So I go through the winter months without riding or doing what one would consider aerobic exercise--I only practice my yoga and pranayama 6 days per week. In the spring when I get out my bike I hop on it and go as if I never stopped riding it over the winter!)

The Rig Veda states that whoever is suffering from heart trouble will find their trouble eliminated if they practice Surya Namaskar B. This is because the surya namaskar b mantra destroys the inner enemies (which if left to manifest will become our outer enemies. The Vedas describe 6 poisons that surround the spiritual heart, recitation of this mantra helps to rid these poisons from our body. They are:

	Desire (kama)
	Anger (krodha)
	Greed (Lobha)
	Delusion (moha)
	Pride (mada)
	Jealousy (matsarya)

So the Rig Veda states that by removing these poisons from our body heart disease will disappear.

I have had a hard time remembering and reciting this mantra as it is very long and complicated. So I have chosen to focus my attention on breathing around my heart while holding down dog in sun salute b's. I focus on having my breath totally encompass my heart, front to back, side to side, top to bottom, keeping the heart area open and allowing prana to circulate around the heart. Remember this is more dhyana (meditation) than an actual recitation.

So as you begin your practice with sun salutes focus your attention on these mediations, and on your breath--it is important to keep your inhales and exhales the same length as this promotes body and mind equilibrium. This also sets your intension for your practice and helps develop the awareness in our practice that reduces the risk of injury while connecting our body, mind. and breath at the start, which helps us maintain that connection throughout our entire practice.

© 2011 Bobbi Misiti | Be Fit Body & Mind YOGA