The Power of Sun Salutations
Sun salutations, or Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit, are a sequence of poses that feature in many yoga classes. Often introduced near the beginning of the class, these asanas warm up the body and link deep breaths with flowing movement. But there’s much more to these poses than just warming up…
(Not sure what this is? A quick internet search will find you lots of examples!).
Sun salutations developed as a way for people to worship the sun, the ‘giver of life’, saluting it at sunrise and using the practice to ready them for the day. The movements were a way to honour and invoke the energy of the sun, creating a ritual to connect with nature and meditate on the glory of creation. Many yogis draw on these meanings in their own practice, bowing to the sun during the forward fold, contemplating the life-giving properties of light and heat, and offering up gifts to the sun as they rise, perhaps including letting go of that which no longer serves them.
From a psychological perspective, sun salutations are a wonderful way to draw attention into the body, away from our busy minds. Often practiced near the beginning of a yoga class, the sequence creates a bridge between the moments of stillness as we first step onto the mat and the movements of the rest of the class, awakening the body. They incorporate full body, challenging movements, supporting a shift away from the usual train of thoughts towards awareness of the position of the body in space, physical sensation, and balance. Linking the movements to breath also requires interoception - the detection of internal body signals, which draws attention further into the body. The sustained attention required to move smoothly through the postures is a key feature of yoga practice, training the mind to shift into present moment awareness. As this sequence of movements becomes familiar, yogis may find sun salutations become rather meditative, bringing a sense of flow and rhythm, which calms the mind while waking up the body.
And what’s happening in our nervous system during sun salutations? Postural changes, such as standing tall to folding down, and moving backwards and forwards on our mats, influences the state of our autonomic nervous system. This is the system that controls our heart rate and breathing, that activates our fight-flight response when we feel under threat and that gives us the lovely calm feeling when we snuggle on the sofa. Flexibility in the autonomic nervous system allows us to move smoothly between states of stress and calm in response to events in our day to day lives.
As we practice sun salutations, we intentionally influence our autonomic state. Linking our movements with breath, we increase activation as we rise and inhale, opening our hearts and creating receptivity to the environment. As we fold and exhale, we create a closed, inward body posture, reducing heart rate and coming into our quiet centre. As our bodies become familiar with these sensations and the shifts between them, we foster balance and flexibility in our nervous system, nurturing our ability to return to calmness following daily stresses.
So next time you’re on your mat, be sure to appreciate these beautiful flowing movements. They’re doing wonderful things for you!