It is time to take control of your life and let the sun’s power guide you. It is time to get off the lazy mat and do something that you have been putting off. It is time to master 21 Surya Kriya steps and activate the sun within you.
What Is Surya Kriya?
Surya Kriya is a breathing exercise that helps to clear your mind and body. It is a type of yoga that helps you relax and improve your overall physical and mental health.
The Surya Kriya meditation technique involves alternating long breaths with deep abdominal breathing. This exercise has been around for thousands of years and was initially used by people practising yoga as part of their daily routine. The Surya Kriya steps helps calm your mind and body while also helping to increase energy levels in your body. In addition, it can help you lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels if you practice it regularly.
Surya Kriya steps are yoga practice that combines the sun’s power and water’s energy. It’s designed to help you enjoy life more fully by bringing you joy, strength and resilience.
You will also ❤️ these:
6 Types of Kriyas in Yoga | Path to Ultimate Purification
Aham Brahmasmi – Unfold the Mantra of Life
5 Surya Kriya Benefits
Increases Energy Levels
Surya kriya is a very effective exercise to increase your energy levels. It is a simple exercise that can be done at any time during the day and even when you are sleeping. You can do this exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening. The best part about it being an exercise is that it doesn’t require any equipment, and there are no risks involved. If you have been following the 5 Surya Kriya steps, then you will be able to feel the difference in your energy levels by the end of the day.
Improves Digestion
One of the primary benefits of Surya Kriya steps is that it helps in improving digestion and metabolism. The movement of the body while practising this yoga helps in releasing toxins from your body, which helps in getting rid of excessive weight. This is one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off.
Strengthens the Immune System
The sun is a natural source of vitamin D and other nutrients that boost your immune system. Surya Kriya steps helps you get more of these nutrients, which has been shown to help boost your immune system. The increase in your white blood cells (WBCs) will help protect you from infections and other diseases.
Improves Blood Circulation
Blood circulation is the process of transporting blood through our body. The blood circulates through our veins, arteries and capillaries to deliver nutrients and oxygen to every cell in our body. If this circulation process is blocked due to various reasons, it can lead to various health issues like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and so on.
The Surya Kriya steps help in improving blood circulation by making you sweat and help in the continuous removal of toxins from your body. This exercise also improves blood circulation towards your brain by making you breathe deeply as well.
Lowers Stress
Surya kriya is one of the most effective ways to reduce Stress, anxiety and depression. It helps us relax our mind and body, which in turn helps us feel better about ourselves. Surya kriya is also a great way to deal with chronic Stress and anxiety disorders like PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), panic attacks or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
21 Surya Kriya Steps (Surya Kriya Isha Steps)
These are the 21 surya kriya isha steps that are followed at Isha center. These steps will help you activate your inner energy.
Samastithi (Equanimous state)
Sit in a cross-legged position. Close your eyes and breathe naturally, focusing on the breath moving in and out of your body. Be aware of the sensations in every part of your body as you inhale and exhale. This is the beginning of Surya Kriya steps.
Namaskar
Inhale deeply through your nose, filling up both lungs by expanding them fully. Exhale completely through the mouth, emptying both lungs so that they are empty at the end of each breath. Repeat three times.
Urdhvasana (Elevated)
Raise your hands above your head while keeping your palms facing upwards. This helps to strengthen the nervous system and improves concentration.
Padahastasana (Hand to foot)
This is a hand-to-foot pose. You can use a chair for this. You can also do this on the floor. But it is better to do this on a chair as it is more comfortable for your body. Place one hand on the floor and the other hand on your hip or thigh, with your palms facing down. Now raise both hands off the ground and hold them up at chest level with fingers spread. Contract the abdominal muscles and bend forward slightly, keeping your elbows straight and pressing them against your knees.
Ashva Sanchalana (Equestrian)
Stand straight, with feet together and hands on the hips. With an exhalation, lift up the hips to an echelon position and bend forward. Keep your head high, shoulders back and gaze straight ahead.
Parvathasana (Mountain)
Lie down on the floor, face down, with legs stretched out in front of you. Press your hands down into the floor for support and raise your upper body off the floor so that you are in a seated position at about 45 degrees from horizontal. Gaze downward toward your feet. Inhale as you slowly lower your torso down until it touches the floor, then exhale as you press upward again to create a balancing sensation between your head and chest. This is important step among the Surya Kriya steps.
Sashtanga (With eight parts of the body)
The seventh step involves looking at yourself in the mirror while performing each posture one after another, starting with Vrksasana (Tree Pose). While in this pose, close your eyes tightly and move your entire body using slow controlled movements until you reach Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-legged Forward Bend).
Bhujangasana (Snake)
Begin in a supine position. Bring the right knee to the left elbow, then lift your head and chest off the mat so that you are looking straight ahead. Hold this pose for 60 seconds.
Parvathasana
Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and palms down beside your body with fingers pointing toward each other. Inhale and lift your legs up, keeping them together and rooted to the mat. Exhale, bring your feet to one side of your hips and press into them to raise them toward the ceiling as high as possible. Hold for ten breaths, then lower yourself onto all fours on the floor, keeping your legs together and toes pointed forward. Hold for ten breaths.
Ashva Sanchalana
The Ashva Sanchalana is a seated forward bend. It is an excellent exercise for the lower back and hips. It also helps to improve the flexibility of the spine by increasing its range of motion. The Ashtanga Yoga practice of the Ashva Sanchalana is one of the primary practices to prepare for the third series of asanas (postures) performed in Surya Kriya steps.
Padahastasana
Stand straight with the feet together, and place the palms of your hands on your knees. Keep your head and neck erect, facing straight forward.
Ashva Sanchalana
In this asana, the practitioner sits in a cross-legged position with the legs stretched out and the hands on the thighs. The head is kept erect but not rigidly.
Parvathasana
This asana is done with inhalation and exhalation. In this pose, the practitioner lies down on the stomach with both legs stretched out and straightened in front of them. The palms are placed flat on the ground beside the shoulders, and the shoulders are pressed into the floor so that only toes touch them. The knees are bent and kept close to each other.
Sashtanga
Sit on the floor, legs stretched in front of you, feet flat on the floor, toes turned out slightly, and knees bent. Inhale deeply into your belly, exhale, and draw your navel down your spine as you press through your heels. Hold for three deep breaths
Bhujangasana
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, toes turned out slightly, and arms reaching up over your head with palms facing each other. Inhale deeply into your belly, then exhale and draw your navel down towards your spine as you push up through your hands to lift up from the ground once again by straightening out your legs (think of a child lifting a small chair).
Parvathasana
Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, pointing towards the sky. Hold your hands on your knees for balance. Keep your back straight and sit up tall so that there is no arch in your lower back or neck. Your head should be in line with your spine, not thrown back or forward.
Ashva Sanchalana
Inhale deeply through your nose while exhaling through both nostrils slowly to prepare for a balancing pose called Ashva Sanchalana. Inhale completely through both nostrils until your abdomen expands slightly, then exhale completely through both nostrils again while counting 1-2-3 with each exhalation. Repeat this five times.
Padahastasana
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Spread your fingers and press your palms firmly into the floor. Open the chest, bringing up the shoulders and extending the neck to a comfortable position. Then lift your chin to look straight ahead.
Urdhvasana
Swaying from side to side, move through a series of hip circles, swinging like a pendulum from side to side in Urdhvasana (Upward Facing Dog). This is an excellent pranayama for stimulating the entire spinal cord and brain stem.
Namaskar
Namaste is an important Sanskrit word which means ‘I bow to you’. It is used as a greeting and salutation. Namaste is also used in the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony called “the namakarana”.
Samastithi
Samastithi means ‘equality’ or ‘oneness’. This mudra helps you to feel equal with yourself and others. It also helps you to balance your emotions and feelings so that your mind can be focused on God.
Surya Kriya’s self-transcending nature is different from other forms of meditation. Rather than putting the practitioner at the center of attention, Surya Kriya steps, by its very nature, turns all your focus towards your inner Self. A pure and spontaneous process, Surya Kriya steps allows you to fully experience the presence of pure awareness in you. This presence is love itself and merely being in its proximity is all that matters in this practice.
Download the Paavan App for more such lifestyle related solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1. How to do Surya Kriya?
Surya Kriya is a complex yoga practice that involves 21 steps and requires guidance from a certified teacher. The practice involves various asanas, breathwork, and meditation techniques that aim to purify the body and prepare it for spiritual growth. Look for a trained teacher and attend their classes regularly to learn and practice Surya Kriya correctly.
Question 2. How Long Does Surya Kriya Take?
Depending on your fitness level, Surya Kriya takes about 15-30 minutes to do the routine. If you have done this exercise before, then it will take less time to complete the routine. If you have never done this yoga before, it will be harder than other yoga routines that you have done in the past.
Question 3. How to learn Surya Kriya?
Surya Kriya is a yoga practice that requires guidance from a certified teacher. Look for a teacher trained in Surya Kriya and attend their classes. Regular practice under their supervision will help you learn the correct technique and progress towards mastering the practice.
Question 4. Difference between Surya Kriya and Surya Shakti?
Surya Kriya and Surya Shakti are both yoga practices that involve movements and breathwork. However, Surya Kriya is a more complex practice that involves a sequence of 21 steps and is aimed at purifying the body and preparing it for spiritual growth, while Surya Shakti is a shorter sequence of 18 steps and is focused on building physical strength and vitality.
Question 5. Can we do Surya Namaskar during periods?
There is no hard and fast rule against doing Surya Namaskar during periods, but it is advisable to avoid it as it involves various inversions and forward bends that may cause discomfort or aggravate menstrual cramps. It is better to opt for gentle yoga practices like restorative yoga or meditation during this time.