The Sanskrit word surya means sun, and the word namaskar means salutations or worship. Therefore this
practice is known as salutations to the sun. It is first mentioned in the Riga Veda and Yajur Veda, the ancient
scriptures of India. Surya namaskar is a dynamic sequence of twelve rhythmical and symmetrical positions that are
synchronized with the breathing. It is neither an asana nor a part of traditional Yoga. But because it is such a
wonderful practice it has been adopted into the techniques of Hatha Yoga by many teachers and gurus.
The sun has been adored since time immemorial. Ancient people worshipped the sun with awe, knowing
that the sun generates the heat and light necessaryto sustain life. They new that without it there would be no life.
But the sun was not only worshipped because of its material nature and power. The sun itself is a symbol. It
symbolizes spiritual illumination, wisdom and knowledge, the light in the darkness of ignorance. It represents the essence, the spirituality which exists in all material things. The sun is a symbol of rebirth into spiritual consciousness and immortality, just as the sun dies each evening so it is reborn each morning. The twelve cyclic positions of surya namaskar represent the twelve phases of the sun each year as it passes through each of the signs of the zodiac.
Recognising the symbolism of the sun is a stepping stone to spiritual awareness and peace.
It is recommended for practitioners to include surya namaskar as an essential and integral part of their Yoga
program. This is because it revitalizes the whole body, removes all signs of sleep and is excellent for preparing the body and mind so that maximum benefits can be derived from the subsequent asana, pranayama and meditation practices. It loosens all the joints, flexes all the muscles of the body, massages the internal organs, activates the respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as helping to tone all the other systems of the body, harmonizing the whole mind-body complex.