Assignment : 2

YOGA / MEDITATION TECHNIQUES

Date of Submission : 15.02.2022

MFM BATCH (2021-2023)

NIFT KANGRA
1) Why and by whom Surya Namaskar was created and When was it developed?

The origins of the Surya Namaskar are vague; Indian tradition connects the 17th century saint
Samarth Ramdas with Surya Namaskar exercises, without defining what movements were
involved.In the 1920s, Bhavana Rao Srinivasa Rao Pant Pratinidhi, the Rajah of Aundh,
popularised and named the practice, describing it in his 1928 book The Ten-Point Way to Health:
Surya Namaskars.It has been asserted that Pant Pratinidhi invented it but Pant stated that it was
already a commonplace Marathi tradition.Ancient but simpler Surya Namaskar such as Aditya
Hridayam, described in the "Yuddha Kaanda" Canto 107 of the Ramayana,are not related to the
modern sequence.The anthropologist Joseph Alter states that the Surya Namaskar was not
recorded in any Haṭha yoga text before the 19th century.At that time, the Surya Namaskar was not
considered to be yoga, and its postures were not considered asanas; the pioneer of yoga as exercise,
Yogendra, wrote criticising the "indiscriminate" mixing of sun salutation with yoga as the
"ill-informed" were doing.The yoga scholar-practitioner Norman Sjoman suggested that
Krishnamacharya, "the father of modern yoga used the traditional and "very old” Indian wrestlers'
exercises called dundas , described in the 1896 Vyayama Dipika, as the basis for the sequence and
for his transitioning vinyasas.Different dundas closely resemble the Sun Salutation asanas
Tadasana, Padahastasana, Chaturanga Dandasana, and Bhujangasana..The yoga scholar Mark
Singleton states that "Krishnamacharya was to make the flowing movements of sūryanamaskār the
basis of his Mysore yoga style His students, K. Pattabhi Jois, who created modern day Ashtanga
Vinyasa Yoga, and B. K. S. Iyengar, who created Iyengar Yoga, both learned Sun Salutation and
flowing vinyasa movements between asanas from Krishnamacharya and used them in their styles of
yoga.
The historian of modern yoga Elliott Goldberg writes that
Vishnudevananda's 1960 book The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga "proclaimed in print" a "new
utilitarian conception of Surya Namaskarwhich his guru Sivananda had originally promoted as a
health cure through sunlight. Goldberg notes that Vishnudevananda modelled the positions of the
Sun Salutation for photographs in the book, and that he recognised the sequence "for what it
mainly is: not treatment for a host of diseases but fitness exercise.Surya Namaskar is an ideal and
balanced Yoga Exercise for healthy mind and body.
Surya Namaskar should be done facing the early morning mild sunlight
from the east.There are ten different positions that make a Surya Namaskar. Before doing a Surya
Namaskar we should chant all the thirteen chants in the given order starting from “Om Mitraya
namaha Every step in Surya Namaskar is a different yoga position. During every step we have to do
the ‘purak’ and rechak breathing steps alternately.
The Benefits of Surya Namaskar is It improves the blood circulation of all the important organs of
the body,Improves the functioning of the heart and lungs,Strengthens the muscles of the arms and
waist,Makes the spine and waist more flexible,Helps in reducing the fat around the abdomen and
thus reduces weight,Improves digestion,Improves concentration power,
 Share your personal experience about Surya Namaskar, like what benefits you have felt after the
practice??

Surya Namaskar” or sun salutations have the biggest positive impact on my life. Now I am a regular
practitioner of “Surya Namaskara”. It is such a holistic way to improve on life
quality.SuryaNamaskar is easy to do and a full body moderate workout. It doesn't put much strain
on the body and injuries are less. No matter how much weights we can do, how long we can run,
and other forms of workout one is capable of. Suryanamaskar strengthens our whole body. bend
forward and backward. put pressure on abs, core, hands, legs and blood flow to the brain. It will
give our superbly toned body and lose weight with it, As it is easy to do and does not exhaust. yoja
Make aware of your body very very well , gives very good core strength, flexibility.

Following changes I could notice after I started practising YOGA and especially Surya Namaskar

1. It has taken away my negativity and complaining nature

2. It has taught me how to enjoy life in every moment.
3. I learned patience.
4. I became self confident in every aspect of life.
5. I enjoy silence and my own company.
6. I have improved a lot on my physical and emotional fitness.
7. I appreciate and accept everything that has happened in my life.
8. Cheerful became my nature all the time.

There are numerous benefits of practising “YOGA” and “Surya

Namaskar”. It's really difficult to mention every single change here.But to enjoy those
benefits, you have to be very positive and patient during your practice. Coz, good things
take time to happen and once they happen, they have a long lasting impact in our life. So
go ahead and start practising “ Surya Namaskara”