'Sun, Sun,Sun, Here It Comes'

Sun salutation or Surya Namaskar is flow of sequence of 12 asanas, in yoga, dedicated to the Hindu sun demi-god, Surya

Although in modern days Surya namaskar is seen to be highly beneficial for the physical body and flexibility, there are more metaphysical undertones to it

The different asanas are associated with different mantras which are in turn associated with the chakras and the pineal gland

The ancient yogis taught that each of us replicates the world at large, embodying “rivers, seas, mountains, fields…stars and planets…the sun and moon”

The outer sun, they asserted, is in reality a token of our own “inner sun,” which corresponds to our subtle, or spiritual, heart

Each Sun Salutation begins and ends with the 'namaskar' mudra, touched to the heart. This placement is ana cient Hinu belief that, only the heart can know the truth

The precise origin of the Sun Salutation is uncertain, although the practice was made popular in early 20th century by Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, the Rajah of Aund