How to Do Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

Start your day with this mindful, meditative stretch

Last Updated: November 24, 2024

Surya Namaskar is a sequence of 12 steps of asanas performed as a warm up in a yoga session. It originated in India to salute the Sun, which is considered a deity and worshipped. One Surya Namaskar has 12 steps and one set of Surya Namaskar comprises 12 Surya Namaskars. You can start with a set of three or six and gradually increase the number to 12. It is customary that 12 salutations be chanted before each Surya Namaskar (12 step sequence). ^{[1]
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Steps

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Make the salutation: ॐ मित्राय नमः (om mitrāya namaḥ).
Make the salutation: ॐ रवये नमः (om ravaye namaḥ.)

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Make the salutation: ॐ सूर्याय नमः (om sūryāya namaḥ). ^{[2]
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Make the salutation: ॐ भानवे नमः (om bhānava namaḥ). ^{[3]
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Make the salutation: ॐ खगाय नमः (om khagāya namaḥ). ^{[4]
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Make the salutation: ॐ पूष्णे नमः (om pūṣṇe namaḥ).
Make the salutation: ॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः (om hiraṇya garbhāya namaḥ). ^{[5]
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Make the salutation: ॐ मरीचये नमः (om marīcaye namaḥ).
Make the salutation: ॐ आदित्याय नमः (om ādityāya namaḥ).
Make the salutation: ॐ सवित्रे नमः (om savitre namaḥ).
This is the same as step 2, without a stretch. Make the salutation: ॐ अर्काय नमः (om arkāya namaḥ).
Make the salutation: ॐ भास्कराय नमः (om bhāskarāya namaḥ).