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Welcome to Śrīdhara Purījī Āśrama. Today we will practice Surya Namaskāra. We will spend about twenty minutes learning it correctly. Afterwards, we will work with concentration on the cakras, and finally, we will practice together with mantras. Surya Namaskāra is one of the classical exercises in yoga. It is best performed in the morning at sunrise, though it can also be done in the evening at sunset. The sun is one of the oldest deities worshipped by civilizations worldwide. The sun, Sūrya, gives life; without it, life on Earth as we know it would not exist. You can read more about this in the booklet Why Sunday? by Goruvakījī, which contains a lecture from Svāmījī in Belgrade. It explains the significance of Sunday, the day of the sun, and its central role across cultures. From this reverence, yogis developed a sequence of exercises called Surya Namaskāra or Suryāya Namaḥ. You can find more about it in the Yoga in Daily Life system. Since we have limited time today and cannot delve deeply into each posture's associated cakra and concentration point—a truly extensive topic—you can read detailed information about each individual cakra in the book Hidden Powers in Man by Paramahaṃsa Svāmī Māheśvarānanda. While performing Surya Namaskāra with concentration on the cakras, we focus not only on the physical location but can also become aware of each cakra's positive qualities and engage in visualization, using their symbolic representations. Let us slowly rise and begin. To ensure correct practice, imagine a single point on the floor and try to start and finish in the exact same spot; this is essential. First, we will practice each movement separately and hold the postures. It is important not only to perform the sequence or know the cakras and mantras, but to do everything with quality: perfecting the movement, performing it relaxed, maintaining cakra concentration, and knowing the mantra. This creates a complete structure from which we receive the benefits. It is said that daily morning practice of Surya Namaskāra makes your body and self become like the sun. Consider that anything thrown toward the sun either gets burned or, if it is dust, merely falls into your own eyes. Nothing can touch the sun; if something does, it gets purified. Similarly, we as yogis should aspire to be like the sun—purifying the atmosphere wherever we go, so that negativity cannot affect our lives. Stand with your feet together and relax. Feel stable. Bring your palms together in front of your chest and breathe normally. Inhale and raise your arms up. In this posture, it is crucial not to bend at the lower back. Arching too much there can cause pain or injury, especially if you have disc issues. Stretch upward as if someone is pulling your hands, and bend backward from the chest area. Gaze upward to feel the throat area, where the Viśuddhi cakra is located. The next movement is extremely important. Keep the spine straight, as if held by a collar, and from the hips, slowly bend forward. Only when you are parallel to the ground do you then relax. Place your palms by your feet and relax. Keep the right leg in place and step the left leg back to the center. Gaze toward the ceiling. This posture helps correct pelvic alignment, stretches the thighs, strengthens the sitting bones, and aids digestion. For those with constipation, it is best to drink two or three glasses of warm water in the morning before practice; you will see how beneficial Surya Namaskāra is for digestion and eliminating toxins. This posture accelerates digestion. Then, bring the left foot back to meet the right. With the toes on the ground, push back with your hands. The most important point is to avoid moving forward or backward; simply push yourself away from the spot you are in. This posture effectively strengthens the arms and allows you to feel a stretch along the back of the legs. Hold the posture, breathing into the belly, relaxed. Next, lower the knees and rest the chest on the floor, with shoulders above the palms. This posture works well against stooping (kyphosis). Relax here, breathing normally. Focus on relaxing the urinary bladder and the entire pelvis. This is extremely important, as tension in the pelvic organs can lead to a frequent urge to urinate even without an infection. From this position, without moving the legs back, slide the upper body forward into Bhujaṅgāsana. Press the pubic bone down, keep the shoulders down, and flatten the chest as much as possible. Look upward. Then, curl the toes under, place the heels on the floor, and push up with the hands. If you feel the need to adjust your hands or feet forward or backward, it means your feet slipped too far back in the previous posture and a correction is needed. Otherwise, you will not end in the same starting position. Step the right foot forward between the hands. Ideally, you should be able to touch your shins. Keep the spine straight as you rise, again avoiding an arch in the lower back. Stretch upward and reach the arms back as far as possible, bending in the thoracic region. Gaze toward the ceiling. With an exhale, bring the palms together in front of the chest, releasing the arms. The quality of movement is vital. In the first backward bend, do not over-arch the lower back. If you already have lordosis, this will cause pain and stiffness and injure the lumbar area. Similarly, when bending forward, do not collapse incorrectly. Improper bending creates intersecting force vectors at a single vertebra, causing great strain and potential injury. When done correctly—inhaling, slightly lifting the head, keeping the spine straight as you descend—the muscles provide support, there is no strain on the spine, and only then do you relax. Likewise, when rising, keep the spine straight and then arch backward from the chest, not the lower back. Then lower the hands. These are essential points to focus on. Once again, remember your starting point and try to conclude there. Join the palms in front of the chest. Inhale and rise up. Exhale and bend forward. Relax. Feel the powerful stretch in the hamstrings. Let the head relax completely. You will also feel a stretch in the neck area. Do not push away with your hands just because the sensation is intense; relax and feel the stretch. Now, keep the left leg in place and step the right leg back. As mentioned, this is excellent for correcting pelvic alignment and aiding digestion. Place the toes on the floor, push back with the hands, lower the knees, and rest the chest on the floor. Avoid pushing the legs back further, as that will shift your position. Remain in place and slide the upper body forward into Bhujaṅgāsana. Do not hunch the shoulders with straight arms; instead, lower the shoulders, open the chest, and bend at the waist. Breathing into the abdomen will deepen the effect. Place the toes on the floor, step the left foot forward, and relax. Keep the spine straight and release the hands. Excellent. Now we will perform a complete breathing cycle, as we know the sequence, and afterwards focus on the cakras. Take a fresh breath, relax, and join the palms in front of the chest. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, rise up. Exhale, bend forward. Inhale, step the right leg back. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. There are twelve movements. Inhale. Exhale. Keep the left leg back. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Step the left leg forward. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Let's do one more round. With the understanding that we all know the sequence, I will not give instructions. Begin. And now to the other side. Working with Cakra Concentration We will now work with concentration on the cakras. You can do this by silently repeating the name of the cakra we are focusing on. Be aware of its approximate location and try to feel that area. I will mention the locations initially; through practice, you will precisely feel where each cakra is. Relax here, with concentration on the whole body. Feel your center of gravity, feeling calm and stable. Join the palms in front of the chest—this is the Anāhata cakra. Focus on the Anāhata. Inhale—Viśuddhi cakra, at the root of the neck. Exhale—Maṇipūra cakra, at the navel. Step the right leg back—concentration on Anāhata, the center of the chest. Exhale—Sahasrāra cakra, at the crown of the head. Now, concentration on the whole body. Inhale—Svādhiṣṭhāna cakra, near the pubic bone. Exhale—again, Sahasrāra cakra at the crown. Step the right foot forward—Anāhata. Maṇipūra cakra at the navel. Inhale—Viśuddhi. Exhale—Anāhata, and lower the hands. In this way, we act not only on the physical body but also work on our cakras and, even more powerfully, on our consciousness, purifying each cakra through these postures. Also be aware that when Śrī Devakoṭi was asked for a photograph, he said, "My photograph, my image, is the sun. Whenever you wish to see me, look at the sun." Thus, the sun is even more essential for us as it is also a form of Śrī Devakoṭi. Join the hands—Anāhata cakra. Viśuddhi. Maṇipūra near the navel. Step the left leg back—concentration on Anāhata. Then the crown of the head—Sahasrāra cakra. The whole body. Svādhiṣṭhāna near the pubic bone. Again, Sahasrāra, crown of the head. Step the left leg forward—Anāhata. Maṇipūra cakra. Viśuddhi. And Anāhata cakra. Lower the hands. As we practice, our concentration on each cakra will become quicker. We will only need to think "Viśuddhi," and you will immediately feel that area. The backward bend is very good for the thyroid, and you will automatically feel that region. At Maṇipūra, you may feel a subtle hunger; at Anāhata, a beautiful expansion. Once again, with cakra concentration. Focus on Anāhata at the center of the chest. Viśuddhi. Maṇipūra. The right leg stays, the left goes back. Anāhata, center of the chest. The crown of the head—Sahasrāra. Concentration on the entire body. Then Svādhiṣṭhāna, near the pubic bone. The crown of the head—Sahasrāra. Again, right foot forward—Anāhata cakra. Maṇipūra near the navel. Viśuddhi. And Anāhata. Pause for a moment and lower the hands. One more time, and then we will begin integrating cakra concentration, movement, and mantra. It may seem complicated at first, but as Svāmījī says, when we first learned to drive a car, everything seemed too complicated. Now we can drive, change gears, observe, talk, and listen to the radio—though not exactly on the mobile phone—but we are capable of multitasking. However, practice is essential for all of this. Anāhata. Viśuddhi. Maṇipūra cakra. Anāhata. Sahasrāra, the crown of the head. The whole body. Svādhiṣṭhāna. Sahasrāra. Anāhata. Maṇipūra. Viśuddhi. And Anāhata. Lower the hands. Working with Cakras and Mantra There are several ways to work with cakras and mantra. Initially, you can repeat the mantra silently while maintaining full concentration on the cakra and performing the movement. This engages not only the mental aspect but also creates vibrations that affect our entire body and space more powerfully. We can also repeat the mantra aloud and then assume the āsana. Today, we will work with Gopāla chanting the mantras aloud while I guide you through the cakras, breath, and leg movements. We will divide the work, performing Surya Namaskāra in this integrated way. At times, as he chants, we will silently repeat the mantra within ourselves, synchronizing it with assuming each posture. Settle comfortably. You will hear the mantra; repeat it silently within. I will guide you through each cakra. Join the palms and focus on Anāhata. Oṃ Mitrāya Namaḥ. Inhale—Viśuddhi. Oṃ Ravāye Namaḥ. Exhale—Maṇipūra cakra. Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ. Step the right leg back. Oṃ Bhānavē Namaḥ. Exhale—crown of the head, Sahasrāra cakra. Oṃ Khagāya Namaḥ. Concentration on the entire body. Oṃ Pūṣṇē Namaḥ. Bhujaṅgāsana—Svādhiṣṭhāna cakra. Oṃ Hiraṇyagarbhāya Namaḥ. Sahasrāra cakra, crown of the head. Oṃ Marīcayē Namaḥ. Step the right leg forward—Anāhata. Oṃ Ādityāya Namaḥ. Maṇipūra cakra. Oṃ Sāvitrē Namaḥ. Viśuddhi cakra. Oṃ Arkāya Namaḥ. Anāhata. Oṃ Bhāskarāya Namaḥ. And release the hands. Second Cycle Anāhata cakra. Oṃ Mitrāya Namaḥ. Viśuddhi. Oṃ Ravāye Namaḥ. Maṇipūra cakra. Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ. Anāhata. Oṃ Bhānavē Namaḥ. Sahasrāra cakra. Oṃ Khagāya Namaḥ. Concentration on the entire body. Svādhiṣṭhāna cakra. Sahasrāra cakra. Anāhata cakra. Maṇipūra cakra. Viśuddhi cakra. Oṃ Ādityāya Namaḥ. Anāhata. Oṃ Bhāskarāya Namaḥ. Lower the hands once more. Third Cycle We will now lie down in Ānandāsana and feel the effects of Suryāya Namaḥ, the sun salutation. Anāhata. Oṃ Mitrāya Namaḥ. Viśuddhi. Oṃ Ravāye Namaḥ. Maṇipūra cakra. Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ. Anāhata. Oṃ Bhānavē Namaḥ. Sahasrāra cakra. Oṃ Khagāya Namaḥ. Concentration on the entire body. Oṃ Pūṣṇē Namaḥ. Svādhiṣṭhāna cakra. Oṃ Hiraṇyagarbhāya Namaḥ. Sahasrāra cakra. Oṃ Marīcayē Namaḥ. Anāhata cakra. Oṃ Sāvitrē Namaḥ. Maṇipūra cakra. Oṃ Arkāya Namaḥ. Viśuddhi. Oṃ Ādityāya Namaḥ. And Anāhata. Oṃ Bhāskarāya Namaḥ. Fourth Cycle Anāhata cakra. Oṃ Mitrāya Namaḥ. Viśuddhi. Oṃ Ravāye Namaḥ. Maṇipūra cakra. Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥ. Anāhata. Oṃ Bhānavē Namaḥ. Sahasrāra. Oṃ Khagāya Namaḥ. The whole body. Svādhiṣṭhāna cakra. Anāhata. Maṇipūra cakra. Viśuddhi. Anāhata. Oṃ Bhāskarāya Namaḥ. Now lie down in Namaskār posture. Take a slightly deeper breath in, exhale, and feel the effects of the Sun Salutation—Suryāya Namaḥ—on your body, breath, and consciousness. We will conclude here. After this practice, you can perform Prāṇāyāma, such as Nāḍīśodhana at the third level, Anuloma Viloma, and of course, meditation (Dhyāna, Cintana) according to the Yoga in Daily Life system.