The Meaning of Sun Salutations in Ashtanga Yoga
Before stepping into any standing posture or flow, Ashtanga Yoga tradition always begins with Sun Salutations. But why?
Beyond being a warm-up or physical preparation, the meaning of Sun Salutations lies in their ability to awaken the body, activate the metabolism, center the breath, establish an inner attitude of trust and purify the mind. These seemingly simple movements are a sacred ritual—an offering to the inner and outer sun, the source of life, light, and consciousness.
Why We Start with Sun Salutations
In the traditional Ashtanga system, Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar A and B) are always practiced before any other asanas. This is not random. They build heat (tapas), activate prāṇa (life force), and regulate the nervous system through breath-synchronized movement (vinyāsa).
They are the gateway through which we transition from the ordinary world into the deeper state of yoga. That is part of the meaning of Sun Salutations—a daily rite of passage from distraction to presence.
The Sun and the Soul: A Symbol of Authentic Self
In many spiritual traditions, the sun is not only a cosmic force but a symbol of the soul—the radiant, unchanging center of our being. In Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) Surya refers to the soul—and their connection is no accident. The sun represents clarity, truth, and authentic presence. It is the heavenly body that emits light all by itself. Through it, all the other planets – all the other aspects of our psyche – shine by its reflection. To face the sun each day through Surya Namaskar is, symbolically, to face ourselves. To stand in our truth. The act of saluting the sun becomes a practice of realignment with who we really are, beneath conditioning and distraction. Over time, this ritual can strengthen not only our physical body but also our inner integrity—a quiet but powerful remembering of the self.
A Practice of Reverence and Realignment
Sun Salutations are not just movement sequences. They are devotional. They realign our inner compass. We bow to the sun not only in the sky, but in ourselves. The meaning of Sun Salutations includes this deep recognition: I am a part of nature, of light, of something greater than the ego-mind.
Through consistent, conscious practice, they become a mirror. A mirror for the breath, for the mind, for our deeper patterns.
Detoxing More Than Just the Body
We often think of detoxing as physical. But body and mind are inseparably connected and true purification also happens on the mental and emotional levels. Each breath, each movement in a Sun Salutation helps to release not only toxins from the body, but thoughts, impressions (samskāras), and emotional residues from the subtle body.
This process is beautifully described in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, Sutra 1.12:
Abhyāsa-vairāgya-ābhyāṁ tan-nirodhaḥ
“The fluctuations of the mind are stilled by the practice of awareness and detachment.”
What arises in practice—emotions, thoughts, insights—is part of this journey. We are not meant to suppress it but to see it, welcome it with compassion, and let it go.
Fascial Pathways and Energetic Flow
From a physiological perspective, Surya Namaskar engages the fascial meridians—the connective tissue lines that run throughout the body. These fascial trains, as described in Thomas Myers’ Anatomy Trains, are continuous lines of tension and movement that link muscles, organs, and bones. The arching, folding, and lengthening motions of the sun salutation hydrate and awaken these lines—especially the superficial back line, spiral line, and deep front line. This dynamic activation supports posture, balance, and overall fluidity. But more than that, fascia is now understood as a sensory and emotional tissue—a living matrix that stores memory and subtle energy. When we move through the sequence with breath and awareness, we’re not only mobilizing the body; we’re gently releasing the stories held in the tissues, creating space for new energy, insight, and freedom.
What Happens When You Practice Sun Salutations Daily for Six Months
Daily practice, even if simple, has a quiet power. One round of Surya Namaskar becomes two, then three—until the body starts to crave the rhythm, the breath, the movement. Over time, this small ritual becomes a point of return. A way to reconnect with yourself each day before the world begins to speak.
If practiced consistently for six months, even just 5 to 15 minutes a day, Surya Namaskar begins to shift us from the inside out.
The Body Responds First
Physically, you’ll notice improved flexibility, strength, and stability. The spine becomes more fluid. Posture realigns. The breath deepens. The cardiovascular system strengthens and the metabolism becomes more efficient. Muscles awaken, but so do the joints and connective tissues—especially the fascia, the intelligent web that ties everything together. With daily hydration through movement, fascia begins to release tension and restore its natural elasticity. You move more like yourself.
The Nervous System Learns a New Rhythm
Just as importantly, the nervous system recalibrates. Through breath-coordinated movement, the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response gives way to the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” state. You begin to feel safer in your own skin. The stress response softens. Your body starts to remember how to settle.
Each sun salutation becomes a rhythm of regulation—a way to wake with presence, anchor before transition, or wind down with grace. As the vagus nerve is gently toned, you become more responsive and less reactive. This is nervous system healing in motion.
Emotions Begin to Move and Clear
Emotionally, something beautiful begins to unfold. Stored or unprocessed feelings—grief, joy, anger, fatigue—may start to surface. Rather than overwhelming you, they rise and pass like waves. Movement allows them to move. You begin to notice what’s been buried not to analyze it, but to feel it—safely, slowly, and without story.
This is where Surya Namaskar becomes a practice of gentle emotional detox. Not a catharsis, but a clearing. An invitation to breathe through what comes and, little by little, to let go.
The Mind Becomes Quiet and Clear
Mentally, the repetition brings rhythm and rhythm brings stillness. The looping thoughts begin to lose their grip. You may find you enter a state of moving meditation—aware, grounded, connected. Over time, you begin to carry that clarity with you, off the mat and into the world. Little by little, you feel more like your Self – authentic and confident.
As Patanjali writes in Yoga Sutra 1.12:
Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan nirodhah
Through steady practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya), the movements of the mind are stilled.
This is the heart of the six-month journey. Not performance. Not perfection. Just practice. Steady, sincere, and spacious. And through that practice, the light within starts to shine a little more clearly, a little more consistently—like the rising sun itself.
The meaning of Sun Salutations is revealed through this steady, devoted practice. Not as something external to understand, but as something lived and embodied.
More of my offerings:
- Previous Blog Post on the Yoga Sutras
➤ If you haven’t, read the introduction to the Yoga Sutras here. - About me
➤ Want to know more about my background and yoga journey? Read more about me here. - Courses on Vedic Philosophy
➤ Would you like to learn more? Find a course here - Vedic Counselling
➤ Meet me for personal counselling in my Souls Space Sessions
More about the Yoga Sutras:
- Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
→ https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/yogasutr.htm
Ein Klassiker – vollständige Übersetzung der Yoga Sutras. - Yoga Journal – Sun Salutations Guide
→ https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/types/sun-salutations/
Ein gut verständlicher Überblick über verschiedene Variationen.