A quick step-by-step of Surya Namaskar, an ancient ritual, misunderstood these days as a weight-loss fad.
Event – Darjeeling wellness retreat with Rujuta, April 2012

Details – Basics of a Suryanamaskar practice –
• Choose a fixed place at home, preferably a well ventilated one
• Fix a time to do it daily – sunrise or sunset are good times or you can even fix your time as pre-breakfast or post bath, whatever works best
• Breathe normally and take your time to learn the correct posture, no rush
• One on right, one on left together make one round. Video link below.

Special instructions to make progress –
1. If you have never done Suryanamaskar before –
• Start with 2 rounds every alternate day
• Graduate to 2 rounds every day from week 3
• Then add 1 round to your practice every alternate week
2. Doing it but not very regularly –
• Tie it to a non-negotiable, for example, won’t leave from home without the practice
• 5 a day is a good number, sustain that
• If you feel like doing 1 more, wait for 12 weeks. Train the mind to be consistent first.
3. Doing it regularly –
• Don’t take a break even on a Sunday
• Don’t drop below 5 or go beyond 12
• The idea is to get better with every step and not to mindlessly increase the number

Suryanamaskar – Special tips

1. Very tired – On a day you feel too hot, too exhausted, too tired, just drop the right half of the round where the right leg leads. Just do your rounds on the left and see how light you feel.
2. During periods – Feel free to listen to your body. Do them if you are in good shape, drop the number if you are exhausted.
3. A week before periods if there’s PMS – Start with 3 full rounds and end with 2 rounds only on left.
4. For back/ knee pain – Focus first on right technique. Skip the postures which aggravate the pain, but do the rest in the sequence.

One full round of SN = Full sequence leading from right leg + full sequence leading from left leg.