Feel your inner Sun, bring philosophy to your practice

Reading a book on Ayurveda and its philosophical concepts, I found a really beautiful theory. It says that the soul is the power of creation itself. It is not only proper to man, but to animals and plants, and any other created things in the universe. All has a soul, like scattered sparks of the Purusha, the one ultimate consciousness. In our microcosmos everything reflects the principles of the Universe. The light and all source of life force is the Sun in the cosmos, alike in the human, the soul is represented like our inner light that sustains and energizes our whole system. The soul is like our secret, our inner sun located somewhere in our heart region.

In sanskrit there is the term, Hiranyagarbha, or the golden cosmic self, which is also the source of creation. This is a potential state prior to manifestation. Everything was born out of this so it is also called the golden egg, or the golden womb. And in Ayurveda, the soul of a man is also like a golden egg, a golden womb in the heart region which contains the seed of our being. It contains our human potential as our soul's desires and motivations are shaping our karma, our history in this life. By the magnetism created by the soul everything we want is attracted to us. On a more physical plane, this magnetism is the one responsible for holding together our body parts and creating the energy that help our system to be sustained.

I love this theory. Imagine, you have a precious thing inside your chest, that is like the treasurebox of your potentials, your life and energy. You have a Sun inside. You are light if you want to. You just need to see this and nurture it day by day. And here comes this beautiful energising practice in the morning called Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation.
Every yoga school offer this practice to your attention. This is such a great all in one set of exercises which moves your whole body. Once you dig into the topic, you can find entire books dedicated to the benefits of Surya Namaskar. It is amazing to see the scientifical evidences proving how it works not only on your muscles, but on your endocrine and cardio-vascular systems, your organs, your hormones, your emotions, and even on your psychic channels, the chakras. This is why it is so praised, because you get basically all the benefits of a yoga practice only by a regular routine of the Sun salutation. I heard many authors and teachers say that if you do your practice every day, then you don't need to be afraid of illnessess and you will grow old with dignity. At least this aspect should make daily sun salutions "most wanted", since I see so many struggling with annoying physical and health conditions as early as their mid-thirties! Mental and physical flexibility is the gateway to well-being in body and soul, since on the energetic level your prana, your vital force can only flow through a 'mobile' body, which is free from blockages.
So think about that daily 15 minutes it takes to do six full rounds.

You can also do the Sun salutations with mantras, if you want to work on your psyche. Just very briefly, all these mantras are the different names of the Sun, logical, since we try to salute the Sun as the symbolic giver of energy. Ok, you may call this only respect for the ancient Indian culture but then check out the seventh mantra.
OM HIRANYAGHARBHAYA NAMAHA. = Salutation to the Golden Cosmic Self.

Does it ring some bells?

See, there is this little hint in the mantras, that you are also a source of creation. You have the seed of infinite potentials within you. But it is all your responsibility, it is up to you what you do with it.

If you want to work on yourself, then I would like to share my practice with you. Just before starting your sun salutes, stand for a minute in tadasana, simple standing pose, hand in namaste in front of your chest and just try to feel the connection between your palms and the heart. Close your eyes and focus on your heartbeat. Just imagine this little golden egg or seed inside, or just imagine a little point of light. Feel your body and take note of your current state. Then do your rounds. Try to do at least 6 full rounds, then you also have the chance to go through all the mantras if you wish to. And when you finished, just stop again in tadasana as explained. Again try to feel the connection, and think about your little treasure box where all is possible. Scan again your body and try to feel the flow of energy. Compare it to the initial phase, and just contemplate on it for a minute or two.


Be aware, that you are a sparkle, and you can create light and brightness around you. Never forget, Yoga is the path of fire.