By Atul Vyas
According to Indian philosophy, God has three attributes – creation, sustenance, and dissolution respectively. The creative aspect of God is called Brahma, the sustaining aspect as Vishnu, and the dissolution aspect as shiva. All these three aspects are present in Sun and Sun plays a very important role. Therefore, Sun is the aspect of the universe that can be called Trinity in one, and one in Trinity.
It is believed that Lord Rama invoked Sun God through a solar hymn of divine light ‘The Aditya Hridayam’ composed by powerful sage Agastya. Lord Ram prayed to the Sun god to bestow him with unlimited power and energy to score a victory over the powerful demon Ravana.
Sun salutation, similar to the solar hymn, is also a powerful form of prayer, which has the potential to give unlimited power and energy to the performer.
The eighth pose of Sun salutation is called Parvatasana, the mountain pose. In this pose, the body forms a geometrical pattern of a triangle representing the Holy Trinity. The hip bones form the apex of this Triangle. While legs and hands form other two angles with the earth. When the hips are pushed towards the sky, the flow of Apana prana, the downward moving energy responsible for elimination, effortlessly moves upwards from the base chakra to the navel chakra and then to the heart chakra.
In this pose, all three bandhs namely throat, abdominal, and root lock are executed effortlessly.
Technique:
- Moving from Bhujangasana, straighten the legs, tucking the toes under, raising the hips up
- Straighten arms and push body backward, look towards naval
- Soles of both feet must stay flat on the floor
- Body weight should be equally distributed between hands and feet
- Breath normal
- Focus on the throat or vishudhi chakra
Benefits:
- Immense expansion of consciousness
- Makes spine strong and flexible as it strengths erector spinal muscles
- Strengthens arms, legs, arches of the foot
- Lengthens hamstring, and calf muscles
- The peristaltic activity of the intestine is increased
- Stimulates Thymus, Thyroid, and parathyroid glands
- The natural uddiyan bandh (abdominal lock) and root lock are executed
- Regulates nervous system
Caution:
People suffering from high blood pressure and dizziness should avoid this pose.
(The author likes to be called a “Yoga Scientist.” He is a celebrity yoga trainer and has trained several top Hollywood and Bollywood stars. He has trained for years under many eminent yoga gurus including his illustrious mother Daya Vyas, the first lady yoga guru of India.)
