Settling after Surya Namaskar

This evening I split my practice into two sessions and was able to observe the effects of taking a moment to settle down after a dynamic set of poses like Surya Namaskar.

The practice of Surya Namaskar is well documented to have many health benefits and for my Yoga teachers it is taken seriously as a warmup prior to Asana, Pranyama and Meditation. I read a book documenting the many benefits of the practice which was prescribed as a general wellness tonic that provides the body with a range of benefits in addition to its energising payoff.

This evening I was conscious to ensure that I kept a brief period of time following the practice to settle the body down to a restful and easy state and the close of the practice. This allowed me to observe the pace of the heart slow, the breath ease into a gentle rising and falling, down from the intensity of the practice.

I often skip this crucial phase in the practice and it can leave me overly energised and distracted at the close of practice or make it difficult to settle into the pranyama and meditation.