Flowing quietly with the sun, the practice of
Surya Kriya awakens the light within and fills the soul with vibrant energy
Opening The Energy Body
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is a well-known yoga sequence that honors the life-giving energy of the sun. Daily practice improves energy flow in the body, oxygenates blood, exercises all major muscles, and makes the spine more flexible.
It is most often used as a warm-up for yoga practice, but has a much deeper potential, though often ignored, as a kundalini kriya.
Kriyas are actions performed in sequence to achieve a specific outcome and include yoga poses, pranatamas and sound. For each kriya, there are precise instructions on how long to hold poses, where the gaze should be directed, and how to breathe.
Flipping The Power Switch
When combined with focused awareness on the chakras, the practice of Surya Namaskar becomes a powerful tool for awakening, balancing, and channeling prana (life energy) throughout the body. This variation—known as kundalini kriya—integrates breath control, mantra, visualization, and bandhas (energy locks) to activate Kundalini Shakti—the dormant energy located at the base of the spine.
Each posture within the sequence corresponds to a specific chakra, allowing practitioners to systematically stimulate and harmonize their energy centers. By directing awareness to the chakras—root to crown—the flow of prana is enhanced, clearing energetic blockages and elevating consciousness. This kriya not only strengthens the body but also refines the mind, cultivating inner clarity, vitality, and a deep spiritual awareness.
For dedicated kundalini yoga students working to release physical, emotional and energy blocks from the body, surya kriya helps open up the energy body and is an important step towards achieving a kundalini awakening.
The Practice of Surya Kriya
Surya Kriya is not just a practice; it is a dance with the sun itself, a silent prayer woven into the breath and body. It aligns your inner light with the life-giving energy of the sun, the source of energy that sustains life. Using a sequence of controlled but fluid movements, rhythmic breathing, sound, and focused attention, Surya Kriya channels the radiant power of the sun, awakening your inner fire and bringing balance to the body, mind, and spirit.
The sun, a timeless symbol of vitality and illumination, mirrors the boundless potential within. Surya Kriya is an invitation to step into that potential—to bask in the light of your own being, and to absorb the sun’s energy and allow it to transform you from the inside out.
1. The Breath Of Life (Pranayama)
The practice begins with Ujjayi Pranayama, the “victorious breath,” and gateway between the physical and the spiritual. With each inhale, draw in the energy of the universe, and with each exhale, release what no longer serves you. This breath is a grounding anchor and a soaring lift. As you constrict the back of the throat ever so slightly, you create a sound—the hum of the cosmos—connecting you with the deep rhythm of the world around you.
Every breath carries you deeper into the practice. Each inhale is a call to awaken, each exhale a surrender to the process. Eventually you become only the movement itself. It is here that your journey into Surya Kriya begins.
2. The Flow of Movement (Asanas)
Surya Kriya unfolds through a sequence of asanas. These movements stretch the body, awaken the spirit, and activate prana. Each pose flows into the next like the sun’s rays spreading over the earth—seamless movement, powerful, transformative.
This is the heart of the practice: Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar). More than a sequence of movements; it is an invocation. As you rise from a standing position, folding forward into a deep stretch, the earth meets the sky. In plank pose, your body becomes a bridge between worlds—strengthened and focused. In cobra pose, the chest opens wide, embracing the sun’s warmth, while your spine lifts toward the heavens. Each stretch, each bend, is a deliberate action that taps into the deep currents of energy flowing through you.
Surya Kriya is not about speed or perfection but about attuning your body to the sun’s rhythm. With each movement, you become more in tune with the ebb and flow of life itself.
3. Meditation With The Sun (Surya Dhyana)
In the stillness that follows the movement, you enter Surya Dhyana, the meditation that aligns your energy with the sun’s rays. Here, you close your eyes and envision the sun’s golden light descending through the crown of your head, filling you with its warmth and vitality. Imagine this light flowing into every part of your being, illuminating your inner landscape, washing away the shadows. With each breath, you draw in the sun’s radiance, and with each exhale, you release any tension or negativity, making space for clarity and joy.
This meditation is an invitation to merge with the sun’s divine essence. Feel the warmth of its light and how it nourishes your spirit, bringing lightness to your thoughts and serenity to your emotions. You are the sun, and the sun is you—together.
4. Integration And Rest (Closing)
As Surya Kriya comes to a close, the body moves into a restful state, grounding the energy that has been awakened. Savasana, the pose of total relaxation, allows the body to absorb the vitality generated during the practice. Here, you lie still, letting the breath settle and the energy flow freely.
The closing is a reminder that even in moments of stillness, energy continues to move, and the sun’s light never fades. It is a time for your mind to quiet, and your spirit to bask in the glow of the inner sun that has been lit. Your practice has seeded new vitality in your being, and now, like the sun at sunset, you rest, knowing that you will rise again with the dawn.
Navigating The Chakra System
Chakras are the energy centers of the body, acting like gateways through which life force (prana) flows. In Kundalini Yoga, they play a crucial role in spiritual awakening, energy balance, and overall wellbeing. Imagine them as spinning wheels of light, each with a unique frequency that influences different aspects of your mind, body, and soul.
As you practice breathwork (pranayama), movement (poses), and mantra chanting, the kundalini energy awakens and start to travel upward through the chakras. Each chakra it touches unlocks a new level of awareness and transformation.
The Seven Gates To Heaven
The journey starts at the root chakra (Muladhara), where we find stability and grounding. As energy moves up, it reaches the sacral chakra (Svadhisthana), unlocking creativity and passion. The solar plexus (Manipura) fuels confidence and personal power, while the heart chakra (Anahata) connects us to love and compassion. Higher up still, the throat chakra (Vishuddha) awakens truth and expression, the third eye (Ajna) enhances intuition, and the crown chakra (Sahasrara) opens us to divine consciousness.
When chakras are blocked, energy stagnates, leading to emotional, mental, or physical imbalances. But when they are open and aligned, life flows effortlessly, bringing clarity, joy, and spiritual connection. The practice of kundalini kriya is designed to activate these energy centers, helping you unlock your fullest potential.
Balancing The Scales
In Kundalini Yoga, chakras are the map to self-discovery and enlightenment.
By understanding and working with your chakras, you can experience deep transformation—awakening your inner power, expanding your awareness, and stepping into a life of balance and purpose.
Many students impatiently try to activate the higher chakras. But, it is important to first deal with trauma and blockages present in the lower chakras. Building a solid foundation is essential for a stable and lasting Kundalini awakening. If this is your goal, prioritizing Surya Kriya in your daily practice is key.
Evolution of Practice
Evolving your Sun Salutation into Surya Kriya involves three phases:
1. Correct practice
In the first phase, you need to learn the right way to practice sun salutation in flow with full mastery of each movement. You don’t need to be perfect, but it is important that you know the correct positions as you move through them. Only when you have mastered inhaling and exhaling through the full sequence of movements are you ready to internalize the energy of the sun.
2. Dynamic meditation
In the second phase you are ready to immerse yourself in a dynamic meditation mode. You initiate by centering yourself and finding that space of inner stillness between your body and mind. Close your eyes and imagine the heat of the sun entering into your body. Then perform the movements as a meditation moving slowly with deep awarenss of the breath.
3. Chakra energy
In the last phase, you focus on how the energy is moving through your chakras, shifting from one chakra to another. You may chant mantras that acknowledge the power and the greatness of the sun. If you feel uncomfortable with reciting mantras as you move, you can also recite these prior to each movement or you can say the mantras while you are moving.
Where To Practice
You can practice Surya Kriya any place where you feel cozy and secure. Practicing in nature can intensify the experience. I have personally experienced the sensation of floating while practicing in nature. You can completely lose yourself in a deep meditation mode when you practice nearby the waves of the sea, the wind moving in leaves or where apples are falling from a tree.
The Gifts of Surya Kriya
Surya Kriya offers a wealth of benefits, not just for the body but for the entire being. On a physical level, it enhances strength, flexibility, and endurance, nourishing the body with each movement. It boosts circulation, improves digestion, and revitalizes the organs, bringing balance and harmony to your physical health.
Mentally, Surya Kriya sharpens focus, reduces stress, and creates a sense of inner calm. The practice quiets the mind, allowing you to connect more deeply with the present moment. It opens the heart to joy and clarity, fostering a sense of peace and self-awareness.
Spiritually, Surya Kriya awakens your inner potential. It helps you connect to the deeper rhythms of life, allowing you to live with more intention, more energy, and more grace. As you align with the sun’s energy, you tap into your own radiant light, becoming more attuned to the world around you.
Summary
Surya Kriya is a creative, powerful journey—a dance with the sun, a symphony of breath, movement, and light. It is an invitation to awaken to your highest potential, to connect deeply with the life force that flows through you, to live with more energy, clarity, and peace.
Surya Kriya is a vibrant yoga practice where the practitioner flows through 12 asanas in a continuous cycle. Each movement is harmonized with the breath, the power of chanting, and focused visualization. It is more than an immersive experience, it is preparation for personal transformation.
Each time you practice is an offering, a chance to align with the divine energy that sustains life, and to embody that radiance in your own being. Just as the sun rises each day, Surya Kriya invites you to rise, and embrace the light within.
References
- A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Surya Namaskar and Associated Health Benefits, Dr. Anushri Netke, IJFMR Volume 6, Issue 4, July-August 2024. DOI 10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i04.25329
