Words: Eva Kristlova
WHY WE PRACTICE YOGA AT OR BEFORE SUNRISE
The world awakens in the gentle embrace of dawn, where the sun spreads hues of orange and pink across the sky. Those who get up early and venture out to witness the sunrise often find a deeper connection with the spiritual aspect of life. The early morning hours, particularly at sunrise, hold a special place in various spiritual traditions and offer numerous benefits for the mind, body, and soul.
In various spiritual practices and beliefs, sunrise signifies the triumph of light over darkness, symbolising new beginnings. In Yogic philosophy, these early hours are a time considered most conducive for meditation and connecting with higher consciousness.
Many spiritual traditions consider the time before sunrise as an opportunity for prayers, affirmations, and introspection.
We practice yoga at sunrise to align with nature’s rhythms, which enhances mental clarity, energy, and a sense of calm, setting a balanced tone for the day. This early morning time, known as Brahma Muhurta, is considered auspicious, with clear, crisp air and a quiet atmosphere conducive to spiritual practice, promoting inner balance and spiritual growth. The practice also offers physical benefits like improved circulation, metabolism, and reduced physical stiffness from the night.
The pre-dawn hours are often the quietest and most serene. Witnessing the world coming to life, the tranquility of the sunrise hours
provides an ideal environment for meditation and introspection. In this stillness, you can find inner peace, clarity, and a respite from the noise and distractions of daily life.
BRAHMA MUHURTA
Brahma Muhurta is a sacred, quiet pre-dawn period for spiritual practice, lasting about 48 minutes and beginning roughly 1 hour and 36 minutes before sunrise. The Sanskrit term translates to “time of Brahma,” and this period is considered ideal for meditation, yoga, and other practices due to its peaceful atmosphere and high life-force (prana) energy, promoting spiritual focus and well being. To calculate the specific time for your location, simply subtract 1 hour and 36 minutes from the local sunrise time.
BENEFITS
Spiritual & Mental Benefits
- Align with Nature: Sunrise is a transitional, transitional period of shifting environmental energies, and practicing yoga helps align your mind with these natural rhythms. Sunrise reminds us of the interconnectedness of all living beings. By aligning our waking hours with the natural rhythm of the earth, we attune ourselves to the harmonious flow of the universe, fostering a sense of oneness.
- Mental Clarity & Focus: The quiet and serene environment of the early morning allows for enhanced focus, concentration, and a clear mind. With the mind uncluttered by the day’s demands, the early hours offer clarity of thought. It’s a time when insights come naturally, providing solutions to problems, and illuminating the path ahead. The peace and stillness of the morning can help you manage and reduce stress, setting a positive tone for the day.
- Spiritual Connection: The Brahma Muhurta is considered a divine time for intense introspection and spiritual practice, fostering a deeper connection with oneself and the universe.
Physical Benefits
The early morning practice will boost your energy levels. The more your body moves, the more every cell in your body moves, and the cellular oxygenation levels increase, creating a refreshing sensation in your body and you feel energetic for the entire day. This also leads to a reduction in your stress levels.
- Boosted Energy: Morning yoga increases cellular oxygenation, providing a natural and refreshing energy boost to start the day.
- Improved Metabolism & Digestion: The practice helps stimulate metabolism and improve digestion, preparing your body to absorb nutrients throughout the day.
- Reduced Stiffness: Gentle morning yoga releases the joint stiffness and muscular tension that can accumulate overnight.
- Balance Hormones & Sleep: A sunrise practice can help regulate your sleep rhythm and balance hormones, leading to more restful sleep at night.
Setting a Positive Tone
- A Clear Start: Practicing yoga at sunrise helps cultivate a positive attitude and a sense of inner balance, which can prepare you for the day’s challenges. As you meditate, engage in yoga, or simply sit in contemplation, you can let go of emotional burdens and negative energies that may have accumulated over time. This positivity not only boosts our mood but also radiates into our interactions, making our day more harmonious and joyful.
- Daily Routine: It helps integrate yoga into your daily life and establish a healthy, consistent routine that promotes overall well being.
WHAT DOES SUNRISE MEAN SPIRITUALLY?
The sunrise symbolises birth, growth, new beginnings of all kinds, and resurrection. Every sunrise gives you a new beginning and new ending. Let the morning be a new beginning to a better relationship and a new ending to the challenging situations. It’s an opportunity to enjoy life, breathe freely, think, and love.
WHY MEDITATE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING?
Increased focus: By taking time for morning meditation, you’re training your mind to concentrate and stay present. This means you might find it easier to focus on your work or studies later in the day. Decreased stress: Meditating in the morning can help manage life’s stresses.
EFFECTS OF SUNRISE ON THE BODY
Morning sunlight can boost your mood and lower stress.
Alongside a cortisol increase, morning sunlight initiates a cascade of positive changes associated with better mood and mental clarity, including an increase in serotonin. Serotonin is a feel-good chemical that boosts your mood, and later, converts to melatonin.
SUNRISE AND OUR EMOTIONAL STATE
Every new day begins with a sunrise that symbolises hope, new beginnings, and the promise of a brighter future. It is a sign that every day is a new opportunity to make a fresh start. It gives us hope to start all over again and leave the past behind.
The exposure to natural light can stimulate the production of hormones like serotonin, which is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being. Starting your day with a positive mindset can set the tone for the rest of the day.
SUNRISE QUOTES
“A new day is a new opportunity to shine.”
“The beauty of the sunrise reminds us that even the darkest moments pass.” “Wake up with the sun and chase your dreams.”
“A sunrise is a daily reminder that hope is always on the horizon.”
Each sunrise is a birth of a new day. Each new day is a new opportunity to do what you love with your life.
Incorporating the spiritual aspects of sunrise hours into your daily routine can be a transformative experience. Whether through meditation, yoga, prayer, or simply quiet contemplation, it offers an opportunity to connect with your inner self, the universe, and the deeper spiritual truths of life. As the first rays of sunlight touch your skin, let them also touch your soul and awaken the spiritual essence within you. Sunrise is a daily reminder that, just as the sun rises each day, so can you rise to your full potential.
In a fast-paced world, it’s a reminder to pause and enjoy the moment. It fills you with hope. No matter what happened yesterday, the sunrise reminds you that a new day brings new possibilities. It teaches patience.
What can you expect at the Sunrise Yoga practice
A Sunrise Yoga practice can be designed to energise and awaken the body and mind with gentle, flowing movements like Cat-Cow, Sun Salutations, and Warrior poses. The practice can begin with quiet, mindful movements, warming up and loosening the body, progressing to hands and knees, then to standing poses like Mountain Pose, and a few rounds of Sun Salutations. The practice can conclude in a seated meditation and Savasana, enjoying a moment of peace. Witnessing the world coming to life, the tranquillity of the sunrise hours provides an ideal environment for meditation and introspection. In this stillness, you can find inner peace, clarity, and a respite from the noise and distractions of daily life.
SUNRISE YOGA NEAR YOU
Why not to contact your local yoga studio and see if they offer any early morning classes so you too can feel the enormous benefits of Sunrise Yoga.
Yoga Life Studio in Eastbourne runs Sunrise yoga classes on the beach and it is such a wonderful experience. Please do get in touch to find out about our next Sunrise class, it will be worth a visit! We also include sunrise classes on our yoga retreats. There is one in particular that we will never forget! Whilst enjoying sunrise Sun Salutations on the top deck of a yacht this spring, a pod of wild dolphins swam past us gracing us with their auspicious presence, a breathtaking encounter that will stay with us forever.
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