The twelve names of the sun

With cold feet and a warm heart, I have just returned from watching the midwinter solstice sun emerge from the night sky as it rises over Glastonbury Tor, a well observed ritual within my community. Sun worship is an ancient practice; early humans evolved spiritual beliefs and rituals that reflected their relationship with the natural world, and created symbols and deities representing the sun as a symbol of consciousness.

The sun is referenced liberally throughout ancient Indian texts and in the physical yogic tradition, we have surya namaskara, sun salutations, which are performed daily before sunrise. It is a flowing breath linked sequence of postures that generate prana, purifying and rejuvenating the practitioner.

I love the timelessness of surya namaskara and how, as we move through the poses we are connecting ourselves with thousands of years of yogic wisdom and honouring our connection to the rythms of nature. On a study trip to India three years ago I was introduced to a set of bija (seed) mantras that accompany surya namaskara, thus giving a complete and powerful spiritual practice. The sun is named in between each of the thirteen rounds, praising its aspects as follows:

Om mitraya namaha – the sun as friend
Om ravaye namaha – he who shines
Om suryaya namaha – dynamic aspect
Om bhanave namaha – remover of darkness and illusion
Om khagaya namaha - by whom we measure time
Om pushne namaha - who bestows strength and nourishment
Om hiranyagarbhya namaha – the golden germ of all life
Om marichaye namaha - Lord of the dawn, he who illuminates
Om adityaya namaha – the cosmic mother, boundless and inexhaustible
Om savitre namaha - vivifying and stimulating
Om arkaya namaha – source of life and energy
Om bhaskaraya namaha – revealing all truths and showing the path to enlightenment

The practice concludes:
Om sri savitre surya narayanaya namaha – salutations to the universal spirit

Using mantras in conjunction with the physical form allows us connect to and awaken these divine qualities and thereby embrace the tremendous strength and potential that exists within.