Awakening the sun within

by Medha Bhaskar

The sun has been conceived as the source from which life on Earth emanates and has stood at the centre of human worship since the Bronze Age (~3000 BC). Across civilizations, it has been revered as the dispeller of darkness, the keeper of rhythm, and the quiet architect of life itself. In the Vedic pantheon, the sun appears as Surya, one of its most important deities, honoured through temples, festivals, and daily ritual. In Sumerian-Akkadian culture, he is Shamash. In Greek mythology, Helios. In Germanic traditions, Sol. In Zoroastrianism, Mitra. In Shinto, Amaterasu. In Incan cosmology, Inti. Proto–Indo-European thought imagined the sun as the eye of the sky-father Dyeus — a cosmic organ of perception. Many yogic texts describe the inner spirit as “shining like a thousand suns.”

The sun's legacy across civilisations

Our language and expressions still carry this solar legacy. We speak of brilliance, radiance, and sunny dispositions. Illumination is synonymous with understanding. A place “where the sun doesn’t shine” suggests both physical and psychological darkness and depression is attributed to the loss of the sun’s warm embrace. Even our most calming visualisations in meditation often revolve around sunrise and sunset, when the world appears briefly suspended in balance.

The sun is at the centre of life as we experience it. The sun is said to not only illuminate our world, but our own souls by waking us up (presence), and bringing light (discernment) and transforming our being (metabolism). In yoga, we believe that the outer universe is reflected in our inner being, and thus, solar energy is one of the two polar forces that regulate our natural rhythm.

Within the body, solar energy represents the principle of fire, movement, and will. Poetic traditions describe it as outward-flowing, stimulating, masculine force. It helps us wake in the morning, sharpens the appetite, and brings a sense of freshness to life. Channelled primarily through the Pingala Nadi (the solar pathway that runs along the right side of the spine), it governs digestion, muscle tone, posture, and endurance. It converts food into fuel and prepares the body for action. In the mind, it fuels ambition, discipline, and drive. Further, solar energy concentrates in the Manipura Chakra, closely associated with the solar plexus, a dense network of nerves beneath the rib cage. This center is responsible for the process of self-definition. Working with solar energy at the Manipura cultivates a sense of Self that is resilient, rooted, and beyond threat. The sun is often depicted holding the Dharmachakra, the wheel of law and order, suggesting that courage, discernment, and moral clarity are regulated by this solar intelligence. 

Dharma Chakra at Konark Sun Temple

When this energy is balanced, we feel clear and charged, capable of sustained effort and decisive action. Without it, we become cold, heavy, lethargic, withdrawn and unmotivated. Inertia sets in and we feel it in the body as slowed metabolism, circulation issues and a dull and unresponsive nervous system. This manifests as constant fatigue, reliance on stimulants, and the sense of having to push yourself through even simple tasks.

But, on the flipside, solar energy has a sharp edge. When it burns too hot, the same force that builds life begins to consume it. Excess Pingala shows up as agitation, irritability, overheating, inflammation, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, and burnout. Hunger becomes erratic and you feel a loss of rhythm as the rest that you take feels inadequate. The mind refuses to shut down. You may know this pattern too: being wired but tired, driven but depleted, productive but constantly on edge.

So what does balance look like? The ability to channelise solar energy results in a harmonious circadian rhythm of activity and rest, inner strength and confidence, and a clear, perceptive mind. In fact, Yogis have used this energy for spiritual growth for centuries. We believe that this potent vital energy can clear internal obstacles that cloud perception and action (burning karmic imprints). 

So how does one work with the Sun’s energy?

For a hatha yoga practitioner, working with solar energy is about learning to identify the sun’s effect,  and cultivating it through balance in order to build an effortless life. 

Traditionally, solar practices are placed early in the day, when the nervous system is naturally shifting from rest to activity. Exposure to daylight, regular movement, warm nourishing food, consistent sleep, and daily routines that respect natural timing all support this current. Without these, even the most refined practice struggles to take root.

In an interesting exploration of the sun’s energy, Rama is said to have received the Aditya Hrudayam from Sage Agastya before the battle of Lanka. A fatigued, contemplative Rama was taught this set of mantras to regain inner conviction and strength to face Ravana. This surge in the strong solar current is said to have helped Rama stabilise attention and be clear in the face of the biggest battle of his life. 

Thus, to wake us up from slumber or dullness, asana, pranayama, mantra, and meditation. In this, Surya Namaskara remains one of the most effective tools. The vigorous practice of alternating action of forward folds, backbends, lunges, and inversions raises the heart rate, mobilises the spine, and pushes circulation into every part of the body. Practised alongside the breath, it generates heat without frenzy and establishes rhythm, increasing energy in the body. This is why it often forms the opening sequence of a Hatha Yoga practice: it prepares the body and mind for deeper, subtler work that follows at the end. Suryanamaskaras 

Solar energy is also cultivated in standing postures that require the legs to support the body’s weight and maintain steadiness. These postures build endurance, confidence, and postural integrity. Backbends demand a different quality of solar engagement: courage without aggression, openness without collapse. Abdominal work strengthens the solar centre at the Manipura Chakra, supporting digestion, willpower, and emotional resilience.

Pranayama offers more direct access to this current. Kapalabhati and Bhastrika are deliberate encounters with internal heat, sharpening attention while stimulating metabolism. Surya Bhedana, right-nostril breathing, specifically activates Pingala Nadi, increasing alertness and readiness for action. These practices are powerful and must be used judiciously, with sensitivity to one’s current state.

To awaken the sun within is to reconnect with a force humans have oriented themselves around for millennia. A strong solar current gives the capacity to act. A balanced one gives the wisdom to act well. For the practitioner, the real inquiry lies here: where does your energy need kindling, and where does it need restraint? Learning to answer that is the heart of working with the sun.