You have heard of Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar, the yoga poses that you do in the morning to wake up the body and greet the sun but have you heard of the Moon Salutation that helps you channel the lunar energy? The yoga sequence of the Moon Salutation are cooling and enhances creativity, balances the functioning of the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems. Add Chandra Namaskar to your practice to help stretch and strengthen the spine, hamstrings, backs of legs and stomach muscles.
Yoga is a perfect exercise to practice from home or when traveling. You can turn any space into a yoga studio. All you need are some nice yoga pants (I love the style and support of these eco-friendly ones) and, a good yoga mat, some pillows, and start your practice today!
WHAT IS IN THIS POST
Benefits of practicing the Moon Salutation
Many cultures revere the moon as a manifestation of the divine feminine force, try to tune into that energy as you honor all the phases of the moon and the cycles of your life.
Just as the moon waxes and wanes every month, we are constantly moving through different phases of life. As I enter my fifties, I find these yoga help balance my stress hormones.
I move through chandra namaskara slowly – intentionally and mindfully maintaining a smooth, slow, diaphragmatic breath.
The yoga poses of the Moon Salutation has a meditative, and calming quality and helps in preparing the body and the mind for a restful night’s sleep.
Start the day with the 12 poses of the Sun Salutation stimulates the metabolism and the digestive, respiratory, circulatory and reproductive systems and end the day with the Moon Salutation.
The Moon Salutation or Chandra Namaskar Sequence
There are many variations of the individual Yoga Poses in the Moon Salutation sequence. The following sequence is the one I follow. While I haven’t perfected the yoga poses by any means, I’m already seeing the benefits of the Moon salutations.
1. Standing Mountain Pose
Stand with your feet hip-width apart in the middle of your mat. Bring your palms together in prayer position in front of your chest, resting your thumbs on your sternum, and take a couple of deep gentle breaths.
2. Half Moon Pose (URDHVA HASTASANA)
Inhale as you raise your arms overhead. Interlace your fingers and point your index fingers to the ceiling. Exhale as you bend your upper torso to the left. Keep your feet grounded and your thighs firmly engaged. Inhale, come back to the center. Exhale, bend to the right, and then inhale to come back to the center. Exhale, and bring your hands to your chest in namaste.
3. Goddess Pose (UTKATA KONASANA)
Inhale as you step your left foot wide apart from your right and turn your toes out slightly. Exhale as you bend your knees directly over your toes and lower your hips into a squat. Inhale, extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height with your palms facing outward. Exhale, bend your elbows, and point your fingertips toward the ceiling. You can also bring the tips of your index finger and thumb together.
Picture and sequence credit: https://www.artofliving.org/
4. Five Pointed Star Pose (UTTHITA TADASANA)
Inhale as you straighten your knees and elbows, keeping your feet wide apart. Extend your arms in line with your shoulders with palms facing upward. Spread your fingers as if you want to reach sideways through your fingertips.
5. Triangle Pose (TRIKONASANA)
Rotate your left foot 90 degrees, toes point to the left side. Turn your right toes in slightly (5-15 degrees). Exhale as you reach through your left hand on the left side and then fold sideways at the left hip. Rest your left hand on the outside of your shin or ankle and extend your right hand straight up to the ceiling.
6. Pyramid Pose (PARSVOTTANASANA)
Inhale as you lower your right arm to stretch it on the right side in line with your shoulder and turn your torso to the left side. Exhale as you fold your torso over your left leg. Rest both hands on your lower leg, foot, or the floor.
7. Low Crescent Lunge (ANJANEYASANA)
As you inhale, lift both your arms up and bend backward in the crescent moon. As you exhale, gently fold forward, resting your palms on the mat in line with your left foot.
8. Low Side Lunge (SKANDASANA)
Turn around, rotate your left foot, leg and torso to face forward, keeping your left knee bent, and lower your tailbone. Exhaling, extend your right leg, turn your right toes forward or keep them facing the right side and your palms on the mat.
9. Garland Pose (MALASANA)
Alternatively, to deepen the pose, inhale as you step your left foot towards your right and lower your tailbone, coming into a low squat. Bring your upper arms to the inside of your knees. Press your elbows against the inside of your knees and bring your palms together in prayer position or open lotus mudra. Exhale fully. Keep your feet as wide apart as needed to feel firm and steady.
From here on you continue the poses to come back to the original position of mountain pose.
10. Low Side Lunge
Inhale as you extend your left leg to the left. Exhale as you slide your torso toward your right foot, and place your hands on the floor to the inside of your right foot. If difficult, rest your hands on your right thigh instead of on the floor.
11. Low Crescent Lunge
Inhale and turn your right foot to point to the right of your mat, and align your right knee over the right ankle. Rotate your left leg inward and bring your left knee to the floor, pressing through the top of your left foot. Exhale and place your fingertips on the mat in front of you. Inhale, raise up and stretch your arms up and back to come into a crescent shape.
12. Pyramid Pose
Inhale as you straighten both legs. Exhale and fold your torso over your right leg. Rest both hands on your lower leg, foot, or the floor. Ground down through the heel of your back foot.
13. Triangle Pose
Inhale as you extend your left hand straight up to the ceiling, opening your torso to the right. Rest your right hand on the outside of your left shin or ankle. Exhale fully.
14. Star Pose
Inhale as you straighten your knees and elbows, keeping your feet wide apart. Extend your arms in line with your shoulders with palms facing upward. Spread your fingers as if you want to reach sideways through your fingertips.
15. Goddess Pose
Exhale as you bend your knees directly over your toes and lower your hips into a squat. Bend your elbows and point your fingertips toward the ceiling, bringing your tips of index finger and thumb to touch each other.
16. Half Moon Pose
Inhale as you straighten your legs. Turn your toes forward and step your left foot next to your right. At the same time, sweep your arms out to the side and overhead. Interlace your fingers and point your index fingers to the ceiling. Exhale as you bend your upper torso to the left. Keep your feet grounded and your thighs firmly engaged. Inhale and come back to the center. Exhale as you bend to the right, and then inhale to come back to the center. Exhale as you release your arms.
17. Standing Mountain Pose
Bring your palms together in prayer position. Rest your thumbs on your sternum and take a couple of gentle breaths.
This is half of the moon salutation. To complete the second half, start over and do all steps leading with the right, and in steps 10-16 focus on the opposite side.
When to do Chandra Namaskar
Moon Salutation is best practiced in the evening or at night, especially when the moon is visible. Do it a couple of hours after your meal and that the stomach is empty before practising these asanas.
Après Yoga
You can stop with the Sun and Moon Salutution yoga poses of the or add a couple more poses that help with the posture, back pain and kness. I like to do Ustrasana or camel pose and the bridge pose.
Camel pose is a more convenient backbend yoga pose that may help strengthen muscles and maintain breathing. It is a flexible pose with many variations that can be done using props and different arm positions. Ustrasana is a mild form of postural exercise that, when practiced, induces deeper relaxation.
After yoga, I like to sip on a warm Wellness tea like lemon ginger turmeric tea or ginger pear white tea during the winter monthis or some cooling cucumber water in summer.
I notice a feeling of serenity that stays with me after doing just one or town cycles of the Moon Salutations. I hope this post inspires you to try out a few poses and find your center of calm too!
Sending you much Love,
Priya
Featured Image by: Image by Josep Monter Martinez from Pixabay
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