Moon Salutation | Chandra Namaskar

Chandra Namaskar / Moon Salutations

#moonsalutation #benefitsofyoga #chandranamaskar

Many of us are familiar with Sun Salutations, but what about their less well-known counterpart, Chandra Namaskar - the Moon Salutation?

The power of opposites
To create equilibrium in our yoga practice and in our lives, it’s helpful to observe the power of opposites. Yin and Yang, ebb and flow, contraction and expansion, effort and surrender… Recognising and honouring the qualities and benefits on each side of the spectrum can help us find balance and unity between them.

Sun Salutations are said to be a yang practice, related to activity, heat and light. Moon Salutations are associated with a yin practice – receptive, meditative and cooling. Although yin and yang represent seemingly opposite principles (dark and light, day and night, passivity and activity etc), they are utterly interdependent. In the same way, although Sun and Moon salutation sequences embrace different qualities, they complement each other perfectly.

The yogic term Hatha also reflects these individual yet interconnected qualities – Ha referring to the warming, active energy of the sun and tha – the cooling, receptive elements of the moon. Hatha yoga, therefore, seeks to unify these apparently opposing elements, creating harmony and balance.

Although Sun and Moon Salutation sequences embrace different qualities, they complement each other perfectly.

Like Sun Salutations, Moon Salutations can be included as part of a longer class or by themselves. They are especially nice to do in the evening to calm and soothe the body. The meditative, calming quality of the poses helps to form a strong connection to the breath, preparing the body and the mind for a restful night’s sleep.

Step by step

Stand in Tadasana, in the right side of your mat facing the long edge. Close your eyes and draw the focus inwards. Pause for a moment, perhaps reflecting on what the moon means to you and to the earth…

Urdhva Hastasana / Upward Salute: Open your eyes, inhale and extend your arms outwards and upwards, interlacing your fingers, index fingers pointing skywards.

Standing Crescent Pose: Exhale and bend to your right, extending long through the left side, all the way from the outer left foot to the tips of the index fingers. Keep your lower belly drawing in and up to protect your lower back. Inhale to center and exhale and bend to your left. Inhale back to center.
Goddess Pose: Exhale, step the feet apart, toes pointing slightly out. Soften the knees and squat, keeping the knees in line with the ankles and the back straight. Arms bend at the elbows to a 90-degree angle, fingers in Anjali mudra (thumb and forefinger touching).

Trikonasana / Triangle Pose: Inhale, turn both feet to the right, arms outstretched and parallel to the floor. Exhale, reach long over the right leg. Lower the right hand to ankle or shin and extend the left arm to the sky. Inhale and rotate the chest to the sky.

Parsvottonasana / Pyramid Pose: Exhale, take your left arm down to frame right foot with the right hand, rotate the back foot even further and turn both hips forward to fold over your right (straight) leg.

Lunge over right foot: Inhale, step the left foot back and bend the right knee so you come into a lunge position. Make sure the knee stays in line with the ankle and push the left thigh up and back.
Skandasana / Wide legged squat over right leg: Exhale, bring both hands to the floor to the big toe side of your right foot. Turn inwards on the ball of the right foot and rotate your body to the front of the mat. Left leg is extended, toes point to the ceiling. If your balance allows it, bring your hands together in Anjuli Mudra or keep your hands resting on the floor.

Goddess Pose: Inhale, come back to a squat in the center of your mat – Goddess pose with hands in prayer position. Exhale – knees in line with ankles, back straight, chest open.
At this point we turn towards the left leg and ‘rewind’ the poses we have already done.

Skandasana / Wide legged squat over left leg
Lunge over left foot, right leg steps further back, both hands framing the left foot.

Parsvottonasana / Pyramid Pose: exhale, right foot steps in a little, left leg straightens, level the hips and come into Parvsottonasana folding over the left leg.

Trikonasana/ Triangle Pose: Inhale, right foot readjusts and right arm extends upwards, rotate your chest to the sky. Exhale.

Goddess Pose: Inhale step the feet wide, toes pointing slightly out. Exhale, bend the knees and come into Goddess pose squat.

Urdhva Hastasana / Upward Salute: Inhale, step the feet back in, arms up towards the sky, hands clasped, index fingers extending.

Then we repeat all of the sequence above but this time bending to the left in Standing Crescent pose.

Hope you would like the video. Thanks for watching.

#yogarimaa