Asana: Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salute)

Chandra Namaskar (“Moon Salute”)

by JULY JOHSON

Photo Cred: @AlinaJack

Hi yogis! Welcome to your 4th installment in our Asana blog. This month we move from the heat of the sun and our sun salutes (Surya Namaskar), to the cooler, softer, more nurturing side of our cycle, the moon. Below I’ve shared with you my favorite variation of Chandra Namaskar. I find it helpful in calming my nervous system and returning to my center, particularly useful right now.  

Before we begin, think of the Sun, and what comes to mind? For me the list includes: heat, hot, exuberant, energetic, intense… you see where I’m going with this. Now, let’s think about the Moon, where does your list go with the word Moon? My words include: calming, soothing, cool, peaceful, contemplative, and soft illumination.

In our current climate of social distancing and not knowing what tomorrow holds, I encourage those of you practicing yoga at home to allow yourself to soften a bit, to slow down and nurture your nervous system, to reset and recalibrate with your body and breath. Now more than ever, sync your movements with your breath. Make the movements slow and deep so as to slow and deepen your breathing. Allow your practice to nurture you and to become a moving meditation rather than ‘exercise’ or ‘working out.’ Yoga certainly can be those things, but also allow it to draw you into your parasympathetic nervous system, a place where you can rest and recalibrate and move away from that all too familiar flight or fight response that’s been hanging around our heads and hearts. Now is the time to live your yoga off your mat and in your everyday life.

We love seeing you practice with us on Zoom, but for those times when you can’t make a class, consider creating a home practice using any of the Sun Salutes previously covered in our blog or this Moon Salute. Listen to what your body is asking for and add in stepping back into low lunges (Anjaneyasana), half splits (Arda Hanuman) to open your hamstrings, or deep side lunges. It’s entirely up to you and what your body is asking for on any given day. Tune in, listen, and honor what your body is telling you. It’s your body, your practice; make it your own.

Chandra Namaskar – Moon Salute

Begin standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Feel your feet rooting into the stability of the earth. Feel your heels heavy and your arches lifted. Begin to draw energy up from your feet, traveling up the front of your body. Engage your legs, lift your kneecaps, lightly engage Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha. Let your heart shine forward and tilt your chin up just a bit. Lift the crown of your head skyward as you grow taller. Imagine a gust of wind rushing up from the floor and traveling up the front of your body, lifting you as it travels up and over the top of your head. At the same time, feel the back of your head heavy and descending. Feel your shoulders drop away from your ears as your shoulder blades draw together and down your spine. Let your tailbone drop toward the floor and your heels root. Imagine a steady waterfall pouring over the crown of your head and flowing down your back, allowing your back body to wash toward the floor. Like the two sides of a coin, the front of your body (the sun side) is lifted up by the wind, while the waterfall washes down the back of your body (the moon side). Stand in this place of equilibrium, lifting up and rooting down simultaneously, while being firmly rooted in the here and now, Samasthiti.

1)    On your inhalation raise your arms overhead with palms together in prayer; gaze toward your thumbs with relaxed eyes.  

2)    Bow forward as you exhale, with hands in prayer guiding you toward the floor. Place your hands on the floor or rest your fingertips on your shins (Forward Fold/Uttanasana). Empty your body of breath and surrender into the fold, letting the crown of your head be heavy toward the earth.

3)    As you inhale place your fingertips on your shins and reach your head long toward the top of your mat, drawing your body into Arda Uttanasana with an extended spine. Fill your body with breath as you lengthen your spine and extend your crown toward the wall in front of you.

4)    Exhaling, bend your knees deeply and come into a deep, low squat. Squeeze your legs together from your feet all the way up your thighs, imagine zipping up. Balance high on your toes and lower your joined knees to enable your thighs to come parallel to the floor. With parallel thighs, extend your spine and crown toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor. Hands come together in prayer at the heart. Squeeze your legs into your midline and press your palms firmly together, drawing your focus and energy inward (quiet like the moon and introspective). 

5)    With your inhalation, hug your body into your midline and rise to standing, reaching your arms overhead, palms remain pressed together in prayer, gazing toward the sky beyond your thumbs.  

6)    Exhale as you return your hands to prayer in front of your heart in Samasthiti.

7)    Repeat the sequence 3-5 times or more if it soothes you.

The most important thing as you repeat this Moon Salute sequence is to slow down and tune in to your breath. Consciously, purposefully, move with your breath; let your inhalations and exhalations slow into an even rhythm. The slower and smoother your breath, the slower and smoother your movements. Let the cooling energy of the moon draw you into your parasympathetic nervous system. 

If you’d like to add on and lengthen your practice, step back into low lunges (Anjaneyasana), followed by rocking your hips back on an exhale into half splits (Arda Hanuman). The options are endless. Make it your own.

Hang in there yogis, this too shall pass. In the meantime, join us for classes on Zoom, or create your own hOMe practice, take a photo and share it with us on Instagram @mettayogamarin. We LOVE to see you practice!

© 2020 Metta Yoga LLC