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Moon Salutations A yoga practice honoring the divine feminine Of the moOn

Practicing moon salutations is a way to honor the divine feminine energy of the moon.The moon encourages us to slow down, soften and listen to our inner selves.

Let the waters settle and you will see the moon and the stars mirrored in your own being ~Rumi

If you have ever taken a yoga class there is a good chance you have practiced a sequence of poses known as Surya Namaskar, or sun salutations. Sun salutations create heat in the body by channeling the sun, giving us internal fire. Hatha yoga can be translated as union between the sun and the moon. 'Ha' meaning sun, 'tha' meaning moon and 'yoga' meaning union. When we practice hatha yoga, we are trying to create balance between the masculine, warming, active energy of the sun and the feminine, cooling, receptive energy of the moon.

Chandra Namaskar or moon salutations are similar to sun salutations but they help cool the body by channeling the moon, allowing us to replenish our vital energy.

You can practice moon salutations when you would like to bring a sense of calm to your practice; Practicing moon salutations on the new and full moon will bring an element of ritual to the practice.

to begin:

Tadasana

Start by standing in Tadasana, mountain pose.

Your feet are hip distance apart, knees are slightly bent so as not to over extend through the back of the knee, the spine is in a neutral position, shoulders are relaxed and away from the ears and you tuck the chin in slightly to lengthen the back of the neck.

Anjali Mudra

Bring the palms to touch in front of the heart center.

Close your eyes and become aware of your body. Give yourself three deep exhales to fully release anything that is no longer serving you (stress, frustration, worries etc... let it go with every exhale). Take a moment to set an intention for yourself, this is a chance to voice your prayers, hopes and dreams. Set the intention with a sense of clarity and commitment, if any negativity or doubt arises release it with a deep exhale, breathing it out of the body.

After setting your intention bring the awareness to your breath. Be aware of every sensation of your breath in the body. Start to create a deep, even, fluid breath. Try to maintain this breath throughout the rest of the practice.

Gently open your eyes, maintain a soft gaze towards the ground.

Urdhva Hastasana

Inhale bringing both arms overhead with the palms touching.

Uttanasana

Exhale and fold forward from the hips.

Ardha Uttanasana

Inhale bring your hands onto the thighs and come up halfway with a straight spine.

Malasana

Exhale sink down into a yogi squat, bring your upper arms into the thighs, place your palms together and drop your forehead to the base of your thumbs, take one full breath here.

Inhale lifting your hips up and step your right foot back into a low lunge.

Plant your full hands into the earth to ground down, sinking down into your hips.

Anjaneyasana

Inhale lifting both arms overhead with your palms touching.

Balasana

Exhale lower your hands and step the left foot back, bring your big toes to touch and sink the hips down to the heels and come into child's pose. Take one full breath here.

Inhale lift into a tabletop position.

Ashtanga Namaskar

Exhale lowering your chest and chin by bending through the elbows, keeping them close to the ribs, then lowering the stomach to the ground.

Press the tops of the feet and your hips into the earth. Roll the shoulders onto the back body.

Bhujangasana

Inhale lift into a cobra pose.

Balasana

Exhale press back into a child's pose. Take one full breath here.

Inhale lift to tabletop and step the right foot forward in between the hands.

Exhale planting your hands fully into the ground, anchoring yourself. Sink into the hips.

Anjaneyasana

Inhale lift arms overhead palms touching.

Exhale lower the arms.

Uttanasana

Step the left foot forward to meet the right foot at the top of your mat.

Ardha Uttanasana

Inhale coming up halfway with a straight spine, bringing your hands to the thighs.

Uttanasana

Exhale fold forward.

Urdhva Hastasana

Inhale come up to stand with your arms over head, palms touching.

Anjali Mudra

Exhale bring your hands down to the heart center.

Repeat this sequence as many times as you would like, it can be done on its own or as part of a longer yoga sequence.

Created By
Kyla Frankland
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