Chandra Namaskar, or Moon Salutation, was first created in the late 1980s by a group of women teaching at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Their purpose in creating Chandra Namaskar was to cultivate a practice in respects to female bodies and cycles while also complimenting Surya Namaskar, or sun salutations. Moon salutations are said to be a yin practice in relation to the Sun Salutations which honor yang. While the sun salutations harvest male energy, building fire and focusing primarily on effort and activity, Chandra Namaskar balances this out with female energy, cooling the body and surrendering to relaxation. As opposed to the sun salutations which move from the top of the mat and back, moon salutations travel from the right to left sides of the mat creating a circular motion. It is important to practice Chandra Namaskar to counterbalance the heavily male influenced society that we live in. There are several versions of Chandra Namaskar but for the most part they all include hip openers, grounding squats, and earthy lunges.
Beginning in Mountain Pose or Tadasana
Standing feet together or hips-width distance apart, hands together in prayer.
Kharma with her Original Air Cork Yoga Mat
1. Inhale reach arms up over head
Hands can be in prayer or interlacing fingers.
2. Exhale half moon right
Feet planted on the earth, arc arms over head to the right keeping shoulders pressed down away from ears.
3. Inhale arms over head
4. Exhale half moon left
Feet planted on the earth, arc arms over head to the left keeping shoulders pressed down away from ears.
5. Inhale arms over head
6. Exhale Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana
Feet point outwards bending both knees and elbows at a 90 degree angle, palms facing forward.
7. Inhale Star Pose or Utthita Tadasana
Extending both arms and legs outwards from Goddess pose.
8. Exhale Extended Triangle Pose or Utthita Trikonasana (right)
Shift hips to right, reach down with right arm to grab right big toe with index and middle fingers, reaching left arm up with palm facing forward.
9. Inhale Pyramid Pose or Parsvottanasana (right)
Both toes point towards right side, reach arms down to Earth, gaze past right toes.
10. Exhale Low Cresent Lunge or Anjaneyasana (right)
Hips facing right, right leg bent, left knee lowered to Earth, reaching arms in prayer, gaze towards hands.
11. Inhale Extended Leg Squat Pose or Utthita Malasana (right)
Hips face forward, right leg bent, left leg extended, hands on Earth or in prayer at heart center.
12. Exhale Garland Pose or Malasana
Feet planted on Earth, both legs bent in a squat with toes facing outwards, arms in prayer at heart center.
13. Inhale Extended Leg Squat Pose or Utthita Malasana (left)
Hips face forward, left leg bent, right leg extended, hands on Earth or in prayer at heart center.
14. Exhale Low Cresent Lunge or Anjaneyasana (left)
Hips facing left, left leg bent, right knee lowered to Earth, reaching arms in prayer, gaze towards hands.
15. Inhale Pyramid Pose or Parsvottanasana (left)
Both toes point towards left side, reach arms down to Earth, gaze past left toes.
16. Exhale Extended Triangle Pose or Utthita Trikonasana (left)
Shift hips to left, reach down with left arm to grab left big toe with index and middle fingers, reaching right arm up with palm facing forward.
17. Inhale Star Pose or Utthita Tadasana
Extending both arms and legs outwards from center of body.
18. Exhale Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana
Feet point outwards bending both knees and elbows at a 90 degree angle, palms facing forward.
19. Inhale arms over head
20. Exhale half moon left
Feet planted on the earth, arc arms over head to the left keeping shoulders pressed down away from ears.
21. Inhale arms over head
22. Exhale half moon right
Feet planted on the earth, arc arms over head to the right keeping shoulders pressed down away from ears.
23. Inhale arms over head
14. Exhale Mountain Pose or Tadasana
Standing feet together or hips-width distance apart, hands together in prayer.
KHARMA GRIMES
Kharma is a Hatha yoga teacher based in Miami, FL who focuses on healing others through movement and meditation. She is passionate about witnessing people find peace from within. She uses tender phrases and incorporates visualizations of our Earth’s elements into her classes to connect her students to the present moment. She has been a dancer since the age of 7 years old and she utilizes her deep knowledge of human anatomy for her yoga classes. After earning a BFA in dance from Sam Houston State University, she became a registered Hatha yoga instructor through Yoga Blue Fitness and she is eager to continue spreading her light and guiding others in their practice.
Keep up with Kharma for more: @goodkharmayoga https://linktr.ee/GoodKharmaYoga
