The Moon Greeting Chandra Namaskar
Sequence to the Moon (Chandra Namaskar) is dedicated to the goddess Sakini, an aspect of the Divine Mother. Each posture in this sequence is associated with the feminine.
The Moon Greeting is yin and feminine in nature. All of us, men and women have both masculine and feminine energies. These Asanas move energy without increasing heat and are less stimulating than the Surya Namaskar Sun Salutation Asanas.
In the symbolism of Yoga, the moon is located in the throat, and the sun in the center of the abdomen. Following the directions of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, only reversing this process moon down / sun up, turning the body upside down is believed to prevent or at least slows down the process of aging.
All asanas that reverse the position of the body have beneficial effects on the circulatory system and are believed to balance the energy of the Pituitary Gland, which controls the entire endocrine system.
Chandra Namaskar stimulates gradually all the chakras starting from the base. Promotes sleep and calms the nervous system. Promotes the elasticity of the body. Tones the genital-urinary tract. For women, regulates the menstrual cycle and is useful in menopause.
Should be avoided during menstrual cycle, hypertension and hyperthyroidism.
This a sequence recommended for the evening.
Move through chandra namaskara slowly and mindfully, maintaining a smooth, deep, diaphragmatic breath. (Avoid using ujjayi breathing, which is heating).
Tune into a sense of devotion to honor all the phases of the moon and the cycles of life.
Chandra Namaskar
Gesture Greeting Namaskar Mudra. Sitting on the ground extend your legs keeping them together, join palms together and bring them to the centre of the chest in Pronam Mudra.
Open half-moon -Ardha Chandra Purvottanasana.
Exhale emptying the lungs completely. Breathing in, raise arms forward and body tilting the torso backwards. The arms are extended fully back, the sides of the palms are touching. The face is turned upwards.
Half Moon closed - Ardha Chandra Paschimottanasana Breathing out, flexing the trunk forward, folding the hands on knees and forehead on the hands. Relax 2 minutes
Boat Pose - Navasana. Breathing in, lift the trunk, leaning back, legs stretched and raised, arms extended parallel to the ground hands at the level of the knees. Hold for 2 minutes.
Pilar Pose - Sthambasana. Breathing out, lower trunk to the ground, keeping the legs raised and stretched, perpendicular the ground. Hold 2 minutes.
Niralamba Sarvangasana. Breathing in, lifting the torso and legs, until perpendicular to the ground in a straight line, arms extended. Palms to floor. (Or come into a shoulder stand with hands supporting the back.) Hold 2 minutes.
Plow Pose - Halasana. Breathing out, legs are lowered over the head, supporting feet on the ground behind the head. Arms extended palms to floor. Hold 2 minutes.
Ear Pressure Pose - Sitasana. Breathing in bring your arms either side of your head, bend your knees and place each knee on the floor either side of your ears, exhale and embrace the legs behind the knees with your arms. Hold for 2 minutes.
Boat pose - Navasana. Exhale, and drawing the knees in, rolling the trunk forward, along the spine, come up to seated and into Boat pose. Breathing in, lift the trunk, leaning back, legs stretched and raised, arms extended parallel to the ground hands on the knees. 2 minutes.
Extended legs forward fold - Paschimottanasana. Breathing down legs together and stretched to the ground, flexing at the hip, lengthen the torso so the hands hold the feet. Hold for 2 minutes.
Open half-moon - Ardha Chandra Purvottanasana. Inhale Drawing up the trunk and arms in front the body, leaning back, arms extended over head. Sides of palms touching.
Sweating Moon - Chandra Namaskar Mudra
Seated. Breathing out, bring hands to the center of the chest, bend knees, joining soles of the feet, but keeping knees bent legs partially extended. Hold for 1 minute
Surya Chandra Mudra symbolises the passage of the night and day, the equilibrium of opposites (gesture of the sun and moon) circling the head to the rhythm of the breath.
Inhale the head is central, bend the head down with the exhale forward, inhale make a gentle circle to the right side, gently tipping the head back, make half a circle back to centre, head still gently tipped back. Exhale roll the head down towards the left shoulder, and forward to chest, another half circle. Inhale to the left shoulder down chin to chest , then inhale chin to chest and the left shoulder and tip back, exhale down from right to center. Continue 3 minutes alternating the sequence from right to left.
Chandra Pranayama
The left nostril is associated with the body's cooling energy, symbolized by the "Moon" and the syllable THA.
The left nostril breathing activates the negative polarity, Ida Nadi, symbolized by the image of the moon, and associated with the color blue, the introspection and femininity.
The left nostril transports and distributes prana negative polarity, called apana, whose function is to control all processes of elimination, at both the physical, mental and energy level. The energy channel called Nadi Trip begins in muladhara, the base chakra, and ascends to the nostril of negative polarity, the left.
Using the Mrigi Mudra, curl all the fingers into the palm, then extend the ring and little finger keeping the index and middle fingers firmly pressed at the base of the thumb. Use the thumb to cover the solar right nostril so that breathing can circulate freely through the left nostril of the moon.
Inhale in a slow and controlled manner through the left nostril of negative polarity. Hold the air in the lungs and exhale through the left nostril, breathing continuously the same. For 1 to 3 minutes.
Complete the sequence with a 10 minute Savasana Corpse Pose, cove yourself to keep warm, lie on the floor, legs extended let the feet fall out and legs are open about hip width apart. Arms are allowed to roll open back of the palms are to the floor and the arms are away from the body. Deeply relax.
Read the next post for a deeper look at Savasana.
This version of Chandra Namaskar is interpreted from Yoga Ratna, respects to Gabriella Cella Al-Chamali