This Chandra Namaskar, moon salutation, was developed by the women of the Kripalu ashram in the 1980s. Enjoy this free 45 minute slow flow yoga practice with physiotherapist and Kripalutrained yoga teacher Dr. Ariele Foster.

Read more about it and download a PDF to follow along at:
https://wellilo.com/f/moonsalutation/'>https://wellilo.com/f/moonsalutation/

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Ariele is a Washington, DCbased physical therapist, yoga teacher, and yoga anatomy teacher. She is the founder of @YogaAnatomyAcademy and the creator of the online course Fascia Release for Yoga with Yoga Journal.

Learn more about my online anatomy courses at https://yogaanatomyacademy.com and subscribe to my other YouTube channel    / yogaanatomyacademy  
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Moon salutations are the yin to the yang of sun salutes. Vinyasa yoga, which often involves many sun salutations, can become overly repetitive with chaturangas, upward facing dog poses, and down dog poses.

Energetically, sun salutes are considered masculine, or solar (heating).

Anatomically, most of the poses and transitions of sun salutations occur in the fronttoback (sagittal) plane. Our bodies need much more diversification in movement (including making sure we begin as many sequences on the left side of the body as the right).

This “Moon Salutation” steeps your body in sidebends, lateral hip strengthening, and deep, functional “goddess” squats. It was developed in the 1980s by the women of the Kripalu center (including some of my own teachers), who yearned for a lunar practice that would support and enhance their wellbeing no matter the time of month or time of day.

Like the sun salutation, a moon salutation or “chandra namaskar” is cyclical, beginning and ending in the same place. It mirrors itself. But we start on the left. It’s also a great practice if you are avoiding inversions or want a rhythmic flow without placing weight on the hands. #yoga