Variations on the Moon Salute: Gentle and Seated Versions

Megha Nancy Buttenheim, CEO and founding director of Let Your Yoga Dance® LLC and a Kripalu faculty member for more than 30 years, cocreated the classical version of Kripalu’s Chandra Namaskar, or Moon Salute. She later modified the sequence to create the gentle and seated versions below.

Gentle Moon Salute

1. Stand in Mountain pose, hands in prayer position.
2. Exhale the hands down to the sides, then inhale, sweeping the hands overhead into steeple position.
3. Exhale into Half Moon pose to the right. Inhale back to center.
4. Exhale into Half Moon pose to the left. Inhale back to center.
5. Exhale and step into Five-Pointed Star pose.
6. Inhale, then exhale, turning the feet slightly out, sinking into Goddess pose.
7. Inhale and straighten the arms and legs, returning to Five-Pointed Star.
8. Exhale, indenting the left foot inward at a 45-degree angle, right foot out at a 90-degree angle. Pinwheel the arms to the right, into Triangle pose.
9. Flow both arms down toward the right leg as you pivot your body, lowering toward the knee.
10. Bend the right knee, keeping the back leg straight. Rise into Warrior 1, arms overhead.
11. Pivot the torso a quarter turn to the front, lowering the arms to shoulder height and coming into Warrior II, still gazing over your right shoulder.
12. Straighten your legs, inhale, then exhale, returning to Goddess pose.
13. Inhale up into Five-Pointed Star.
14. Repeat on the other side: Turn the left foot out to a 90-degree angle. Indent the right foot inward at a 45-degree angle.
15. Pinwheel the arms to the left into Triangle Pose. Flow both arms down toward the left leg as you pivot your body, lowering the torso toward the knee (only go as far as feels comfortable).
16. Bend your left knee, keeping the back leg straight. Rise into Warrior I, arms overhead.
17. Pivot the torso a quarter-turn to the front, lowering the arms to shoulder height and coming into Warrior II, still gazing over your left shoulder.
18. Straighten your legs, inhale, then exhale, returning to Goddess pose.
19. Inhale up into Five-Pointed Star.
20. Return to center, inhale, step your right leg back to hip-width, and lift the arms overhead into steeple position.
21. Exhale into Half Moon on the right side. Inhale back to center.
22. Exhale into Half Moon on the left side. Inhale back to center.
23. Exhale, sweeping the arms to the sides, describing an imaginary full moon. Inhale, and bring your palms into prayer position, gazing down to your fingertips.
24. Repeat as often as you wish. Find your own, appropriate pace, moving either very slowly or more quickly.
25. Complete the Gentle Moon Salutation with eyes closed and several long, deep breaths.

Seated Moon Salute

1. Sit comfortably with a long, straight spine, hands in prayer position.
2. Take a few long, deep breaths. Lower your arms down by your sides on an exhalation. Inhale, and sweep your arms up slightly or all the way overhead in a full moon arc, to the seated version of Mountain pose.
3. Exhale into Half Moon pose to the right. Inhale back to center.
4. Exhale into Half Moon pose to the left. Inhale back to center.
5. With your hands on the chair for support, slowly step the feet out to Five-Pointed Star.
6. Inhale, then exhale, bending the elbows with fingers facing up: Goddess pose.
7. Inhale, and exhale into Five-Pointed Star once again.
8. Inhale, and exhale into Lateral Angle pose, right elbow to the left thigh.
9. Sweep your left arm overhead to the right side. Inhale and exhale.
10. Inhale back up to Five-Pointed Star. Exhale, lowering the left elbow to the left thigh.
11. Lateral Angle on left side: right arm slowly rises up and overhead. If possible, reach fingers overhead, out toward the left side.
12. Inhale and return to Five-Pointed Star.
13. Move into Goddess pose, with the elbows bent and the hands overhead. Breathe deeply.
14. Return to Five-Pointed Star.
15. Pause and breathe.
16. Inhale the arms overhead to Mountain pose, bringing the legs closer together.
17. Half Moon to both sides.
18. Lower arms again in a full-moon arc, returning to prayer position.
19. Pause, breathe, and receive. 
20. Repeat two more times.

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