We looked at this Moon Salutation sequence in class this week, and while lots of you enjoyed it, many of you found it quite challenging and a little bit hard to remember.
As you get used to the sequence you can really begin to focus on the breath, bringing it together with the postures. You’ll really begin to understand why it’s been included as part of the Apana Vayu in this month’s theme of the month.
This is a great routine to practice at home.
Quite a few of you have asked if we had a to hand out, so we have made one for those of you that were interested. You can either have a look at the here, or download it to go through the sequence at home. There’s also a short video demonstrating half the sequence.
Position 1
Mountain Pose: Stand with the feet a few inches apart and feel the weight even on both sides. Soften the shoulders with the arms by the side of the body. Take a few long slow breaths in and out of the nose.
Position 2
Mountain Pose Variation: As you inhale, reach the arms out to the side and over the head and bring the hands together. Interlock the fingers but have the index fingers pressing together and the thumbs crossing. If it is ok to do so, try to straighten the arms and bring them behind the ears. The crown of the head is up to the sky and the the chin parallel to the earth.
Position 3
Half Moon Pose: As you exhale keep stretching the arms as you side bend towards the right. Keep the feet rooted down and navel drawn in. Inhale back to the centre, exhale, repeat on the left side and ,inhale back to the centre.
Position 4
Goddess Squat: Exhale and step the right foot out into a stance with the feet wider than the hips. Turn the toes out and bend the legs so that the knees track over the feet. Lengthen your tailbone, draw the navel in, and feel rooted with the feet. As you come into the pose release the hands, bend the elbows and lower the arms. Pal,ms face in and elbows below but in line with the shoulders.
Position 5
Five Pointed Star Pose: Inhale, straighten the legs whilst drawing in the navel, and stretch the arms out at shoulder height. Shoulders are soft and feet are pressed firmly into the earth. Feel the crown of t,he head pressing up towards the sky.
Position 6
Triangle Pose: Exhale and turn the right foot all the way out and turn the left foot in slightly. Stretch over the right and take the bottom hand lightly down on the leg or back of the hand in front if the foot. Reach the top hand up or modify by keeping the hand on the hip.
Position 7
Intense Side Stretch Pose: Inhale and then exhale and turn to face the right, Turn your back foot in or step it out to the side more so that the hips start to face round towards the right. Place the hands on the floor either side of the front foot, shin or blocks. Bring your head towards the knee.
Position 8
Lunge Pose: Inhale and bend both knees taking the back knee to the floor with the toes tucked under. Try and take the back knee far enough to make it a lunge position. Hands are either side of the feet and look forward and up.
Position 9
Side Lunge Pose: Exhale and pivot round to face forward with the hands on the inside of the right foot and the right foot turned in more. The right knee is bent with the knee over the foot. Lift the left foot up so you come up on the heel and spread the toes up towards the sky.
Position 10
Squat Pose: Inhale and walk the hands back to the centre. Both feet are on the floor, toes turned out and knees bent with knees tracking over the feet. Bend the arms and bring the palms together and into the chest. If it feels good then sink down a little bit lower.The Moon Salutation -- a lengthy yoga warm-up routine -- cultivates the calming and rejuvenating quality of letting go associated with Apana, your cleansing breath, while balancing the dynamic energy of Prana, your vitalising breath, within your body. The Moon Salutation sequence works deeply on your mind as well as your body, bringing balance into your life, on a variety of levels, physical, psychcological and spiritual.
Position 11
Side Lunge Pose: Take the hands back to the floor and as you exhale take the hands to in front of the left foot. Left knee is over the foot. Lift the right foot up so you come up on the heel and spread the toes up towards the sky.
Position 12
Lunge Pose: Inhale and turn to face the left foot and come back to a lunge position taking the back knee to the floor with the toes tucked under. Try and take the back knee far enough to make it a lunge position. Hands are either side of the feet and look forward and up.
Position 13
Intense Side Bend Stretch: Exhale and straighten both legs. Step back foot in if needed and turn foot in to bring the hips round to the front. Place the hands either on the floor next to the front foot, shin or blocks. Bring your head towards the knee.
Position 14
Triangle Pose: Inhale and raise the right arm up or modify with hand on hip and rotate the body upwards. Left hand is in front of the left foot or lightly on the shin.
Position 15
Five Pointed Star Pose: Exhale and use the arms to lift you back to up. Legs are straight and turn the toes in and stretch the arms out at shoulder height. Shoulders are soft and feet are pressed firmly, into the earth. Feel the crown of the head pressing up towards the sky.
Position 16
Goddess Squat: Exhale and turn the toes out and bend the legs so that the knees track over the feet. Lengthen your tailbone, draw the navel in and feel rooted with the feet. As you come into the pose release the hands, bend the elbows and lower the arms. Palms face in and elbows below but in line with the shoulders.
Position 17
Mountain Pose Variation: As you inhale straighten the legs, step right foot to meet the left and reach the arms out to the side and over the head and bring the hands together. Interlock the fingers but have the index fingers pressing together and the thumbs crossing. If it is ok to do so try to straighten the arms and bring them behind the ears. The crown of the head is up to the sky and the the chin parallel to the earth.
Position 18
Half Moon Pose: As you exhale keep stretching the arms as you side bend towards the right. Keep the feet rooted down and navel drawn in. Inhale back to the centre, exhale repeat on the left side and inhale back to the centre.
Position 19
Mountain Pose: Exhale and release the hands and bring the arms back down by the side of the body. Stand with the feet a few inches apart and feel the weight even on both feet and soften the shoulders. Take a few long slow breaths in and out of the nose.This is one round of the Moon Salutation. Repeat another round but do the movements to the left instead of the right first. Start off with learning each move and take as many breaths as you need. Once you’re familiar with the sequence you can match it up with the breath and feel the flow of the sequence moving from one posture to the next with each breath. Once comfortable you can add more rounds to your sequence.
If you like these littles to go over some of what we’ve looked at this year (as The Five Tibetans and also Sun Salutations can also be hard to remember), we will do more of these for you if you find that they help.
We really hope those of you that had asked for this find it helpful. Please let us know in class or leave a comment below.