Chandra Namaskara: Moving With the Moon

Sun salutations feel like a spark, a way to kindle the day. Chandra Namaskara, the moon salutation, works differently. It does not push or heat you up. It invites, and it cools.

Why Practice in the Evening

The day accumulates stress and tension, and the small stories the mind keeps replaying. By evening, the body is not looking for more fire, it is looking for release. Chandra Namaskara soothes the nervous system, stretches tired muscles without forcing them, and balances out the go-forward energy spent during daylight. After a round or two, the breath becomes audible again, sometimes the most useful thing is simply to sit afterward, watching the sky, letting the mind settle.

How to Practice

Move slowly. Do not worry about perfect alignment, think of it as moving prayer rather than exercise.

1. Start standing tall in Tadasana, feet firm, palms together at the chest. Take three deep breaths.
2. Inhale, raise the arms overhead, stretching gently as if reaching for the moon.
3. Exhale, fold forward, letting the arms hang and the neck soften.
4. Step the right leg back into a lunge, hands on the mat, chest open.
5. Shift sideways into a wide stance, bending one knee and stretching the other, flowing side to side.
6. Come into Goddess Pose, knees bent, feet wide, palms at the heart. Stay a moment.
7. Shift into a lunge on the other side, left leg back, chest open.
8. Step forward into a fold, releasing what feels heavy.
9. Inhale, rise slowly with arms overhead.
10. Exhale, return to standing, palms at the chest.

That is one round, repeat as many times as feels right, then sit or lie down for a few minutes with the eyes closed, letting the stillness settle.

The Balance It Teaches

The sun has its fire; the moon has its peace. Life needs both, strength and softness, heat and coolness, doing and resting. When your day feels too sharp or your mind too restless, an evening practice of Chandra Namaskara is worth returning to.

Explore the related Surya Namaskar practice guide, or join our 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, where both sequences are taught in depth.