(A bhavana is a subtle feeling created through the practice of visualization. Stand tall in tadasana (mountain pose) and take a few moments to establish chandra bhavana. Tune into a sense of devotion as you honor all the phases of the moon and the cycles of your life. (Avoid using ujjayi breathing, which is heating). Move through chandra namaskara slowly and mindfully, maintaining a smooth, deep, diaphragmatic breath. The sequence is safe to explore for anyone who practices sun salutations, and many women find it soothing during menstruation or pregnancy. To bring an element of ritual into your practice, try it during the new and full moon phases, or outside anytime under the moon itself. When practiced with devotion and gratitude for the divine feminine, this version of chandra namaskara can become a full body prayer.Īn inward-moving and mildly calming practice, chandra namaskara is appropriate for any time of day, including late afternoon and evening. The 15 steps in the sequence below represent 15 tithis, or lunar days a 16th step honors the tantric goddess Shodashi, who presides over all the phases of the moon, as well as all that is perfect, complete, and beautiful. We can invoke and pay homage to the lunar energy in nature and within by practicing chandra namaskara, or moon salutation. If the divine lunar force could speak, she might lovingly remind us to “chill out before we burn out.” Like a mother, the moon can teach us to slow down, listen to our own needs, and be receptive to change. Although the aim of hatha yoga is to balance our lunar and solar energies, even our asana practice tends to reflect a bias for the solar, often emphasizing sun salutations and heating practices in the interest of physical fitness. Dharana bringing the mind to one single point. Pratyahara withdrawal from the sensory input. Pranayama expansion of capacity to retain prana. These six limbs are: Asana steady comfortable state of body and mind. Society typically encourages our solar, more masculine impulses, making it easy to pursue worldly achievement rather than inner awareness. Hatha Yoga is the six-limb yoga (Shatanga Yoga). The aim of hatha yoga is to balance our lunar and solar energies, but our asana practice tends to reflect a bias for the solar, because we often emphasize sun salutations and heating practices in the quest for physical fitness. Whereas solar energy is warm, active, and outwardly oriented, lunar energy is cool, receptive, and inwardly focused. According to hatha yoga, this force also resides within us. Many traditional cultures revere the moon as a manifestation of the divine feminine force in nature.
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