Pitta Pacifying Yoga
Moon Salutation/Chandra Namaskara

Begin in mountain pose with your palms together at the heart (Anjali mudra). Extend the arms out in front of you and then overhead on your inhalation. Palms face one another. Exhale to float into a forward bend. Feel free to bend the knees. Inhale to bend the knees deeply as you lift the heels off the ground and lower into a squat. The hands meet at the heart. Bring the hands and heels to the floor as you exhale and step your left foot back into a lunge. Keep the right knee directly above or behind the right foot. Lower the left knee to the floor and keep the toes tucked as you press through the heel of the left foot. Inhale to bring the arms in front of you and then extend them overhead. Exhale to shift your body into childs pose keeping the toes tucked (feet flexed). In childs pose, extend the arms out in front of you. Inhale to glide the chest through the arms shining your heart out in front of you. Exhale back to childs pose. With toes tucked under, inhale to roll up through your spine as you lift the torso off the thighs coming into a kneeling position. Sweep the arms out in front and overhead. Exhale to connect the hands to the earth and come into a lunge with the right leg extended behind you. Gently lower the right knee to the ground. Inhale to open the torso and extend the arms out in front and overhead. Exhale to lower the hands, step the right foot hip distance away from the left. Inhale to slowly rise up bringing the arms out in front and over head. Bring the palms together, lower the hands to your heart and return to center.




















Pitta Focus: Gaze should remain at or below the horizon throughout the salutation and emphasis is on the internal gaze rather than external. Back of the neck stays long and ribs draw back into the body. Practice the moon salutation slowly and rhythmically.

Benefits: Warms up the joints and stretches the entire body while creating a cooling effect. Increases the functioning and balance of the circulatory, respiratory, immune, endocrine, digestive, musculo-skeletal and nervous systems.