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CHANDRANAMASKARA

The Moon Salutation - Steps 9 and 10

Complete Yoga Breath
with Sound!

Links to Moon series

Click to enlarge
images below
for detailed instructions
.

First 2 steps of the Moon Salutation.
1st Step - 2nd Step

2nd and 3rd steps of the Moon Salutation.
3rd Step - 4th Step

5th and 6th steps of the Moon Salutation.
5th Step - 6th Step

7th and 8th steps of the Moon Salutation.
7th Step - 8th Step

9th and 10th steps of the Moon Salutation.
9th Step - 10th Step

The 11th and 12th steps of the Moon Salutation.
11th Step - 12th Step

The 13th and 14th (same as the 1st) steps of the Moon Salutation.
13th Step - 14th Step

Moon Phases

New Moon - Invisible Waxing Crescent Moon

New Moon - Waxing Crescent

1st Quarter Moon Waxing Gibbous Moon

1st Qtr. - Waxing Gibbous

Full Moon Waning Gibbous Moon

Full Moon - Waning Gibbous

Last Quarter Moon Waning Crescent Moon

Last Qtr. - Waning Crescent

NAMES OF FULL MOONS

January: Full Wolf Moon—Storm Moon—Old Moon—Moon after Yule

February: Full Snow Moon—Chaste Moon—Hunger Moon—Wolf Moon

March: Full Worm—Seed Moon—Harvest Moon—Sap Moon—Crow Moon—Lenten Moon

April: Full Pink Moon—Hare Moon—Grass Moon—Egg Moon

May: Full Flower Moon—Dyad Moon—Planting Moon—Milk Moon (Dyad: Latin for twin stars of the constellation of Castor and Pollux.)

June: Full Strawberry Moon—Mead Moon—Rose Moon—Flower Moon

July: Full Buck Moon—Wort Moon—Thunder Moon—Hay Moon

August: Full Sturgeon Moon—Barley Moon—Green Corn Moon—Grain Moon

September: Full Harvest Moon—Blood Moon

October: Full Hunters Moon—Snow Moon

November: Beaver Moon—Oak Moon—Frosty Moon

December: Long Night Moon or Full Cold Moon—Wolf Moon—Before Yule Moon

When there are two full moons in one month, it is called “Blue Moon Month.”

To learn more about Moon Names, check out the Almanac sites at The 8 Phases of the Moon—Part 3 —Websites

Eugenia in Step 9 of The Moon Salutation.

Step 9

Short Exhalation

Step 9 is not repeated in this Moon series.

  • This is a variation of The Cobra, which is one of the most powerful Yoga postures. Detailed instructions are given in the Postures series for this posture.
  • As you move into this position from Step 8, exhale (not slowly) as you move down with your hands and tummy on the floor. Use your hands for support and stretch both knees out behind you and balance yourself with your toes firmly planted on the floor and your hands down on the floor for support as you stretch your spine up with your head straight.
  • Repeat: use your toes for support and lift your spine with your palms supporting you. Do not lift below your abdomen.
  • Use the palms of your hands for support more than your arms to really get the full stretch in your spine. If you have back problems, lift with your spine only as far as you can, comfortably (don't use your arms to lift).

    Again, this position reminds us of The Cobra asana (link provided for details above) in Hatha Yoga. However, you would use only your spine for support, not your arms and hands (since The Cobra is not a weight-lifting exercise, but a spine stretcher!). Inhale as you feel your spine stretching up. Also, unlike The Cobra, do not stretch your neck and look up and back. Keep your chin straight, as Eugenia shows in the image above. Inhale as you come down into the next pose.

 

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Step 10 -Short Breath Retention

 

Eugenia in Step 10 of The Moon Salutation. This is the same as Step 6 with a slight variation.

  • Hold your breath for a moment and then breathe normally with your abdomen if there is any strain.
  • Bend both knees and move your body down to the ground in what looks like The Child's Pose.

 

The Child's Pose Child's Pose
  • Eugenia makes a fist with both hands and places one on top of the other. Then she can rest her forehead on one and keep her face and neck straight. This is also fine to do instead, if it is easier for you.
  • If you cannot come forward like this, just sit down on your knees and try to move forward and relax with your chin in your chest and arms behind your waist.
  • This time, you will try to place the inside of your feet perpendicular and flat on the ground (as shown above).
  • If this is too difficult, just keep them in a comfortable position for you.

  • Bring your head down, but keep your forehead and chin up off the floor as Eugenia is doing here.
  • Place your elbows on the ground and your hands in front of your face. Look at your fingers in this position.
  • Inhale and hold your breath for a moment and then exhale as you move into Step #11, which is only done once in the Moon series.
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