Moon Salutation

How to do it

Work laterally rather than forward and back — wide stance, side bends, crescent shapes, low lunges, moving symmetrically left then right. Take one full breath per movement and keep the whole thing slower than you would a sun salutation. Practise it in the evening, ideally somewhere you can see the sky.

SeatedSeated side bends and open twists, following the same lateral shape.

1. 1PraṇāmāsanaStand tall, palms at the heart, facing the moon if you can see it.
2. 2Hasta UttānāsanaInhale, arms overhead, fingers interlaced, index fingers pointing up.
3. 3Ardha CandrāsanaExhale, bend directly to the right — a clean side bend, no twisting.
4. 4Ardha CandrāsanaInhale to centre, exhale and bend to the left.
5. 5Utkaṭa KoṇāsanaInhale, step wide, turn the toes out and sink into Goddess pose.
6. Trikoṇāsana6Straighten the right leg, turn the foot out and reach over it into Triangle.Full instructions →
7. 7SkandāsanaBend the right knee into a deep side lunge, left leg long.
8. Mālāsana8Turn both toes out and sink to the centre in a low squat.Full instructions →
9. 9SkandāsanaShift the weight left into the side lunge on the other side.
10. Trikoṇāsana10Straighten and reach over the left leg into Triangle.Full instructions →
11. 11Utkaṭa KoṇāsanaReturn to Goddess, then step the feet together.
12. 12PraṇāmāsanaPalms back to the heart. That is one round — the shape is symmetrical by design.