Though it may sound like an easy asana, only practice can make you perfect in it. (Image: shutterstock)
It should be noted that proper supervision and guidance is essential when learning Chandra Namaskar, as with any other yoga practice.
Rising temperatures in summer often become an excuse for us to do little or no physical activity. This means, exercise goes for a toss. But what if you knew that there are physical exercises that can actually help prepare you to face the heat? wonder how? The answer lies in yoga. While there are many yoga asanas that can help get your body ready for summer, Chandra Namaskar shines as a specific practice.
The calm and gentle movements of Chandra Namaskar act as a natural remedy, reducing the effects of excessive heat and restoring balance and coolness to the body. It also includes deep breathing, stretching and twisting, which promote circulation and release tension. Yoga practitioner Pramila Khubchandani has shared the benefits of doing Chandra Namaskar on Instagram. She wrote, “It’s a beautiful cool cool flow to beat the heat!”
According to him, there are various benefits of doing Chandra Namaskar. First, it enables you to tap into the cooling and calming lunar energy. This yoga sequence provides a stretch in the spine, hamstrings, and back of the legs. It also strengthens various muscle groups such as legs, arms, back and abdomen.
Follow the steps given below to practice Chandra Namaskar:
- Stand straight, fold the hands and stretch the arms upwards.
- Exhaling, bend the right side of your body and stretch to the left.
- Inhale as you come back to center, exhale and bend to the left.
- Exhale, step your feet apart, and lower down into a wide squat.
- Keep your back straight, knees in line with ankles, and hands folded in Anjali Mudra.
- Inhale, bend both legs to the right, reach over the right foot.
- Lower the right arm to the ankle, extend the left arm up, and inhale as you move the chest.
- Exhaling, bring the left arm down to frame the right leg, walk the back leg forward, and bend the right leg.
- Inhale, step the left leg backward, keeping the knee in line with the ankle.
- Exhaling, bring both the hands on the floor on the sole of the big toe of the right foot.
- Rotate body to face front of mat, extending left leg overhead.
- In goddess pose with hands in prayer position, inhale and return to a squat at center.
- Exhaling, ensure that the knees are in line with the ankles, the back is straight and the chest is open.