Sequence · 10 minutes · 17 poses
Moon salutation (Chandra Namaskar), step by step
A moon salutation, or Chandra Namaskar, is a slow sequence of standing poses that travels from one side of the mat to the other: a side bend, a wide squat, Star, Triangle, Pyramid, a low lunge and a side lunge, then the same shapes in reverse on the left. One round takes about three to four minutes.
The sequence
| # | Pose | Hold | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mountain Pose Tadasana | 3 breaths | Stand at the centre of the mat facing the long side, feet together or hip-width, palms together at the chest. |
| 02 | Crescent moon side bend | 2 to 3 breaths each side | Inhale arms up and press the palms together. Exhale and lean right, then left, lifting through the ribs rather than collapsing. |
| 03 | Wide Squat Pose Utkata Konasana | 2 to 3 breaths | Step the feet wide, toes turned out. Bend the knees over the toes, arms bent at the elbows with the palms facing forward. |
| 04 | Star Pose Utthita Tadasana | 2 breaths | Straighten the legs and stretch the arms out at shoulder height, reaching through the fingertips and the crown. |
| 05 | Triangle Pose Trikonasana | 3 breaths | Turn the right foot out. Reach right and lower the right hand to the shin or a block, left arm up. Front knee soft, never locked. |
| 06 | Pyramid Pose Parsvottanasana | 3 breaths | Turn the hips to face the right foot and fold over the right leg, hands to the floor or blocks, front knee slightly bent. |
| 07 | Low Lunge Anjaneyasana | 3 breaths | Bend the right knee over the ankle and lower the left knee to the mat, padded if needed. Hands to the floor or the front thigh. |
| 08 | Side lunge | 2 to 3 breaths | Turn to face the long side again, right knee bent and left leg straight, toes up. Keep the bent knee in line with its toes. |
| 09 | Garland Pose Malasana | 3 breaths | Come to a squat at the centre, heels on the floor or on a rolled blanket, palms together. Stay higher if the knees object. |
| 10 | Side lunge | 2 to 3 breaths | Shift into a side lunge to the left, left knee bent and right leg straight. |
| 11 | Low Lunge Anjaneyasana | 3 breaths | Turn to face the left foot, left knee over the ankle and right knee down on the mat. |
| 12 | Pyramid Pose Parsvottanasana | 3 breaths | Straighten the legs a little and fold over the left leg, hips square, front knee soft. |
| 13 | Triangle Pose Trikonasana | 3 breaths | Open the hips to the long side and reach left into Triangle, right arm up. |
| 14 | Star Pose Utthita Tadasana | 2 breaths | Rise to stand with the feet wide and arms out at shoulder height. |
| 15 | Wide Squat Pose Utkata Konasana | 2 to 3 breaths | Bend the knees over the toes into the wide squat again, then straighten the legs and step the feet together. |
| 16 | Crescent moon side bend | 2 to 3 breaths each side | Arms overhead, lean left, then right. Keep the breath slow and even. |
| 17 | Mountain Pose Tadasana | 3 breaths | Palms together at the chest. Pause before starting the next round, beginning on the left side if you want to balance it. |
Where a sun salutation moves forward and back along the mat, a moon salutation moves sideways across it, mostly through wide-legged standing shapes and lunges. It is usually done at a slower pace, one movement per breath with a few breaths in the deeper poses, which is why many teachers offer it in the evening, in gentle classes or as a cooler alternative to sun salutations on hot days.
There is no single version and no fixed source in the classical yoga texts. Several schools teach their own Chandra Namaskar, and the side-to-side form in this table is the one most often taught in Western studios today. Each round has two halves: the first moves from the centre out to the right, through a centre squat, and the second mirrors it back to the left. If you already know the sun salutation, step by step, many of the shapes will feel familiar.
Start with one or two rounds and build to four. Keep the knees soft in the folds, keep each front knee in line with its toes, and use a block under the hand in Triangle or Pyramid if the floor is far away. The wide squat and side lunge ask a lot of the knees and inner thighs, so stay higher or skip the deep squat if either complains. A few minutes of warm-up exercises before yoga helps the hips and hamstrings feel ready.
A moon salutation fits well at the start of a slow evening practice or as a standalone ten minutes before a bedtime yoga sequence. If you are new to yoga, learn the individual poses first with yoga for beginners, and when you want to string your own shapes together, the yoga sequence builder lets you plan and print a practice.
Questions
What is the difference between a moon salutation and a sun salutation?
A sun salutation moves forward and back along the mat with plank, Cobra or Upward Dog and Downward Dog, and often has a warming, steady rhythm. A moon salutation stays standing and moves side to side through wide-legged shapes and lunges, usually at a slower pace.
When is the best time to do a moon salutation?
Traditionally it is linked with the evening and the moon, so many people practise it later in the day or as a gentle start to a slow class. It works at any time, though, including hot mornings when a full set of sun salutations feels like too much.