It’s a Yang, Yang, Yang, Yang World

This morning I felt plagued with challenges. I have to caveat this and say I feel guilty about saying that. Everything is fine. Life is good. Better than good. But it was just one of those days, before 8 am.

So I rolled out the mat and got to moving and breathing. There was no cardio today. No sweating or grunting. It was a lunar flow kind of morning.

I’ve written about Chandra Namaskar before. There’s just something about this practice that helps me slow down and reconnect. I’m not saying I tune in and get all the answers. Because I certainly don’t. But even half way through my practice I started to feel more calm, more grateful. I felt less like a whirling dervish, panting and grasping for answers. And I felt a little bit more like myself.

There are many variations of Chandra Namaskar, but here is one from Yoga Journal that might be helpful.

Image from Ethical Ideal in a post about yoga for back pain. Bonus!

This & That: Moon Salutations

A version of this post originally was seen on 09 July.

…I sometimes feel like retreating from all the stimulus of the world around me. If you ever feel this way, try that balancing and grounding series Chandra Namaskar…

Look, here’s the truth: When it comes to getting my period… (SPOILER ALERT: I’m talking about my period. Did I do that wrong? Ok. I never know the right vocabulary to use. Some yogis talk about their ‘moon cycle,’ but these are also ladies who use the Diva Cup and that’s just not me.) Regardless of what you call it, I suffer. And a lot of us do. Which is why I love Chandra Namaskar. It’s gentle, forgiving and compassionate.

A Lunar Series isn’t just for women or even just to practice when you’re feeling the pull of the moon. Anyone can benefit from reconnecting and rebalancing. Moon salutations tend to be less stimulating and more grounding than Sun Salutations, which can be a good balance in our Yang Yang Yang world.

That said, for me, this series feels delicious when all I want to do is curl up in a ball and hide away from the sights and sounds of the city.

I use the guidance of a podcast when that feels right.

The first image is stock and the second is the cutest thing ever from this site, credited here.