Unlock the Benefits of This Yoga Asana To Beat Summer Heat
Although this may seem like an easy asana, only practice can make you asana in it. (Photo: Shutterstock)
It should be noted that proper supervision and guidance is essential when learning Chandra Namaskar, as with any other yoga practice.
Soaring temperatures in summer often become an excuse for us to do little or no physical activity. That means, exercise goes for a toss. But what if you found out that there are physical exercises that can actually prepare you to face the heat? Wondering how? The answer lies in yoga. While there are countless yoga asanas that can help prepare your body for summer, Chandra Namaskar shines as a specific practice.
The calming 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 involves deep breathing, stretching and twisting, which promotes circulation and releases tension. Yoga practitioner Pramila Khubchandani shared the benefits of doing Chandra Namaskar on Instagram. She wrote, “It’s a beautiful cooling calm flow to beat the heat!”
According to him, doing Chandra Namaskar has various benefits. First, it enables you to cool and calm the lunar energy. This yoga pose provides a stretch to the spine, hamstrings and backs of the legs. It also strengthens different muscle groups like legs, arms, back and stomach.
Follow these steps to practice Chandra Namaskar:
- Stand in a straight position, fold your hands and extend your arms overhead.
- Exhale, twist to the right and stretch the left side of your body.
- Inhale, exhale and bend to the left as you return to center.
- Exhale, separate your feet, and lower into a wide squat.
- In Anjali Mudra keep your back straight, knees in line with ankles, and arms bent.
- Exhaling, bend both feet to the right, reaching over the right leg.
- Lower the right hand to the ankle, extend the left arm overhead, and inhale as the chest rotates.
- Exhaling, bring the left arm down to frame the right foot, rotate the back foot further, and fold over the right leg.
- Exhaling, bring the left foot back into a lunge position, keeping the knee in line with the ankle.
- Exhaling, bring both hands to the floor towards the big toe of the right foot.
- Rotate the body towards the front of the mat while extending the left leg upwards.
- Inhale and return to seated center, Goddess pose with hands in prayer position.
- Exhale, making sure the knees are aligned with the ankles, the back is straight, and the chest is open.