Hello dear friends,

The moon (Chandra in Sanskrit) is an integral part of yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy and practice. The moon sits at the center of cosmology and acts as the counterpoint to the Sun (Surya) - in this way the sun and moon come to represent opposites that hold each other in balance, a process we attempt to mirror in Ayurveda as we actively pursue balance within and without.

In Vedic traditions, it is customary to honor the moon in a variety of ways - from movement (yoga sequences), to sound (mantra) and in nourishment (special foods and delicacies).

Here is a very simple recipe you can use to make kheer - a simple mixture of rice, milk, and sugar, which is traditionally made on the full moon and left in the open, so the kheer can soak up the nectar of the moon.

This mantra is the powerful beej sound of Chandra - and can be chanted 108 times as part of a meditation or any other practice honoring the moon. By chanting these ancient sounds we strengthen the qualities of the moon within us and our relationship with this powerful astrological entity.

We invoke the moon in yoga during the Chandra Namaskar - a sequence of poses (asana) that one flows through in the evening to channel the subtle attributes and preparing us for a night of rest.

In our AyurYoga Evening Salutation immersion you can join yoga instructors and faculty at The Ayurvedic Institute, Nishita Shah and Dave Yoss, as they introduce you to Chandra Namaskar from an Ayurvedic perspective.