Happy SUPERmoon day! The distance from moon to Earth varies throughout the month and year. On average the distance is about 238,000 miles (382,900 kilometers). During a month, when the moon is furthest away from Earth it’s called apogee, when the moon is closest to Earth it is called perigee. When the full moon coincides with being closest to Earth, or perigee, it is called a supermoon. Today is that day when the moon will be closest to the earth all year long!

In yoga, we typically warm up with the practice of sun salutations. This is more masculine and energizing and great for power and hot classes. To celebrate the supermoon, here is a short sequence you can practice to ground and balance all the male energy with a divine feminine cooling effect. This can create harmony in the mind, body and spirit and be a nice way to cool off from the summer heat!

Start by grounding yourself on the mat with a few rounds of deep inhales and full exhales/Pranayama. This sequence is meant to go with breath. As you take a breath in you move into a pose, as you breathe out allow the body to find the next pose.

Supermoon Salutations

1. INHALE. Begin in Mountain Pose/Tadasana: feet grounded, about hip width apart. Relax the shoulders, arms up over head, look up.

2. EXHALE. Reach arms over and side bend to the right. INHALE. Bring arms back over head to center. EXHALE. Reach arms over and side bend to the left. INHALE. Back to center, arms up.

3. EXHALE. Take a step back with the right foot into a deep squat/Goddess Pose. Knees and toes are wide. Cactus or goal post the arms out to the side.

4. INHALE. Straighten the legs and extend the arms for 5 pointed star pose.

5. EXHALE. Turn your feet toward the back of the mat and reach your left hand forward and down to meet the left leg, extend the right arm up to the sky for Triangle Pose/Trikonasana. INHALE. Lift your gaze/Drishti up to your right hand.

6. EXHALE. Release top arm down to fold forward over the left leg. Turn the hips to face the back of the mat and release the head toward shin for Pyramid Pose/Parsvottanasana.

7. INHALE. Bend the front knee and extend the arms up over the head to lunge making a Crescent Pose/Anjaneyasana. Lift the eyes up.

8. EXHALE. Turn sideways and lunge all the way down on the left side with the right leg extended for Side Lunge/Skandasana. INHALE. Lift up to switch in the center. EXHALE. Lunge down to the right side with left leg extended.

9. INHALE. Turn to the right, facing front of the mat and come back into Crescent Lunge/Anjaneyasana with the right leg bent.

10. EXHALE. Extend and straighten both legs and fold forward coming back into Pyramid/Parsvottanasa. Here is a modified version.

11. INHALE. Keep the right hand down and open up the body with the left arm up and over head, gaze up for Triangle/Trikonasana.

12. EXHALE. Bend both knees and squat coming into Goddess Pose.

13. INHALE. Straighten the legs coming into 5 point Star Pose.

14. EXHALE. Step the to the back of the mat, feet together, grounded with hands in front of the heart.

You can begin the entire sequence on the other side from here, concentrating on fluid breath and movement. Practice this tonight under the SUPERmoon to relax, rejuvenate and reset for what is to come ahead. Celebrate strength, love and power. Manifest transformation!

Photo – shutterstock.com