Coffee Brews and French Macaroons

Coffee Brews and French Macaroons Samantha ✿Chemical Engineering Undergrad ✿Wishes to finish her masters in Sorbonne University ✿Certified coffee-holic ✿Academic peron Disclaimer: Photos that I usually upload do not belong to me. So if you own them, please do tell me so that I can put your credits. And also, I don't own the photos where I put in my typos. Again, please do PM me if one of them is yours and I'll gladly credit you :)

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The Sacred Moon Salutation - Chandra Namaskar

For those of you who are unfamiliar with yoga, the moon salutation, though not as popular as its counterpart Surya Namaskar, warms the body yet provides an overall cooling effect and is wonderful to practice in the evening.

The Moon Salutation is a moving meditation linked with breath. Each pose or movement begins with an inhale or exhale and remains succinct in a 12 pose flow sequence as shown in the diagram.

The moon salutation is a wonderful way to end the day as it calms and restores the chakra centers of the body, deepens connection with the breath and oneself and releves tension and stress stored in the day.

It is normally practiced after dusk on an empty stomach and serves to purify and release any unsteadiness in the body, connects us to divine energy and provides spiritual upliftment.

I practice this frequently during my evening practice (even if I have already done a yoga practice earlier in the day) as I love the restorative effect it has on me before bed. I used to have a lot of trouble sleeping and this practice became a part of my sleeping routine, instructing my body to relax. This sequence balances the yang energy of the day and thus heightens the feminine qualities and energies.

I would encourage you, whether you are ‘into’ yoga or not, to try this beautiful yet, simple, ancient practice as it will help you to cultivate your own sense of devotion to whatever it is speaks to your heart. If you are in a moment of restlessness, practice a few rounds of Moon Salutation and your feelings will most certainly pass or you will gain greater clarity and less attachment to the feelings.

Step by Step:

(from about.com)

1. Begin the sequence standing in Mountain Pose - Tadasana.

2. Inhale - Hook the thumbs of your outstretched arms as you raise them up over the head. This variarion of Raised Arms Pose -Urdhva Hastasana is a backbend, so reach the arms toward the wall behind you.

3. Exhale - Fold forward into a variation of Standing Forward Bend - Uttanasana. As you exhale, let the arms swing down behind your back. Interlace your fingers behind the back and bring your hands over your head as you fold forward.

4. Inhale - Release your interlaced hands as you swing the arms up next to your ears and step the right foot back to the end of your mat coming into a High Lunge.

5. Exhale - Drop the hands to the front of your mat as you step the left foot to the back of the mat coming into Downward Facing Dog.

6. Inhale - Come forward into Plank Pose.

7. Exhale - Lower down to Knees, Chest, Chin. Inhale - Come forward into Cobra Pose OR Exhale - Lower down to Chaturanga. Inhale - Come forward to Upward Facing Dog.

8. Exhale - Push back to Downward Facing Dog.

9. Inhale - Step the right foot to the front of your mat as you bring the arms up next to your ears coming into a High Lunge Pose.

10. Exhale - Step the left foot forward to meet the right foot as you swing the arms down and interlace the fingers behind your back coming into a variation of Standing Forward Bend - Uttanasana.

11. Inhale - Release the hands from behind your back and hook the thumbs in front of you as you come up to stand. In a continous movement, take the arms up and back behind you coming intoRaised Arms Pose -Urdhva Hastasana.

12. Exhale - Bring the arms back along the side of the body as you come back into Mountain Pose - Tadasana.