Moon Salutation

Not yet reviewed by a qualified teacher Names and order checked against 4 sources

Traditional, but the order and details vary between schools. This page follows the version named below.

Origin and source

No single origin. The Kripalu moon salute was created at Kripalu in the late 1980s by Megha Nancy Buttenheim, Deva Parnell, Patricia (Niti) Seip Martin and Bhumi Harriet Russell (Kripalu). Other versions, e.g. Karina Mirsky (ParaYoga) in Yoga International, follow a different order.

Who it is for

Comfortable in wide-legged standing poses, triangle and a lunge; knees that tolerate squatting. Gentle and seated versions for everyone else.

The steps in order

Version shown: Steps shown: the Kripalu classical moon salute (overview level); other versions described in the copy

#	Step	Breath	Side	Cues and options
1	Mountain, hands in prayer Tāḍāsana	Free breathing		Transition: Stand with the feet together. Easier option: Feet hip-width.
2	Standing side bend ("half moon" at Kripalu), right then left	Exhale	Each side	Transition: Arms overhead, palms together, bend to each side. Easier option: Hands on the hips.
3	Goddess squat	Exhale		Transition: Step wide, toes out, bend the knees, elbows bent and hands up. Easier option: Bend the knees less.
4	Five-pointed star	Inhale		Transition: Straighten the legs, arms out at shoulder height. Easier option: Narrower stance.
5	Triangle, right Utthita Trikoṇāsana	Exhale	Right	Transition: Turn the right foot out and reach over the right leg. Easier option: Hand on a block or the shin.
6	Standing runner's stretch, right Pārśvottānāsana	Exhale	Right	Transition: Turn to face the right leg and fold over it. Easier option: Hands on blocks.
7	Runner's lunge, right Āñjaneyāsana	Inhale	Right	Transition: Bend the right knee, hands down, back knee up or down. Easier option: Back knee down on a blanket.
8	Wide squat with one leg extended (to the left) Skandāsana	Exhale	Each side	Transition: Turn to the side, one knee bent, the other leg long with the toes up; shift across. Easier option: Hands on blocks; shallow squat.
9	Mirror on the left: lunge, runner's stretch, triangle, star, goddess, side bends, mountain	Free breathing	Left	Transition: Retrace the sequence on the left side. Easier option: Use the gentle moon salutation if the squats are too deep.

Left and right

Kripalu: right side first (triangle, runner's stretch, lunge to the right), then the mirror image to the left in the same round.

Repetitions and counting

Kripalu: one round goes to the right side and returns through the centre to the left, then back to mountain; repeat at your own pace (Kripalu gentle version); the seated version suggests two more repetitions after the first.

Props and adaptations

Blocks under the hands in the lunges and squats; shallow squats; back knee down in the lunges; gentle and seated versions available.

Precautions

Knees and hips: the classical Kripalu version includes deep squats and lunges; keep the knees over the toes and reduce depth.
Balance: practise near a wall if wide stances feel unsteady.
Pregnancy, recent injury or surgery: ask a qualified teacher or health professional.

Learn it with a teacher: Learn the Kripalu version in a class if possible; the transitions between wide stances are easier to follow with guidance.

General information, not medical advice. Poses do not cure illness. If you are pregnant, injured or have a health condition, check with your doctor and tell your teacher before you practise.

Beginner and chair alternatives

Gentle Moon Salutation: a standing flow based on Kripalu’s version, Seated Moon Salutation: a chair flow based on Kripalu’s version

Easier alternatives

Gentle Moon Salutation (https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/gentle-moon-salutation/)
Seated Moon Salutation (https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/seated-moon-salutation/)

https://yogavacation.com/practice-plans/moon-salutation/ · printed October 19, 2026