Half Moon Pose
Half Moon Pose
Dandayamana Ardha Chandrasana (Tula Ardha Chandrasana)
As we ground our bodies and open our hearts lets allow ourselves to share and receive all the positive energies flowing. Allow your body to be at peace and be calm the same feeling when you go out on a clear night and look at the beautiful moon. Feel your body aligned. Just as perfect as each of us just the way we are right now. Be at peace with where you are right in this moment.
Standing in Tadasana Mountain Pose, lift toes up and reground and engage all corners of the foot. Stand tall engage abdomen. Transfer weight into right foot. With hands on your hips bend into right knee right hand reaches forward to the ground just a few inches in front of right foot as left foot comes up straight behind right leg straightens your hips square to ground hand can come to block. From here keep gaze on floor just in front of you. Open left hip so hips are aligned on top of each other and facing left. Foot is flat like you were standing on the floor abdomen and glutes engaged to give you balance. Torso is also facing left. It is as if your body is in between two close walls. From here you can take left hand of hip and bring it straight up. You can also bring gaze up to your hand if the balance is there. You can also take hand off the ground and left fingers graze the floor if the balance is there. To come out safely, bend right knee square hips to the ground and bring left foot down. Transition into forward fold or warrior I or warrior II or standing splits. Come back to Tadasana and repeat on the other side.
Beginner Modifications: Use a block to bring the floor to you. Bring back to the wall. Bring raised foot to wall. This can be done with knee/shine/top of foot to ground.
Advanced Modification: Bring arm up so hands are in line in âtâ form. Bring hand off ground so both arms float. Bring gaze up.
Benefits: Stabilizes pelvic and shoulder gridlines. Creates space in the joints and spinal column. Improves balance. Teaches us to sense the lines of energy. Engages alertness and focus.
Cautions: ankle, knee, hip, rib, shoulder, wrist or disc injuries or recent surgeries. High and low blood pressure.