#13 Ardha Chandrasana – Half Moon Pose

(LONDON) por Paula Tooths

“Ardha” means half and “chandra” means moon.

Please keep in mind that while half moon looks to be a pretty simple posture, practically every joint, muscle, and tendon in the arms, neck, torso, hips, and legs are involved so don’t be discouraged if it feels more challenging than it appears!

“Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are” — Jason Crandell

13 chandrasana half moon paula tooths yoga meditation 1 right left double

As you maintain both sides of half-moon the sides of the spine are stretched. By maintaining the form of the pose and keeping your hips and shoulders in alignment, your body receives many benefits. First the body burns fat from the thighs, waist and buttocks while the muscles of the central body are strengthened. The organs receive a massage which helps with proper digestive function. Finally the deep stretching stimulates glands and organs to help give you quick energy while maintaining the health of many body systems.

Steps:

1. First of all stand in normal Tadasana or Mountain Pose with both feet touch with each other.

2. Now keep both hands together closer to the chest with palms slightly pressed towards each other same as one standing in Anjali Mudra.

3. Now inhale and rise arms straightly upward with palms slightly pressed towards each other.

4. Now steadily arch the body on either left or right hand-side by placing arms together lined with neck and head as much as possible and retain this posture by keeping the knees straight.

5. At last exhale steadily and get yourself to initial Tadasana posture.

6. Repeat the same process on other side and avoid bending in front side of the body.

7. It is recommended that one should practice this asana for 2-3 times but don’t try overdo it. (each side)

Tips:

  • Stretch up out of the waist as much as possible to open up the intervertebral discs
  • If you find it difficult to keep the palms glued together and the elbows locked, focus on stretching and lengthening, which will automatically force the elbows to straighten and the palms to touch
  • Make sure there is always visible distance (3 to 4 inches) between the chin and the chest in order to keep the chest and airways open, which will make it easier to breathe
  • Focus on STRETCHING your hips to the left rather than bending your body to the right when you initiate the move: using the hips in this manner forces you to stretch the arms and torso harder and harder to the right to keep the balance
  • Exhale as you come down, let gravity help you!
  • Even if you can only come down a couple of inches with correct alignment in the beginning, you are doing better than someone who breaks at the waist and twists the body out of alignment to come down… Remember the goal here is to realign your spine, not to see who can get their arms the closest to the floor!

Benefits:

– Ardha Chandrasana benefits to trim down abdomen, hips, buttocks and waistline.

– It enhances circulatory and skeletal problems.

– Half Moon Pose also reduces risk of central obesity by improving digestion and reducing gastro intestinal disturbances.

–  It advances bowel movement.

– It helps to open up the shoulder joints.

– In advance it also decreases physical and physiological stress level.

– It is a complete exercise. Good for almost everything….Trims fat all over the body: thighs, hips, waist, buttocks, arms and abdomen;  Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body, especially the back and abdomen; Increases flexibility of the spine and corrects bad posture; Helps pigeon chest; Helps release tension in the respiratory system; Helps cure enlargement of the liver and the spleen; Helps cure dyspepsia and constipation; Helps to alleviate lower back pain, bronchial distress, scoliotic deformities, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder; Realigns the spine; Good for lymphoma.  In resume… It is a great remedy for full balance!

Cautions:

This asana can’t be practiced by the people who are suffering from diarrhea, insomnia, blood pressure, and back or shoulder pain.

Half Moon Pose cannot be practiced by the person who is suffering from headaches & migraine problems.

Hope you enjoyed!

See you tomorrow!!

Namaste

paulatooths.com