Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) is said to resemble the image of an Indian moon floating in the sky. The Sanskrit word Chandra also ...CloseMenuRefineYourYogaPractice:3WaystoExploreHalfMoonPoseMarlaAptUpdated: November12,2019Original: October22,2019TweetArdhaChandrasana(HalfMoonPose)issaidtoresembletheimageofanIndianmoonfloatinginthesky.TheSanskritwordChandraalsoreferstothequalitiesofbrillianceorshineofthemoon.Althoughthetorsoisnotdanglingbutisheldupbystronglegs,alightnessandfreedomcanbeexperiencedinthisposeasifyoucanradiateinalldirections.Onceyouhavemasteredtheartofbalancing,youmayfindthistobeyourfavoritestandingpose,asthewholefrontofthebodyisfreetoopenandexpand. InthisbalancingversionofUtthitaTrikonasana(TrianglePose),youapplywhatyou’velearnedinTrikonasanatostabilizeyourself.TheworkofyourfrontleginTrikonasana,forexample,hastobewellingrainedsinceitbecomesyourpillaronwhichtostandinArdhaChandrasana.Eventhoughyouhaveonehandonthefloor,mostofyourweightshouldbeonyourstandingleg.Withyourbacklegliftedintheair,youactuallyhavemoremobilitytoopenyourpelvisandextendyourtorso.Youcanfeelthedirectconnectionbetweentheworkofyourlimbsandtheextensionofyourspine.WepassthroughTrikonasanatoenterandexitArdhaChandrasana.YoumaybetemptedtocomeoutoftheposebysimplyplacingyourtopfootnexttothestandingfootonthefloorratherthangoingbacktoTrikonasana,butintheprocess,youwilllosethelateralextensioninyourtorsocultivatedinArdhaChandrasana. Theactionofthehips,sacrum,andbackfromArdhaChandrasanaiscarriedintoTrikonasana.YoumayevenfindthatyourTrikonasanaimprovesintheprocess.Becauseofthestrongextension,ArdhaChandrasanacanbeaverybeneficialposeforlowerbackproblemsandforrelievingsacrumpain,sciaticapain,andlumbaraches.Ifyourlowerbackorlegsareweakorifyouarepregnant,practicewiththesupportofawall.Theversionatthewallisalsobeneficialwhenyouarefatiguedanddon’thavetheendurancetopracticestandingposesotherwise.Ifyouhaveastiffbackorhamstrings,useablockforyourhandsothatyoucanstraightenbothlegs. HalfMoonPoseattheWall