Bikram Yoga Posture Half Moon Pose

The second Bikram Yoga Posture Half Moon Pose or Ardha-Chandrasana is moved into seamlessly from the Pranayama Breathing pose and it’s the first deep stretch movement of the series.

In the Half Moon Pose we stretch up placing both palms together with feet together on the ground. The body is elongated as it is arched to the side in a crescent shape.

How the posture works

Here are just some of the benefits your body and mind get from this amazing pose:

• The entire core section of the body is activated, flushed with new energy (prana), and stretched. All of the important core muscles are given a gentle, toning stretch that helps them support and strengthen during the rest of the practice.
• The spine is gently arched in one direction, then in the other. This creates suppleness in the spinal muscles, flexibility in the spine itself, and greater flow of prana and blood in the body.
• The liver and spleen are given gentle, internal massage in this pose which helps detoxify them naturally and soothe any inflammation.
• The Half Moon Pose is slimming and toning to many problem areas including the hips, butt, waist, and thighs.
• It helps open up the abdomen for easier deep breathing.

It’s no wonder why this pose comes so early in the full Bikram flow. It gets us centred in our core, helps us connect more fully to our feet so that we stand stable throughout the rest of the poses, and it helps strengthen the central core of our bodies where most every movement we make is tethered