Balancing When You Turn Yourself Sideways

Ardha Chandrasana: Half Moon pose

It’s been awhile since I’ve written about poses, and Ardha Chandrasana, or Half Moon, is such a good one. This pose uses all the wisdom of Trikonasana/Triangle pose but you move the floor to stand on one leg. Balance is hard enough when you are vertical, there is. whole new challenge when you are sideways.

As you age, balancing on one leg is something that you should practice daily to maintain strength and prevent falls. The more you practice balance poses, the more you’ll have it in your muscle memory so that when surfaces become uneven, you’ll be able to catch yourself before you fall.

Sight is an important part of balance. While it’s possible to balance with your eyes closed, it’s significantly harder. We take in most of our sensory information through our eyes, so keeping them open with help your balance.

As bipeds, having the eyes parallel to the floor is what the body aims for when moving through the world. Challenging this orientation is not only good for the brain, but also good for the balance.

Vrksasana/Tree pose is a wonderful beginning balance pose as it’s simple: you are upright and your eyes are level, the way they are when you are standing. The challenge of Half Moon, is that your body is sideways, parallel to the floor. You can look downward, outward, or upward, and each of these Gazes, or Drishtis, will add a new level of challenge.

The basics

Everything you need to know for Half Moon is found in Triangle pose, so I’m going to start that discussion here. Triangle pose is a foundational standing pose on the mat. Starting on your right side, your feet are a leg length apart, with your right foot aimed toward the front of your mat, and your left foot aimed 45 degrees forward.

Rotate your right thigh forward so that the center of your knee points toward your second and third right toes. Feel your left foot flat, arch lifted, the outer foot connecting downward into the floor. Both feet press evenly into the floor. Engage the quads on both legs and activate your glutes. As you rotate your right thigh to the right, rotate your left thigh to the left so that you aim your left knee toward your left toes.

Start with your pelvis level, then tip your pelvis to the right so that your right hip is tipped lower than your left hip. There is no side bending; your spine stays straight, like a flat back to the side. The pelvis isn’t flat to the side, as that will take your right knee out of alignment. The left hip will be forward of the right hip.

Place your right hand on your right leg without leaning on it. Your left arm extends upward, palm facing outward. Gaze at your left thumb, Angushtha dristi (thumb gaze). If that bothers your neck, you can gaze outward or downward toward your right thumb. Stay 3-5 breaths then practice on the left side.

Shifting toward Half Moon

The key to Half Moon is not the lifted leg, although that is important. The movement of the pose comes from the standing leg and its hip. Have a block handy if your hamstrings are tight and the floor seems far away.

Starting again on the right, come into Triangle pose. Bend your right knee, still aiming the knee straight ahead, and shift 80% of your weight onto your right foot. Your right hand can come to the floor or a block about a foot in front of your right 5t toe (under your shoulder). Press the right foot into the floor to straighten the leg as you lift your left leg off the floor. Just like Triangle pose, press through your feet and activate the quads and glutes.

Feel the right thigh rotating to the right to move the left hip toward the ceiling. Because the foot is fixed on the floor, it’s the left hip that will move when you rotate the right thigh. Keep the left leg active so that the leg doesn’t dangle back there. This will help your balance.

Gaze at your right thumb (downward). Notice what this pose feels like when you instead look outward, or upward at your left thumb. Changing the Drishti will change your spatial orientation to this pose (and your body) and will add an increasing challenge to your balance. Stay 3-5 breaths, then practice on the left.

Tips

• Feel your feet, both on the ground and in the air. Flex your feet and press downward and outward through your heels. This will get the quads and glutes to fire and give you more stability.
• Spread your toes to create a wider foundation for your pose. Try not to grip the floor. Instead relax your toes on the floor.
• Fix your Gaze/Drishti. Keeping your eyes still will support your balance. See something with your eyes, something not moving. Don’t stare at a blank wall or floor.
• Make sure to breathe. Don’t hold your breath, keep your breath flowing in and out. Sometimes you breathe in and that’s where it all stops. Be sure to exhale as well.

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