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Ardha Chandrasana/Half Moon

Begin standing in Mountain pose. Step your right foot forward. Place your right hand to the floor (or block) out in front of your right foot about a foot and over to the right a bit so that your hand and foot are not in line with each other.  Lift your left leg up and rotate your hip and chest up and to the left.  Flex your left foot and lengthen out from the heel through the crown of your head. Begin with your gaze down. Find your balance by working with the oppositional forces within your body. Keep the standing leg strong and straight with the energy moving up by lifting the arch of your foot and the quad as well. At the same time feel the energy move down by rooting into the right foot pressing down through the ball and heel. Then feel the long line of energy from the lifted (left) leg, pressing out through the flexed foot and straight through the crown of your head. Lift your left arm up so that the energy runs from one hand through the other in a long straight line. When you feel balanced you may move your drishti or gaze up so that you are looking out and then eventually up to toward your lifted hand.

Physical benefits: Ardha Chandrasana strengthens the leg muscles and knees. It tones the lower spine and the core muscles and tones the organs. It helps with gastric problems.

Spiritual benefits: One must focus on many things at once in this asana. By such strong focus on all of the opposing forces working simultaneously one finds balance and a certain sense of liberation. Freedom and focus.

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