Half-Moon Pose – Ardha Chandrasana अर्धचन्द्रासन

In Half Moon posture, I instruct students to adjust their shoulders so they can ‘open up their chest like a flower petal blooming.’ This tiny adjustment leads to a gradual opening of the upper body where the chest lifts up exposing the heart.

The heart is located in the 4th chakra center in the body and includes the heart, lungs, circulatory system, shoulders and upper back. Chakras centers are interpreted as wheels that move energy up and down the body and run parallel to the spinal column and are depicted as lotus flowers (symbols of creation and self-awareness in individuals).

The heart energy is creative and powerful and stands at the center of all energies and it’s the point around which all the energies turn.

Be patient in your yoga practice! You cannot force a flower to bloom sooner or it will pull apart or wilt. A flower requires time to seed (potential), sprout (resilience, never giving up) and bud (awakening, accomplishment) and eventually open up into something unique and amazing.

Enjoy each moment, including the struggles and the challenges. Be happy with your improvements, no matter how small. Each small step is building a foundation, until naturally you open like a flower petal blooming!