Ardha chandrasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit words {{lang|sa|अर्ध}} {{lang|sa-Latn|ardha}} meaning "half", {{lang|sa|चन्द्र}} {{lang|sa-Latn|chandra}} meaning "moon", and {{lang|sa|आसन}} {{lang|sa-Latn|āsana}} meaning "posture" or "seat".{{cite book |last=Sinha |first=S. C. |title=Dictionary of Philosophy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-zzRvh1fRzEC&pg=PA18 |date=1 June 1996 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-293-9 |page=18}}

The 19th century Sritattvanidhi uses the name Ardha Chandrasana for a different pose, Vrikshasana.{{cite book |last=Sjoman |first=Norman E. |author-link=Norman Sjoman |title=The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=1999 |orig-year=1996 |isbn=81-7017-389-2 |pages=82, 90 }} Swami Yogesvarananda used the name in his 1970 First Steps to Higher Yoga for a pose similar to Kapotasana, Pigeon. The modern usage of the name is found in B. K. S. Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga.{{cite book |title=Light on Yoga |title-link=Light on Yoga |publisher=Schocken |last=Iyengar |first=B.K.S. |author-link=B.K.S. Iyengar |year=1979 |orig-year=1966 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lightonyoga00bksi/page/74 74–76] |isbn=0-8052-1031-8}}

{{anchor|Indudalasana}}

The pose is entered from Trikonasana (triangle pose), where one foot is kept forward. The arm opposite to the foot that is forward would come onto the hip. While stretching up with the rear leg and out with the front hand so that only the fingertips remain on the ground, the hand on the hip can gradually reach up towards the ceiling. The gaze is directed at the upper hand.{{cite web |author=Anon |title=Half Moon Pose |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/half-moon-pose |publisher=Yoga Journal |date=28 August 2007}}{{cite book |last=Mehta |first=Silva; Mehta, Mira; Mehta, Shyam |date=1990 |title=Yoga: The Iyengar Way |title-link=Yoga: The Iyengar Way |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |pages=30–31}} However, Iyengar describes the pose with the upper hand resting on the hip.{{cite book | last=Iyengar | first=B. K. S. |author-link=B. K. S. Iyengar | year=1979 | orig-year=1966 | title=Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika | publisher=Unwin Paperbacks |pages=74–76}}{{cite web |last1=Costello |first1=Nikki |title=Balance Mind & Body: Half Moon: Balance, strengthen, and lengthen in Half Moon Pose |url=http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/784 |website=Yoga Journal |access-date=8 February 2022 |date=17 June 2013}}

The pose helps to strengthen the ankles and improve balance.

• Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Half Moon Pose) has the body revolved towards the standing leg.{{cite web |title=Revolved Half Moon Pose |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-sequences/to-the-moon/ |publisher=Yoga Journal |access-date=27 February 2025 |date=29 January 2025}}
• Baddha Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Bound Revolved Half Moon Pose) has the body revolved towards the standing leg with arms bound around the standing leg.{{cite web | url=https://www.yogateket.com/blog/ardha-chandrasana-half-moon-pose | title = Baddha Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana (Bound Revolved Half Moon Pose) |publisher=Yogateket | access-date=11 March 2019}}

In Sivananda Yoga and its derivative styles such as the Bihar School of Yoga, half moon pose is Anjaneyasana,{{cite book |last1=Lidell | first1=Lucy |author2=The Sivananda Yoga Centre |title=The Book of Yoga: the complete step-by-step guide |publisher=Ebury |year=1983 |isbn=978-0-85223-297-2 |oclc=12457963 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bookofyoga0000lide/page/132 132–133] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofyoga0000lide/page/132 }} an asana used in the moon salutation series (Chandra Namaskar).{{cite web |last=Mirsky |first=Karina |title=A Meditative Moon Salutation |url=https://yogainternational.com/article/view/a-meditative-moon-salutation |publisher=Yoga International |access-date=23 July 2019}}

In Bikram Yoga, the name "half moon pose" is given to a two-legged standing side bend,{{cite web |url=http://www.bikramyogaposesguide.com |title=26 Bikram Yoga Poses |website=Bikram Yoga Poses Guide |access-date=23 July 2019}} elsewhere called Indudalasana.{{cite web |title=Indudalasana |url=https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/7439/indudalasana |publisher=Yogapedia |access-date=23 July 2019}}

File:Mr-yoga-side bend.jpg|The side bend Indudalasana is known as "half moon pose" in Bikram Yoga.

File:Mr-yoga-revolved half moon bow pose.jpg|Revolved half moon pose, variation (grasping of foot)

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• {{cite book |last=Saraswati |first=Swami Satyananda |author-link=Swami Satyananda Saraswati |title=Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YpR1QgAACAAJ |date=1 August 2003 |publisher=Nesma Books India |isbn=978-81-86336-14-4 |ref=none}}

{{Asana}}

{{Yoga as exercise}}

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Category:Standing asanas

Category:Asymmetric asanas