Position of the Week: Parivrrta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolving Half-Moon Pose)

Benefits: This is a great pose to better your balance.  It strengthens your thighs, abdomen, ankles, spine and buttocks.  It will stretch out your hamstrings, calves, shoulders, chest, spine and groin.  It will help you feel stress free and also improve your disgestion.

I had such a wonderful yoga practice today.  I accompanied my best brunette friend to her yoga studio for a Hatha session.  She has been practicing for a few weeks and absolutely loves it (yay!).  The class was taught by one of my former teachers, who I always adored.  I was dissapointed when I discovered that she wouldn't be teaching at my current studio anymore, so it was so nice to see her and practice with her again.  It was equally nice do yoga beside my friend!

So today I was introduced to Revolving Half-Moon Pose. 

Wow...what a position!  I especially love balancing poses.  I felt extremely rooted.  My toes were spread to the max, and I felt the ground so strong beneath me.  The opposite twist motion from my rooted leg to my lifted arm seemed overwhelming at first.  Thankfully, conscious breathing made it possible for me to go into it more comfortably.  It's fantastic to have every single one of your limbs sticking out.  It's as though they are all trying to get away from each other, but staying deeply connected at the same time.  Seriously, for a quick and easy idea just stand up and spread out into a star, like a frozen jumping jack.  Stretch out all your extremeties.  Feels great, no?  So now imagine that feeling heightened a billion times!  I felt so powerful and strong, and could practically feel every ounce of energy travel though me in a fluid motion.  I have fallen in love with side twists and bends.  What's even better is that while in meditation at the beginning of practice, my back felt extremely stiff.  I have had lower back pain for the last few days.  Like magic, this pose did wonders!  It's especially gratifying to feel such quick therapeutic benefits of a position.  When coming out of it, a smile is definitely in the picture.  My body was tingling.  Revolving Half-Moon, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Namaste,
Lady Lotus