Half moon balancing series

Half Moon balancing:
The following sequence is a very fun and playful take on a half moon balancing. Hope you like it!

Ready your body and get into the breath by doing a warm  up or what we like to call an integration phase and 3 sun salutation A and B. This will ready the spine, the muscles of the legs and hips and have the breathe fluid for best mental and physical readiness. Then go two or three inches from the top of your yoga mat. Come into rag-doll forward fold and measure the distance between your feet to that of your two fists. This is hip width distance. Set up blocks in front of the mat about 6-10 inches in front of your pinky toe on either foot.

Start on the right side. Bring your right hand to the right block (any height that works for your half moon, typically the taller edge, but I prefer a lower to earth feel, block placement depends on your flexibility. Think about it as bringing the ground up to you.) Make sure your right toes are at 12:00 o'clock and then tuck your right hip crease back. Take the left hand to the left hip. Lift your left leg and turn your left foot so that the foot is flexed. Press through the heel and lift up. Start to square your chest with the wall you're opening up toward. Then lift the left hand to the sky. This is a good time to check in again with the right toes and insure they are straight ahead at 12:00. They will have a tendency to turn in toward 11:00, so adjust back. Weave in the low ribs and pull the low belly in and up. Then, extend the chest forward and keep lifting through the back leg, focus on activating the back leg. Try and lift your gaze up from the floor to the ceiling and keep the eyes focused so you maintain balance. With your core very strong, start to bend into the left knee. Catch the left foot by the instep similar to the way you grab the foot in dancer's pose, for an external rotation of the shoulder joint. Spread the toes and continue to kick the foot into the hand. Enjoy the bind for some breaths, pausing to notice what opens up here. Once complete, let go of the foot, and square the left hip down. Then take left hand to left block and right hand to right block. Chest is square to the earth and inhale to lengthen the chest forward. On an exhale, right arm lifts and the enjoy revolving ardha chandrasana. From here you are set up in the hips for standing split. Shift your gaze down and take your hands either to the blocks, to the mat, or practice bringing one or both hands down to the standing right leg. Playing with balance is a fun option but remember that over balance, is the importance or the squared hips, the right outer hip will need to be lengthened and left outer hip shortened in most bodies. This might significantly lower your raised left leg, so play with inhaling to lift the left heel higher (with baby toe aimed down) and then exhale drop the head more. Your gaze can be directed near the floating toes. Gracefully come into rag doll when complete. Nicely done!

Now take a flow and repeat it on the left!

12

3

45

7

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