In the past, the half moon pose (Ardha Chandrasana) has been particularly challenging pose for me. I still have moments where I begin to lose my balance in the pose, yet I find myself beginning to enjoy the pose more and more. Half moon opens up my body and engages both the upper and lower half of the body.

The half moon pose is credited with alleviating anxiety, fatigue, constipation, indigestion, and backache. There are many more reasons to practice this posture during your time on the mat including strengthening your abdomen, thighs and ankles, stretching hamstrings, calves and spine, and improving coordination and balance.

There are number of ways to enter the pose such as through triangle or extended side angle. I prefer to enter the pose via triangle (Trikonasa). From triangle pose, bend the front knee. Place your hand about six inches forward of the front foot and a few inches to the outside of the foot. As you straighten through the front leg, lift the back leg off the floor until it is parallel with the ground. To open the front of the body to the side, raise the free arm in to the air until it is in line with the supporting arm and hand, which is already touching the floor.

While I am still cautious about lifting my supporting hand off the floor and rotating my head up to gaze at my raised hand, I am embracing the challenges of the posture and gaining confidence with each small accomplishment as I learn to deepen the pose.

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Mudras are hand gestures used to seal energy and are believed to affect mood. A mudra can be practiced with one hand or both hands, and depending on the gesture can involve the hand and fingers or the whole hand. Asanas and meditation practice frequently employ mudras. A very familiar mudra for yoga students is anjali mudra in which the hands are pressed together in front of the heart center (sternum). Shiva Rea describes this gesture as a symbolic connection to the divinity in all things. She adds that by bringing the hands together, the right and left hemispheres of the brain are connected or yoked in the same sense that our active and receptive natures are united. This gesture is also used at the start and end of an action. For example, in India anjali mudra is a salutation for saying hello or goodbye just as we might shake hands with a person in the west.

The five fingers represent five elements:
• Thumb – Fire.
• Index – Air.
• Middle – Ether or the spaces between cells within the body.
• Ring - Earth.
• Pinky – Water.

By balancing these five elements, the mind, body, and soul are united with the divine. From a yoga scientific perspective, electromagnetic currents in the body are brought into balance by joining fingers in a variety of ways. Accordingly, a mudra is believed to affect the flow of energy or prana through the body.

Holding the following mudras for several minutes; ideally for 15 minutes or longer, you can stimulate bodily systems to alleviate certain symptoms and restore health.

Here are a selection of mudras to practice, each performed for a specific purpose:

Apaan Mudra
Benefits: Aids in decreasing occurrences of constipation and urinary tract infections while cleansing orifices of waste.
How to do the mudra: Press the tip of the middle and ring finger against the tip of the thumb. Keep the other fingers extended.

Gyan Mudra
Benefits: Treats mental disorders, restores memory acuity, intellectual development, and well-being.
How to do the mudra: Press the tips of the thumb and index finger together, keeping the other 3 fingers extended.

Ling Mudra
Benefits: Creates heat and alleviates cough and cold symptoms.
How to do the mudra: Interlace fingers of both hands. The left thumb stays straight and is encircled by the right thumb and index finger.

Prana Mudra
Benefits: Moves energy through the body to allay all forms of disease and strengthens vision.
How to do the mudra: Press the tip of the ring and little finger against the top of the thumb. Keep the other
two fingers extended.

Prithvi Mudra
Benefits: Creates happiness and a strong body.
How to do the mudra: Touch the tip of the ring finger to the tip of the thumb.

Shoonya Mudra
Benefit: Alleviates earaches.
How to do the mudra: With the middle finger placed at the base of the thumb, rest the thumb on the middle finger while keeping the other three fingers extended.

Surya Mudra
Benefits: Reduces weight.
How to do the mudra: Place the tip of the ring finger on the base of the thumb. Allow the thumb to gently
press back of the front of the ring finger.

Varun Mudra
Benefits: Refreshes the body and improves blood quality.
How to do the mudra: Press the tip of the thumb against the tip of the little finger.

Vayu Mudra
Benefits: Helps with arthritis and trembling caused by Parkinson’s disease.
How to do the mudra: Place the index finger on the base of the thumb. Keep the other fingers extended.

There are also mudras, which are partiuclar to Buddhist iconography that are used to convey an inner expression or state of mind.

Abhaya Mudra
Gesture meaning: Granting protection.
How to do it: The palm of the right hand is turned out from the body and held at shoulder height.

Bhumisparsa Mudra
Gesture meaning: Touching the earth.
How to do it: The right hand hangs over the right knee with the palm turned in to the body and fingers pointing to the ground. The palm of the left hand is turned up and rests in the lap.

Dharmachakra Mudra
Gesture meaning: Turning the wheel of teaching.
How to do it: The left hand is turned toward the body and the right hand away from the body. The thumb and index fingers are pressed together with each hand.

Dhyana Mudra
Gesture meaning: Meditation.
How to do it: The right hand rests in the palm of the left hand with the tips of the thumbs touching each other. Hands are placed on the lap in this gesture.

Uttarabodhi Mudra
Gesture meaning: Supreme enlightenment.
How to do it: The fingers of both hands are interlaced with the thumb and index finger extended up and pressed together. The hands are placed in front of the chest.

Varada Mudra
Gesture meaning: Granting wishes.
How to do it: The right hand is turned towards the floor with the palm facing away from the body.

Vajra Mudra
Gesture meaning: Confidence.
How to do it: The left index finger is wrapped inside the fist of the right hand.

Vitarka Mudra
Gesture meaning: Teaching.
How to do it: Place the index finger on the thumb. Both hands will use this gesture. Keep the right hand turned outward at shoulder height. Keep the left hand turned outward and level with the hip.

Now pick a mood and strike a mudra. :)


For more information about mudras, checkout - Mudra: Gestures of Power

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Hanumanasana - Monkey Pose

This beautiful pose is named after Hanuman, the monkey god. As the faithful servant of Rama, Hanuman leapt from the southern tip of India to Sri Lanka to bring a healing herb for his master Rama’s wounded brother, Laksmana, in a show of devotion. Likewise, the pose is a full split resembling this momentous leap.

The monkey pose opens the hip flexors and hamstrings as well as stimulating the abdominal organs. Avoid this pose if you have a groin or hamstring injury.

I like to practice the following poses, prior to attempting Hanumanasana, monkey pose:
• Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose)
• Janu Sirsasana (head to knee pose)
• Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend pose)
• Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend)
• Supta Virasana (reclining hero pose)
• Supta Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle pose)
• Supta Padangustasana (reclining big toe pose)
• Upavistha Konasana (wide-angle seated forward bend pose)
• Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (upward extended feet pose)
• Uttanasana (standing forward bend pose)
• Virasana (hero pose)

After practicing Hanumanasana, you will find that eka pada rajakapotasana (one-footed pigeon pose), natarajasana (king dancer pose), paschimottanasana (seated forward bend), and upavishta konasana (wide-angle seated forward bend pose) can be attempted with greater ease.

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Maybe you feel like I used to and wonder why would any sane person want to stand on their head? Surprisingly, the benefits of inversions are numerous. Just by raising your feet higher than your head, you can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and increase blood flow to the brain.

Headstands, in particular, can increase stamina and upper body strength as well as improve circulation. If you’re not ready for headstand or handstand, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the health advantages of inverted poses. Restorative inversions such as the legs up the wall pose can also reverse the natural flow of blood and metabolic waste throughout the body. In fact, the longer an inversion is held, the more effectively waste can be released back into the bloodstream for elimination.

There are some reasons you may need to avoid inversions. Namely, do not perform inversions if you are pregnant, have neck pain, high or low blood pressure, neck injuries, and/or are menstruating.

Several well-known inverted postures are handstand, headstand, plow, scorpion, and shoulderstand. Some of these poses are advanced and should only be attempted with supervision after developing core strength over an extended period of practice.

Inversions are documented to have physiological benefits for the cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous, and endocrine systems. So don’t worry, put your feet up and change your outlook. 

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