Moon Pose

Chan-draa-sa-na Chandra = moon

From tadasana, on an inhalation, turn your palms forward and circle your hands upward, coming up onto the balls of your feet. Interlock your thumbs overhead, palms still facing forward, and stretch tall. On the exhalation, extend the stretch to your left and slide your hips slightly to the right, so the entire body forms a graceful sideways arc. Relax your shoulders down away from your ears, remaining slightly up on your toes.

Keep your spine long, with only moderate lateral flexion, and the underside (left side) of your rib cage long and open. Keep your body in a single plane, as though pressed between two panes of glass neither twisting nor leaning forward or backward. Actively lengthen through the entire left side of your body, thereby lengthening and opening the right side.

Breathe smoothly and naturally as you hold the pose and affirm mentally, "Strength and courage fill my body cells."

To exit, inhale and return to vertical, coming up on the balls of your feet once again and lengthening both arms upward. On the exhalation, release your hands and slowly circle them down around your body, returning to tadasana.

Pause to integrate the effects of the pose, then repeat to the other side.