Half Moon pose has never been easy for me. Rotating the hips while balancing on one leg and the fingertips of one hand proved near impossible. I was always wobbling and the pose was just out of reach. But I persisted, slowly building strength and confidence.
One day a teacher assisted me into the pose enabling me to feel it completely - where I was supposed to go and how it should feel. I worked with this in future classes and I listened carefully to different teachers instructions. I began to play with the placement of my supporting hand and this was key to achieving balance. I found perfect placement of the fingertips a few inches to the side and quite a bit forward – about a foot in front of the balancing leg. The arm is pretty much in line with the shoulder although this positioning can be hard to ascertain from this angle.
The right arm extends down with supporting fingers pushing into the earth, creating a flat back while the right leg roots through the ground for stability.
The other key factor was finding strength in both legs, especially the one up in the air. Pointing the ball of the foot on the left leg and shooting power back creating the strength, and therefore the pose. Leaving the lifted leg hanging without any effort or energy meant that I would more than likely topple over.
I found that placing my left hand on my left hip and slowly rotating while maintaining power from the right side allowed me to find the pose. Once I feel stable, I can extend my left arm skyward, fingers reaching out and the shoulder slightly twisting for a gentle heart opening. Finally, I gaze upwards and it feels wonderful. I like to visualise the energy alive and soaring through my body in a glorious light.
It is a beautiful Asana but one that needs patience and persistence.
