Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

7

Chapter

Selected āsanas for integrating the aims and principles

Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas

Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas

with the thumb and index finger on the groin of the

bent leg. This helps to stabilize the bent knee and

improve awareness of the movement of the upper

thigh and hip.

6. Ardha Candrāsana (Figure 7.13)

Meaning of the āsana and its name

Ardha means half, and candra is the moon. The

different positions while going from Utthita

Triko āsana to Ardha Candrāsana are reminiscent

of different shapes of the moon. Practicing this

is good training in staying stable and calm dur-

ing changes. Ardha Candrāsana develops stability

during moving, and harmony between what we

feel and what we are doing. It teaches coordina-

tion and synchronization between the actions of

the legs and arms.

Getting into the posture

1. Stand in Tā āsana.


2. Go into Utthita Triko āsana to the right.
   3. Bending your right knee in the plane of your
   right little toe, place your right hand on
   the floor or on a brick in line with the right
   little toe one foot length away; the left heel
   is lifting and the foot is sliding closer to the
   right foot.
   4. Rest your left arm on your left trunk side; look
   towards the floor.
   5. As you exhale straighten your right leg while
   lifting your left one; move your right sitting
   bone forwards.
   6. Keep the weight in the right heel and the
   right big toe; the toes, the middle of the
   kneecap, and the middle of the right thigh
   are facing exactly the same way; keeping the
   right knee firm and moving the thigh muscles
   upwards, turn your pelvis to the left, turn
   your thorax to the left, and lift your left
   shoulder so that the shoulder girdle is in line
   with the right arm.
   7. Keep your head in line with your spine; feel a
   continuous stretch from your left foot to the
   crown of your head.
   8. If you can keep your balance, stretch
   your left arm up in line with the shoulder
   girdle.
   9. If you can still keep your balance, turn your
   head to look up at your left hand.

Being in the posture: basic work

1. Keep the weight in the front of your right heel
   and in the big toe.


2. Pull the right kneecap upwards.


3. Move the outer upper right thigh towards the
   inner upper right thigh.


4. Maintaining this action of the right thigh, lift
   your left hip, turn the lower abdomen, the ribs,
   and the shoulders to the left.


5. Feel the length of your spine and the continuous
   stretch from the left heel to the crown of your
   head.


6. Have a continuous stretch through your arms
   and shoulder girdle.

Figure 7.12