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Half Moon Pose/Ardha Chandrasana

3/27/2023

Ardha Chandrasana, or Half Moon Pose, is a lateral bend. In some styles of yoga, such as Iyengar Yoga, Half Moon Pose is a balancing pose. See that one pictured to the left. (We usually call that version "Balancing Half Moon" to help differentiate between the two.) We practice both, but this post is all about the side bend, where the body is curved like a crescent moon, as pictured in the group shot above.

Sanskrit:
Ardha Chandrasana (ARE-dah-chan-DRAHS-ana)
Ardha = Half
Chandra = Moon
Asana = Pose

You may also hear this pose referred to as simply a standing side bend or possibly as Indudalasana (in-DU-dah-LAH-sah-nah). That is admittedly kind of fun to say.
Indu = another name for Moon
Dala = Portion

Benefits of Ardha Chandrasana:
We don't tend to stretch the muscles in the side of our body in our daily lives, so it's a great opportunity to lengthen, strengthen, and stretch those sides. This pose provides stretching and strengthening of the entire length of the body, especially the intercostal muscles between the ribs. It will increase spinal flexibility and alignment as well as stimulate digestion, expand breath capacity, and develop focus and concentration.

How to practice:

Stand in Tadasana, with your feet parallel and hip-width apart.
Inhale as you raise your arms overhead, and interlace your fingers into Steeple Mudra (fingers interlaced, index fingers pointing up).
Exhale, rolling your shoulders back and down. Press down through the soles of your feet. Inhale as you lengthen up out of your waist and reach up through the crown of your head.
Exhale, pressing hips to the left, keeping shoulders and hips squared to the front.
Inhale, Lift your rib cage, continuing to lengthen the torso. Keep hips and shoulders squared to the front, and with an exhale, extend through your fingertips and bend your upper body to the right.
With each inhale, lengthen upward, and with each exhale, arch slightly deeper to the right. Continue lengthening and arching until you come to your edge.
Maintain equal weight on both feet.
To release, press down through your feet, shift your hips back to center, and lift your shoulders over your hips.
Relax your arms down by your sides, and take a moment to notice sensations in the body.
Repeat on the other side.

Possible Modifications or Variations:

Keep both hands on your waist.
Quarter Moon: Place right hand on your waist and raise left arm up and over as you bend to the right. (Reverse, of course, for other side.)
Hold a yoga strap (or your bathrobe belt) taut between your hands overhead; keep arms wide apart as you side bend.
Use the wall for support with your back against the wall.

Precautions:

With heart conditions or weak back or shoulder muscles, avoid long holdings and keep arms below the head, using the first modification above.
With uncontrolled high blood pressure, skip this pose.

As always, if a posture causes pain, come out of it immediately. Ask a qualified (certified and registered) yoga teacher for assistance.

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Ayurvedic Tips for Spring

3/20/2023

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Happy Spring! Spring is not my favorite season, but I still can’t help but get excited about an end to the long CNY winter. I know Mother Nature is likely to send us a few more reminders of her power, and I know that I can’t pack away the boots or down coat for another couple of months, but there’s a sense of transition in the air nonetheless. The season of renewal is upon us.

Yoga’s sister science, Ayurveda (literally, “the science of life”), is all about living in harmony with nature. So when the seasons shift, there are some shifts we can make, too, to help us adjust. There are only three seasons in Ayurveda, and they coordinate with the three doshas: Vata (made up of air and ether), Pitta (made up of fire and water), and Kapha (made up of earth and water). In the Northern Hemisphere, the cold, wet late winter and spring are considered Kapha season. As the snow melts into the earth, we have lots of water and earth; in other words, mud. It’s a heavy, cold, muddy season.

A basic Ayurvedic principle is that like increases like, and opposites balance. We are always seeking a balanced state of health without an excess of any of the qualities known as gunas.

How we approach balance varies from person to person, because we each have different levels of the three doshas, but this post is to offer some basic Ayurvedic advice that will apply to most people during Kapha season (late winter and spring).

Eat more food that is light, dry, and warm to balance the heavy, wet, cold season. Consider things like steamed vegetables and light soups.
Eat less heavy and cold foods such as fried foods, dairy, and sweets.
In general, favor foods that are pungent and spicy, bitter, and astringent as well as light, dry and warm, and avoid or reduce foods that are sweet, sour, salty, heavy, cold, and oily.
Consider adding more play and activity into your lifestyle. The introspective hibernating of winter is ending, and it’s time to become more active. Try a new exercise class or get outside for some walks, bike riding, or hikes.
Your yoga can change, too. You may find that your yoga teacher is slowly adding more flow and picking up the pace in your yoga class. If you usually practice yin or restorative, consider a multi-level or flow class.
Cooler spring days are ideal for relaxing in the sauna to sweat out any excess moisture and release toxins.

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Tips for New Students

3/13/2023

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Don’t eat just before class. You’ll be uncomfortable with all the twisting and bending! If you absolutely must eat within 2 hours of yoga (I see you hypoglycemic folks), try something light, like fruit or yogurt.
Practice regularly, and track your progress. Focus on the positive changes. For example, maybe you start child’s pose with two fists under your head. A month later, your hands are flat and still supporting your head. Later still, Your arms are extended out in front of you. All progress is progress. Pay attention, and celebrate those baby steps.
Set an intention to stay awake during relaxation. Intentions can be powerful. You are planting little seeds in your mind. If, at the beginning of relaxation, you say to yourself, “I am awake and alert,” it may be enough to prevent an accidental nap.
Don’t cheap out on your yoga mat. Some mats are slippery and too stretchy, and they won’t serve you. Watch out for Pilates mats, too. The thicker cushioning seems like a good idea at first, but when you need to balance, you may be regretting that choice.
Use the props! There is absolutely no shame in modifying postures or using props to support your body. That’s what they are there for! Experiment and play with all the available props over time. Look for future posts with prop ideas and inspiration!

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Mountain Pose/Tadasana

2/19/2023

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Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, is the foundational standing pose, and the principles of alignment you learn through its practice apply to many of the other standing postures. At a quick glance, you might think that someone in this posture is “just standing there,” but there’s more going on than meets the eye. In the properly aligned and executed posture, many muscles are activated, and the practitioner is balancing the engaged muscles with areas of ease.

Sanskrit:
Tadasana (tah-DAHS-ah-na)
Tada = mountain
Asana = commonly translated as pose; but more literally means seat (as in “take the seat/energy of a mountain”)

You may also hear this pose referred to as Samastithi (suh-muh-sthi-ti)

Sama = Equal, same
Stithi = Standing

Benefits of Tadasana:
This pose improves posture and muscle tone by bringing the body into correct alignment. It helps you develop concentration, coordination, stability, strength, poise, and balance. When you are standing in Tadasana, you are taking on the energy of a mountain—majestic, tall, and stable.

How to practice:

Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width apart.
Press down through the soles of your feet, at the “four corners.” Distribute your weight evenly side to side, between the inner and outer edges, and between the ball and heel of each foot.
Lightly engage your quadriceps. Press the top of the thigh back to reduce hyperextension at the knee.
Extend your tailbone down to elongate your lumbar spine and lengthen your waist. You’ll feel your belly firm as you do this.
Roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Reach down through your fingertips, and press up through the crown, lengthening the neck.
Reach out through your fingertips as you raise your arms into a V position overhead. Keep your arms extended just outside the ears.
Lengthen the body from hip to armpit, pulling up out of the waist.
To release, reach out through your fingertips, and lower your arms to your sides. Relax your torso and legs.

Possible Modifications or Variations:

Keep your arms down or hands in prayer position (anjali mudra) at heart center.
Hands on the waist, pulling your elbows back to open the chest.
Bring big toes together, with a slight space between the heels.

Precautions
With heart conditions or high blood pressure, keep arms below the head, using one of the modifications above.

As always, if a posture causes pain, come out of it immediately. Ask a qualified yoga teacher for assistance.

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Sanskrit 101

2/7/2023

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You want more flexibility or some stress relief, so you decide to try yoga. You’re thinking it will be similar to any other fitness class at the gym, perhaps. Then the teacher starts talking about “pranayama” or “tadasana” or “nadis”, and you look around to see if other people are as confused as you.

Sanskrit is the language of yoga and many other philosophies and disciplines, such as Ayurveda and Tantra. Yoga is an ancient practice, and Sanskrit is an ancient language, even older than Latin. The written version of Sanskrit is at least 3,500 years old, and the oral tradition is much older.

When you practice, or “study,” yoga, you will undoubtedly be exposed to at least a few Sanskrit words. The word Yoga itself, is, in fact, Sanskrit. Here’s a beginner’s guide to some of the terms you are most likely to encounter in Yoga class. Once you hear them a few times, they won’t seem so intimidating!

Yoga - from the root “yuj” meaning yoke or connect. Often interpreted as the “union” of mind, body, and spirit.

Asana - most literally translated as “seat.” In ancient times, yoga postures were limited to seated meditation postures. In contemporary use, asana refers to any of the poses or postures. Note that asana is usually a suffix. For instance, tadasana is tada (mountain) plus asana (pose); mountain pose.

Prana - life force energy; the energy that animates our physical bodies.

Om (or AUM) - is a sacred sound often chanted at the beginning and/or end of class. It is said to resonate at the vibration of the universe and represents the sound of creation.

Mantra - a word or phrase recited, usually during meditation, to help focus the mind.

Dharma - refers to one’s path, purpose, or duty in life.

Karma - Karma is more involved than the “what comes around goes around” or “Karma is a b*&^%” meaning we often hear. Karma is more about the energy that corresponds to our actions. It is believed that our actions influence our circumstances in our current lifetime as well as in future lifetimes.

Mudra - literally “seal” or “symbol,” and typically used to refer to hand positions or, less often, full body positions that are used to direct prana or focus one’s attention.

Bandha - literally “lock” or “bond,” refers to internal energetic and muscular locks. There are three main bandhas. Mula bandha is the root lock, created by lifting and contracting the pelvic floor muscles; uddiyana bandha is pulling the abdominal muscles in and up; and jalandhara bandha is the throat lock. Maha bandha (the great lock) is when all three are locked simultaneously.

Namaste - a respectful greeting. “I bow to you.” Usually accompanied by Anjali/Namaste mudra (hands together at the heart in a prayer-like position).

Ashtanga - literally “eight-limbed” and in classical yoga, used in reference to the eight limbs of yoga:

Yama (moral discipline)
Niyama (self-restraint)
Asana (posture)
Pranayama (breath/energy control)
Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
Dharana (focus/concentration)
Dhyana (flow state/meditation)
Samadhi (pure awareness/bliss)

Note there is also a popular style of yoga, created by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, that adopted the name “Ashtanga.”

Sutra - like “suture,” meaning thread. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a classic yoga text, full of aphorisms or “threads” of information that encompass the foundational philosophy of yoga.

Nadi - energy channel

Shanti - peace

Bhakti - one of the paths to yoga (union); the path of devotion

Japa - to mutter

Mala - garland, usually referring to to a strand of 108 beads strung together to use for mantra meditation

Citta - the mind or consciousness

Vritti - fluctuations

Drishti - focal point

Chakra - wheel of energy

Kirtan - call and response style of chanting or singing as a practice of devotion.

Karuna - compassion

Watch for another Sanskrit post with words to help decipher pose names.

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Yoga Etiquette - Top Tips for Polite Practice

1/23/2023

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Walking into a yoga studio for the first time can be intimidating. As discussed in previous posts, people new to the practice of yoga often have a lot of questions about what to wear, what to expect, and if they will fit in with the other students. At most studios, ALL people are welcome, but check this list for some advice that might make you feel more like a seasoned pro.

Be on time for class. Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to gather your props, roll out your mat, settle in, and stretch or meditate. Arriving late to class compromises your experience, and it also disturbs everyone else! If you must arrive late on occasion (life happens), enter silently, sit near the entrance, and wait until the centering meditation is over to gather props and roll out your mat. Try not to arrive too much earlier than 15 minutes before class starts though. Teachers need time to get the studio set up and prepare themselves to teach.
Savor the peace. Turn your cell phone off or silence it. Better yet, don’t bring your phone to class. Most students leave their phone in the car or in a coat pocket in the lobby. People are at yoga class for peace, relaxation, and union with self. Be sure all other noisy devices are silenced as well. Electronics are the worst offenders, but be aware of other culprits as well. Avoid jangly jewelry or rattling keys.
Honor the Space. For most practitioners, the yoga studio is a sacred space, and their mat is their own personal little sanctuary. It may be the only place and time they find peace in their lives. Leave your shoes, food, gum, and drinks outside the studio. (Insulated, spill-proof water bottles are usually ok.) Avoid stepping on other students’ yoga mats when you walk through the room. If someone appears to be resting or meditating before class, don’t disturb their practice with chit-chat.
Honor Your Body. You don’t need to look exactly like anyone else. All bodies are different. Work with where you are in the moment, and be sure to modify as needed to avoid injury. Listen to your body. If it reacts negatively during any part of the practice, modifications are offered and encouraged. It’s normal to feel like everyone is looking at us, but honestly, nobody is. When we are practicing yoga, we are moving inward.
Dress appropriately. Yoga is not a fashion show. Wear comfortable layers to control your body temperature, and consider the movement that may be required. Ensure that your clothing is modest and neither too loose nor too tight for the practice.
Communicate. Let your teacher know before class about any injuries or other conditions that may affect your practice. Ask for needed modifications if they are not offered. It’s best to try to get the teacher’s attention discreetly or stay after class to voice your concerns.
Be respectful. Show respect for yourself, other students, and your teacher. One courtesy observed in some studios is to lay with your head, rather than your feet, toward the teacher for savasana. Another courtesy is to be careful about where you put your mat—not too close to another student and not blocking their view of the teacher.
Check your hygiene. Yoga philosophy teaches cleanliness and harmony in our bodies and environment. Personal hygiene and a clean mat are expected. However, avoid the use of perfumes or colognes during yoga. Fragrances are distracting and can cause irritation to those with sinus or respiratory sensitivity.
Stay until the end. The relaxation at the end of the class is an important part of the experience. Many beginners feel like they are “wasting their time” just relaxing in stillness. We understand it seems odd at first. However, this part of the practice helps your body and mind integrate the practice and induces the relaxation response, which is healing and restorative. Leaving early is a disservice to yourself and distracting to others. If you must leave early on occasion, please let your teacher know before class, and plan to leave before relaxation begins.
Pick up after yourself. Neatly return any mats, blankets, blocks, ties or eye pillows you used. Be sure to return them to the appropriate spot. If you borrowed a mat or blocks, use the disinfectant wipes or sprays to clean them after class. Learn the studio’s style of blanket folding to make it easier to use the blanket as a prop. If you don’t know where something goes or how to properly return props, just ask. We are happy to help you!

This post covers the main points, but I stopped myself at 10! If you have any questions about yoga etiquette, please leave them in the comments, and I'll answer you there as quickly as possible!

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Benefits of Yoga

1/15/2023

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I love having beginners in class. I try to always get a moment to chat with them afterwards to ask how it was for them. Almost always, they look at me with wide eyes and a content expression. "I had no idea I could feel this relaxed." Or "I didn't realize how much tension I was holding until I released it." Those sometimes hard-to-express feelings are what keep most of us coming back for more. And realizing how content I could feel is what prompted me to become a teacher. I wanted to feel this way ALL THE TIME!

Scientific research is confirming those emotional, mental, and physical benefits of yoga. In fact, more and more health care providers are now recommending yoga to patients as a first line of defense. Listed here, in no particular order, are the top ten benefits, in my opinion.

STRESS RELIEF: The various practices of yoga (stretching, breathing, meditation, relaxation) reduce the physical effects of stress on the body by encouraging the relaxation response and lowering the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system, as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.

PAIN RELIEF: Yoga can ease our physical aches and pains. Studies have demonstrated that practicing Yoga postures, meditation, or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases and hypertension as well as arthritis, back and neck pain and other chronic conditions.

BETTER BREATHING: Pranayama, the breathing practices of yoga, teach us to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function and elicits the body’s relaxation response.

FLEXIBILITY: The physical practice of yoga improves flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains.

INCREASED STRENGTH: Yoga postures use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength from head to toe.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: All forms of yoga can aid weight control efforts by reducing our stress, and therefore, our cortisol levels. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of awareness, well being, and self-esteem.

IMPROVED CIRCULATION: When we restrict blood flow while holding yoga poses, the release of the poses helps to move oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.

CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING: Even a gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits. Yoga lowers resting heart rate, increases endurance, and improves our oxygen uptake.

BETTER BODY ALIGNMENT: Yoga helps to improve body awareness and alignment, resulting in better posture and relief of back, neck, joint and muscle pain and stiffness.

FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: Yoga teaches us to focus on the present moment and become more self-aware. This can lead to improved coordination, reaction time and memory.

This is not a comprehensive list. Do you have something to add? A benefit that your practice has provided that is not on this list? Please add it in the comments!

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FAQs

1/9/2023

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1. Do you need to be flexible to practice yoga?
By far the most frequently asked question I get is “Do I need to be flexible to practice yoga?” The short answer is a big fat NO! Yoga will improve your flexibility. All bodies are different. We have different levels of fitness and flexibility, different structures and composition, different limitations, injuries, and strengths. At Mandala Moon Yoga, we encourage each student to practice in a way that is comfortable for them in the moment. We offer props, modifications and variations for each pose so that the physical practice is accessible to almost all bodies.

2. What exactly is yoga?
Yoga is a Sanskrit word that comes from the root word “yuj,” which means “yoke.” It is a practice designed to “yoke” or unite all the parts of yourself—mind, body, soul. Yoga is at least 5,000 years old and originated in India as a meditation practice. The Yoga Sutra states that yoga is “the quieting of the fluctuations of the mind.” Over time, it has evolved to include the stretching and postures that are more strongly associated with it. The postures prepare the body for the quieting effects of meditation.

3. Am I too old, too young, too big, too poor, too male, too out of shape, too (fill in the blank) for yoga?
Nope. Just like you don’t need to be flexible, you also don’t need to have a specific body type or the trendiest yoga pants to start a practice. Yoga is not just for women. In fact, in ancient times, it was primarily a male practice. Yoga is for everyone. There are many different styles of yoga. I’ll come back in another post to cover some common styles. Try out different studios, different teachers, and different styles of yoga to find the one that works best for you right now. At our studio alone, we offer our middle-of-the-road multi-level yoga, the slower, gentler restorative yin classes, higher intensity fitness classes, faster paced flow yoga, yoga for beginners, and yoga for children.

4. What should I bring to class?
Bring yourself and an open mind. If you have a yoga mat, bring that too. Most people like to bring their own mat. They come in different thicknesses and sizes. But if you don’t have a mat, don’t let that stop you. We have loaner mats that you can use. We just ask that you use the disinfectant wipes provided to clean them off after use. We have all the yoga props that you will need (blocks, blankets, bolsters, straps), but feel free to bring your own props, too, if you prefer. You may also like to bring some water. If you do, please use an insulated, covered water bottle to protect our studio floors.

5. What should I wear?
Dress comfortably in layers of clothing. You may heat up and cool down during the different parts of class, and it’s best to be able to add and remove layers. Natural fabrics are best, and modesty is encouraged. Keep in mind that you will be bending and twisting and sometimes a bit upside-down, so be sure that you will be comfortable in whatever clothes you choose. We practice in bare feet, so shoes are left outside the studio. If your feet tend to get cold, wear socks. You may want to invest in socks with grippy bottoms so you don’t slip.

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The Holidays through the Lens of the Kleshas

11/14/2022

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The holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving is still 10 days away, but the radio is playing holiday music, the lights are on the lake, and the stores have been putting the Christmas displays out for weeks already.

The retail machine has an obvious motive. Snoopy knew the drill way back in the 60’s, right? Consumerism has only gotten worse. On the other hand, after the pandemic, the insane politics, and all of the hate, why not embrace a holiday that’s all about comfort and joy and merry and bright? I am outnumbered in my family. They are all ready for Christmas as soon as we put away the Halloween decorations. I prefer to savor Thanksgiving first.

We’ve been studying the kleshas in some of our ongoing classes for the last couple of weeks as part of our study of the Yoga Sutras.

Kleshas are the obstacles that prevent us from being in the state of yoga all the time.

Can we navigate the holiday—parties, consumerism, greed, overstimulation, overeating, competition, etc.—with grace and ease? The holidays can be difficult. What if we try to embrace the present moment as we ride the yule tide? The present moment is the only moment where yoga, the state of spiritual union, occurs.

Let's look at the holidays through the lens of the kleshas for some insight.

Klesha #1: Avidya - We teach this as “spiritual ignorance” or the inability to recognize the light within us. If we are consumed with trying to fill our perceived emptiness with “stuff,” we may need to overcome avidya so we realize that we are already enough.

Klesha #2: Asmita - egoism. The problem isn’t the ego. It’s good to know who you are. It’s how attached to it you are. Do you want to be right or do you want to be free? It’s about loosening the hold ego has or making it more transparent. The best practice to see beyond the labels is meditation. And meditation is also an amazing tool to keep you grounded and centered throughout the chaos of the holidays.

Klesha #3 Raga - attachment to pleasure. This may be the big bad wolf of the holiday kleshas. We so want to create the perfect holiday. We eat too much, spend too much, and drink too much, all in pursuit of the pleasure. Hey, I own holiday plates that say “Eat, Drink, and be Merry.” I’m not saying that we shouldn’t celebrate. Maybe, though, we might also set an intention to enjoy more of the simpler pleasures of connecting and sharing memories with our loved ones. Maybe watch the Grinch again.

Klesha #4 Dvesha - aversion to pain. There’s a lot of fear right now in our country. The political climate is scary. Violence abounds. People are weary. For some people, the holidays are painful. They may be missing holidays past. They may be suffering from depression. They may feel defeated by the weight of this country’s grief, ignorance, and division. When we deny reality, we suffer. When we accept reality, we are free. Rather than push away the negative, we need to make room for it. Allow the feelings that accompany it. Observe as witness consciousness. We’re back to meditation. Control what you can control.

Klesha #5 Abhinivesha - fear of death or fear of disconnection. During the holidays, we strive to connect through celebrations, gifts, traditions. We lean in to what connects us. And it’s wonderful. That’s what it’s all about.

Take care of yourself this holiday season. Stay committed to your meditation and yoga practice. Connect to your inner light. Share it with others.

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Veterans Day

11/8/2022

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"If I could ask you to do anything, it would be to invite a veteran to yoga. It might just save their life." ~ Staff Sergeant Dan Nevins — U.S. Army Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Veteran turned yoga teacher.

We were originally inspired to offer free yoga to veterans by photographer Robert Sturman back in 2016. And we continue to be inspired every November.

Thank you, Veterans, for your service. 🇺🇸

Please contact Dena to schedule classes. 315-673-7535. Proof of service (DD Form 214) required.

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Half Moon Pose/Ardha Chandrasana

Ayurvedic Tips for Spring

Tips for New Students

Mountain Pose/Tadasana

Sanskrit 101

Yoga Etiquette - Top Tips for Polite Practice

Benefits of Yoga

FAQs

The Holidays through the Lens of the Kleshas

Veterans Day

Dena D. Beratta

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Call us: (315) 673-7535 or text: (315) 440-9125

Email: Dena@MandalaMoonYoga.com