** Posture: Ardhachandra-asana - The Half-moon Pose ** Translation: The "half moon" stance is named after the Sanskrit words ardha, which means "half," and chandra, which means "moon." ** Pronunciation: ard-ha-chun-drah-sa-na ** Difficulty: (2) ** Instructions: 1- Stand in tada-asana (Stand with both feet contacting from the heel to the big toe, back straight, arms placed against the sides, palms facing inward). 2- Bring the palms of the hands together at the chest, softly pressing them against each other (the Anjali-mudra). 3- Take a deep breath and raise your arms straight up, keeping your palms softly together. 4- With your arms alongside your neck and head, arch your torso backwards, tilt your head backwards, and hold. Maintain proper posture by keeping your knees straight. 5- Return to tada-asana slowly. ** benefits The ardha-chandra-asana is a fundamental balancing and stretching position that primarily helps the lower back, belly, and chest. It may be used in both your stretching routine and your regular asana practice. This is also one of the postures in the surya-namaskar sequence (the Sun Salutation). Ardha-chandra-asana should be repeated two to three times.