This week, we’ll look at another mini pose sequence: triangle to half-moon transition. This is a somewhat advanced pair of poses often, though not always, done in sequence.
Benefits of Triangle to Half-Moon Transition
If you’re an alignment enthusiast, triangle may be one of your favorite poses. You get to do all kinds of aligning here while also paying attention to staying open in a twist. Triangle strengthens the muscles and joints in the legs as well as the core and back body. It also stimulates the organs in the abdominal cavity and relieves stress.
Half-moon is a great balancing pose as well as another alignment super star. It can help improve digestion and relieve anxiety and stress as well.
Practicing the Transition from Triangle to Half-Moon with Intention
Before you do these poses physically, picture each step in your mind’s eye.
Start with your feet pointing forward a leg’s length apart. Lift your arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor with palms facing down. Look back to make sure your arms are in one straight line. Then, turn your right foot out 90 degrees while keeping both feet in one line.
Exhale and reach your right arm forward, in the same line as your feet, as far as you can while not collapsing your back. Next, tilt sideways and place your hand on your shin, ankle, or a block. If you’re able to take hold of your big toe, you can do that as well. The goal is not to come as far down as possible, but to keep the chest open and lifted. Raise your left arm towards the ceiling; if you’re not experiencing any discomfort, look up towards your hand.
Now complete the transition from triangle to half-moon by bending your right leg, placing your right hand on the floor in front of you, and lifting your left leg on an exhale. You can place your right hand on a block if the floor feels too far away.
Inhale and straighten the leg you’re standing on. The hip of the other leg should be pointing up, and your left arm is lifted towards the sky. If you’re new to the pose, you can look down to the floor. Otherwise, your gaze can be straight ahead or up towards your lifted hand.
Moving into Standing Split
To come out of half-moon, turn your left hip down so that your hips are square and pointing towards the floor, keeping the leg raised behind you. Bring your left arm down to the floor in front of you at shoulder-width distance from your right arm. Inhale here, anchor down through the right leg, and start bending your upper body towards the standing leg while lifting the back leg as far as you can while keeping your hips squared. Walk your hands in closer towards the standing leg, keeping it straight.
Repeat the entire sequence on the other side. Then pause and notice the benefits. What do you feel in your body? How is your mind? With practice you’ll feel stronger, steadier, and more relaxed.
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