How to Do the Balancing Half Moon Pose

The Balancing Half Moon Pose can help hone your physical grace, leaving you looking—and feeling—downright radiant.

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Up next in How to Do Yoga Poses (57 videos)

Learn all the basic yoga poses -- downward facing dog, lotus, plank, and so on -- so you can get toned and find a little inner calmness, too.

 
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How to Tone Your Butt with Yoga
How to Do the Upward Facing Dog Pose
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How to Do the Upward Facing Dog Pose
How to Do the Cow Face Pose
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How to Do the Cow Face Pose
How to Do the Corpse Pose
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How to Do the Corpse Pose
How to Do the Lotus Pose
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How to Do the Lotus Pose
How to Do the Scorpion Pose
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How to Do the Scorpion Pose
How to Do the Shoulder Stand Pose
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How to Do the Shoulder Stand Pose
How to Do the Hero Pose
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How to Do the Hero Pose
How to Do the Crow Pose
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How to Do the Crow Pose
How to Do the Dancer Pose
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How to Do the Dancer Pose
How to Do the Cat Cow Pose
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How to Do the Cat Cow Pose
How to Do the Plank Pose
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How to Do the Plank Pose
How to Do the Adept Pose
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How to Do the Adept Pose
How to Do the Downward Facing Dog Pose
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How to Do the Downward Facing Dog Pose
How to Do the Locust Pose
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How to Do the Locust Pose
How to Do the Wheel Pose
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How to Do the Wheel Pose
How to Do the Bow Pose
17
How to Do the Bow Pose
How to Do a Sun Salutation B
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How to Do a Sun Salutation B
How to Do a Standing Forward Bend
19
How to Do a Standing Forward Bend
How to Do the Camel Pose
20
How to Do the Camel Pose
How to Do the Mountain Pose
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How to Do the Mountain Pose
How to Do the Child's Pose
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How to Do the Child's Pose
How to Do the Balancing Half Moon Pose
23
How to Do the Balancing Half Moon Pose
How to Do a Standing Half Forward Bend
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How to Do a Standing Half Forward Bend
How to Do the Warrior II Pose
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How to Do the Warrior II Pose
How to Do the Thunderbolt Pose
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How to Do the Thunderbolt Pose
How to Do the Arms Reaching Upward Pose
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How to Do the Arms Reaching Upward Pose
How to Do a Basic Sun Salutation
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How to Do a Basic Sun Salutation
How to Do the Extended Hand to Toe Pose
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How to Do the Extended Hand to Toe Pose
How to Do the Pigeon Pose
30
How to Do the Pigeon Pose
How to Do the Bridge Pose
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How to Do the Bridge Pose
How to Do the Standing Crescent Moon Pose
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How to Do the Standing Crescent Moon Pose
How to Do the Wind Relieving Pose
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How to Do the Wind Relieving Pose
How to Do the Fish Pose
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How to Do the Fish Pose
How to Do the Salute with Eight Limbs Pose
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How to Do the Salute with Eight Limbs Pose
How to Do the Tree Pose
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How to Do the Tree Pose
How to Do the Extended Side Angle Pose
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How to Do the Extended Side Angle Pose
How to Do the Warrior III Pose
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How to Do the Warrior III Pose
How to Do the Lion Pose
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How to Do the Lion Pose
How to Do the Plow Pose
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How to Do the Plow Pose
How to Do the Shooting Bow Pose
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How to Do the Shooting Bow Pose
How to Do the Wide Legged Forward Bend
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How to Do the Wide Legged Forward Bend
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How to Do a Noble Pose
How to Do the Bound Angle Pose
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How to Do the Bound Angle Pose
How to Do the Eagle Pose
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How to Do the Eagle Pose
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How to Do the Four Limbed Staff Pose
How to Do the Lunge Pose
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How to Do the Lunge Pose
How to Do the Headstand Pose
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How to Do the Headstand Pose
How to Do the Cobra Pose
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How to Do the Cobra Pose
How to Do the Chair Pose
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How to Do the Chair Pose
How to Do a Seated Spinal Twist Pose
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How to Do a Seated Spinal Twist Pose
How to Do the Extended Triangle Pose
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How to Do the Extended Triangle Pose
How to Do Power Yoga
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How to Do Power Yoga
How to Choose Yoga Classes
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How to Choose Yoga Classes
How to Handle a Fart in Yoga Class
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How to Handle a Fart in Yoga Class
How to Do the Warrior I Pose
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How to Do the Warrior I Pose
How to Practice Nude Yoga
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How to Practice Nude Yoga
 

You Will Need

  • Comfortable clothing suitable for stretching and moving
  • A calm place where you won't be distracted or disturbed
  • A yoga mat or folded blanket
  • A foam or wooden yoga block

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Stand at mat

    Stand at the front of your mat with your feet hip-width apart and your weight evenly distributed between them, your spine erect, and your arms at your sides.

  2. Step 2

    Straddle position

    Move your feet out into a straddle position, about three to four feet apart, while reaching your arms out to the sides parallel to the ground.

  3. Step 3

    Turn feet

    Turn your left foot slightly inward, and your right foot out to the right.

  4. Step 4

    Shift weight

    Shift your weight onto your right foot, lifting your left foot straight out and up to the left while balancing on your right leg.

  5. Step 5

    Lower right arm

    Slowly lower your right hand toward the floor or the block so that you're balancing on your right foot and hand, keeping your left arm extended so it's reaching straight up.

  6. Step 6

    Align body

    Lift your left hip over your right hip, so your hips and chest face forward. Your left hand should be aligned over your left shoulder, which should be aligned over your right shoulder.

  7. If you have trouble keeping your hips and shoulders aligned and your back straight, try practicing this pose with your back against a wall.

  8. Step 7

    Look up

    If you are stable, look up toward your hand in the air. If you aren't, look to the side or floor instead.

  9. Imagine there is one straight line passing from your left foot, through your hip, to the crown of your head. You can also think of this as the Balancing Star Pose since, like a star, you are channeling energy out in all directions.

  10. Step 8

    Hold pose

    Hold the pose for several smooth, even breaths.

  11. Step 9

    Release pose

    To release the pose, lift your right hand off the floor and your torso straight up, and lower your left foot back to the ground.

  12. Step 10

    Repeat pose

    Repeat the steps on your left side, holding the pose for as many breaths as you did on the right side.

  13. Step 11

    Release pose

    Release the pose by lifting your right hand off the floor and your torso straight up, lowering your left foot back to the ground. You've got a certain a glow about you.

  14. Hatha, the type of yoga most Westerners are familiar with, means "sun" (ha) and "moon" (tha), symbolizing the balance of masculine and feminine, strength and flexibility, effort and surrender.

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