Crescent Pose – Anjanyeasana

Step 1

Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) with your feet together and arms alongside your body. Distribute the weight evenly in your feet. If you have a hard time staying balanced here stand with the feet parallel and hip distance apart.

Step 2

On an exhale step your left leg about 4 to 5 feet in back of you and come onto the back toes with the toes pointed straight forward. Try to get the heel hovering directly on top of those back toes.

Step 3

You don’t want to have your feet on a tightrope. For more stability you can walk the right foot out to the right a few inches.  Keep the hips turned towards the front of your mat like two headlights pointing forward.

Step 4

On an exhale, bend the right knee to 90 degrees so that the knee is directly over the ankle and the shin is perpendicular to the earth. That knee should be inline with the second and third toe. Distribute the weight evenly through that front foot as you lift the inner arch and root down through the corners of the feet. 

Step 5

Engage the quad of the back leg. The back leg should be straight without locking out the knee.

Modification:  You may micro bend the back leg to create a bit more stability in the pose.  You may also find the helps to square your hips towards the front of the room.

Step 6

On an inhale, lift the arms up above head. Broaden the collarbones. Rotate the triceps or pinkie side of the hands in towards one another as you draw the shoulders away from the ears. Your fingers are actively reaching up towards the sky. Arms are either parallel to one another or palms are pressing together. 

Step 7

Lengthen the tailbone down towards the earth as you draw the navel gently in and up towards the spine. Tuck the lower ribs in.

Step 8

Gaze forward and slightly upward. Make sure not to crunch the neck. Your are rooting down to earth as you lengthen up towards the sky.

Step 9

To get out of the posture, straighten the front leg, lower the arms and come back to mountain pose. Repeat on the left side.