About Ardha Chandrachapasana

In a word, this pose is ‘sweet.’ Ardha Chandrachapasana is often translated as Half Moon Sugar Cane Pose, or simply Sugar Cane Pose.

The word ‘chapa’ actually means bow. Imagine a bow made of sugar cane and you are getting the idea for this pose. As the story goes, this sugar cane bow belongs to the god of desire, Kama. The bow he uses has a string made of honeybees that when used as a weapon strikes right to the heart of his victim.

Something that strikes to the heart of your deepest desires can be only one thing: Sweet. And so it is that we are back to appreciating the sweet nature of this pose.

The pose starts off just like Half Moon with a step up onto one leg with the hips stacked one on top of the other. Then the fun begins. You bend the back leg and then bend back and catch your foot with your hand. Suddenly, you have the possibility of a deep and, yes, sweet backbend.

The backbend in this pose is strong and bold, much like a bow made of a thick sugar cane. Your hand and foot coming together make the string. This string is flexible and pulses with the rhythm of your desire to go deeper into the pose. You can literally pull back on your foot like a bow and you will bend deeper. Of course, like any good backbend, you are accessing your upper back and opening the front of the chest to reveal your own deepest desires.

In this volume of Asana Diagnostics you’ll be able to dive into the freedom and joy of Ardha Chandrachapasana no matter what your current capability. There are wonderful Skill Builders and Pose Variation that will take you straight into your own ‘sweet’ heart.

The Ardha Chandrachapasana video & Companion Guide can be found in our store.