Sanskrit Name: Anjaneyasana / Ashwa Sanchalanasana (अंजनेयासन / अश्व संचालनासन)
English Name: Crescent Moon Pose
Type of Yoga: Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Level of Yoga: Basic
Duration: As per your capability or 20 to 30 seconds each side
Target Area: Sartorius muscles, Rectus femurs muscles
Strengthens: Supportive muscles for knees
Most people are well aware of how important Yoga is to our health. There will be very few people who are unaware of this. A little time taken for yoga in our busy life gives us immense benefits. The body in Anjaneyasana looks crescent-shaped, which gives the whole body the benefit together.
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What Does It Mean By Anjaneyasana?
The word Anjaneyasana has come from two Sanskrit language words
Where the first word is “Anjaneya (अंजनेया)”, which means “Son of Anjani”
And the second word is “Asana (आसन)”, which means “Yoga Pose”
However, the pose has another name which is Ashwa Sanchalanasana. The term Ashwa Sanchalanasana has come from three Sanskrit language words
Where the first word is “Ashwa (अश्व)”, which means “Horse”
The second word is “Sanchalana (संचालन)”, which means “Riding” or “lunge”
And the third word is “Asana (आसन)”, which means “Yoga Pose”
This asana is the fourth posture of Surya Namaskar. It is necessary to do all the Asanas in the Surya Namaskar. Today, in this article, we are going to tell you how to do Anjaneyasana / Ashwa Sanchalanasana and show its benefits.
You should do this with balance and patience to get the benefit of this posture. This seat is also called Crescent Moon Pose in English. Let us know in detail about it.
Preparatory Poses Of Anjaneyasana (Crescent Moon Pose):
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन) or Downward Facing Dog Pose
- Prasarita Padottanasana (प्रसारित पादोत्तासन) or Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose
- Virasana (वीरासन) or Hero Pose
- Supta Virasana (सुप्त वीरासन) or Reclined Hero Pose
- Utkatasana (उत्कटासन) or Chair Pose
Method of doing Anjaneyasana (Crescent Moon Pose):
- At first, stand in Tadasana or Mountain Pose
- Kneeling down, sit on the ground
- Take out your right leg and then exhaling, place your feet 3ft. to 4 ft. apart from each other
- Raise the arms parallel to the ground and spread them actively out to your sides; keep your shoulder blades wide and palms down
- Now place your right leg in the 90° angle and keep your right knee parallel to the floor
- Align your right heel with your left heel
- Keep the left knee on the ground (your foot should touch the ground, not the sole)
- Raise your both hands over your head to form a prayer mudra
- Bend a little toward your back (Do not force your body)
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds in this asana or as per your capacity
- Now repeat the whole process on the other side too
- This way do 4 to 5 sets of this asana on a daily basis
Beginner’s Tips:
You should practice this asana always in an empty stomach
If you are doing this for the first time then you will have a little difficulty in making the balance. Therefore, to make balance, you can also practice it on the side of the wall
Keep in mind that when you move your leg forward, your toes should be touched with the wall
Start it slowly and stretch your body to a certain limit, do not emphasize
If you want then you can place a folded blanket under your knee
Follow Up Poses of Anjaneyasana (Crescent Moon Pose):
- Virabhadrasana I (वीरभद्रासन I) or Warrior Pose I
- Virabhadrasana III (वीरभद्रासन III) or Warrior Pose II
- Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana / Alanasana (उत्थित अश्व संचालनासन / अलानासना) or High Lunge Pose
Precautions of Anjaneyasana (Crescent Moon Pose):
Those who have back pain should avoid doing Anjaneyasana
While practicing the Asana, keep in mind that the seat should be calm, so you have to practice it in a calm mind
The person who is sick should not practice this asana
Do not practice Crescent Moon Pose during the period of menstruation
The shoulder should not be raised up or down during the asana
Patient of High blood pressure should avoid doing this asana or do it under an expert’s guide
People with Knee injuries must keep themselves away from this asana
In case you have got an injury in the neck, then don’t bend at the back. Instead of bending you can gaze forward
Benefits of Anjaneyasana (Crescent Moon Pose):
- This posture is beneficial in healing back pain
- Anjaneyasana improves our mental balance
- There is flexibility in the body with regular practice of this asana
- The breathing process gets improved when you practice this asana daily
- It keeps our mind calm
- Children should also do this posture so that their laziness can be overcome and their mind will stay calm
- By doing this asana our muscles become strong
- It improves the balance of the body
- This eliminates the problem of sciatica
- It fixes the pain in the body
- This asana is also helpful in cooling down the mind
- Crescent Moon Pose is very beneficial to reduce body heat
- This is the seat that opens up the chests, hips, and thighs
- It enhances your focus ability, which increases your concentration
- If you do this posture every day, then this will improve your body tone and will provide adequate energy to your body
- This seat is very useful for cyclists and runners, as well as for those who sit in a job
