Achieve Flying BalanceArm BalanceACHIEVE FLYING BALANCE Achieving an arm balance is quite extraordinary when you consider all that’s involved. And when we refer to an arm balance as a “flying balance,” there is even more involved. The “flying” in Eka Pada...
Bound Ardha Chandrasana
Bound Ardha Chandrasana
Technique, Accessibility, and Expression
BOUND HALF MOON
BOUND ARDHA CHANDRASANA
As Matt shares the 5 Powers of Consciousness from Tantrik yoga philosophy in his current immersion, The Power of Bliss, he reminds us that they are powers that exist within us and are present all around us. You can see a brief breakdown here. These teachings can be applied when discussing Bound Ardha Chandrasana, and there is a lot to say. In the full class, Matt describes this pose as one of the most challenging (this is subjective of course), but that leaves room to interject discussion of the 2nd power of consciousness, Bliss (Ānanda-Śakti), into the conversation. When considering what Bliss means when it comes to Bound Ardha Chandrasana, you’ll also have to also make room for how technique (or knowledge, Jñāna-Śakti), accessibility, and expression play a role.
THE POWER OF BLISS
November 2023 Immersion
- Moderately paced Power Yoga classes
- Perfect blend of movement, alignment, and technique
- Inspirationally themed to give meaning and power to each practice
- Tantrik philosophy: The 5 Powers of Consciousness
- Teachings of the Yoga Sutras
- 12 classes included
- Livestream optional! All classes available on demand after livestream's complete
Registration now open!
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF BLISS?
I was asked this question once by my osteopath, and I gave an answer about a feeling, a moment in time when I felt happy. Starting to delve deeper into philosophy in my 300 Hour studies with Matt has definitely challenged my previous answer.
Matt explains the teachings so well, stating that Bliss (yes, with a capital B) is not a feeling of just finding happiness, or of “being in a state of bliss” because things are going the way you want them to at a particular moment or in life. Rather, it is the awareness (Cit-Śakti) that even in struggle, you can experience Bliss because you are here, in the human experience. Your mere being is an expression of Bliss itself and all that your experiences encompass.
If Bound Ardha Chandrasana is challenging and you’re feeling frustrated in the process, Bliss is actually present.
WATCH THE VIDEO
BOUND ARDHA CHANDRASANA: TECHNIQUE, ACCESSIBILITY, AND EXPRESSION
GROWTH AND EXPRESSION
The same is true if Bound Ardha Chandrasana comes to you quite naturally. Bliss is also present in this state. This is where we come to understand that it’s more about where we are along the journey of Bound Ardha Chandrasana and not about the achievement of the posture itself. It’s about the knowledge we are gaining and about each individual experience. Your ability to express yourself fully in any variation of the posture is what contributes to the deepening of your relationship with the practice of yoga and the power that exists within you.
On the Chromatic Path to the posture, there are variations and preparations for you to learn from, sit with, and grow with. Matt’s classes offer a plethora of options for you to carve your own path.
200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE
- Deepen your yoga practice
- Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
- Learn foundational class structures and templates
- Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
- Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
- Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
VARIATION AND PREPARATION
In today’s video, Matt starts off by demonstrating the techniques involved in Bound Side Angle. Important cues like the internal rotation of your arms, along with bowing deeply forward, create an accessibility to the bind that you may not have thought possible. Now, working this way in Bound Side Angle or even Bound Triangle (which he also demonstrates) doesn’t necessarily make the pose “easier.” This approach just offers options and access points for you to explore. The postures are opportunities for you to explore the techniques, gain knowledge, and discern what is appropriate for you to express at any given time. Matt offers the option for you to explore a half bind, or none at all. When you play the video, you’ll hear him discuss the importance of finding the love within yourself to express outwardly in the form or variation you’ve chosen.
300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER
Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!
- Get 500 hour certified
- Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
- Expand your teaching skills
- Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
- Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
- Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
FROM TECHNIQUE TO BLISS
You could quite easily argue that it’s not a road from technique to Bliss; they actually very much permeate one another. Bliss exists within acquiring the knowledge of the techniques involved in Bound Ardha Chandrasana. Being present in the fullness of each step reminds you of the fact that you have an ability to explore your body in this way and that both your experience in your body and your experience with postures like Bound Ardha Chandrasana will change over time. The intricacies that Matt demonstrates in the video, like where to place your Drishti (gaze), where to place the weight in your feet, how to ignite your glutes—are all part of the power that exists within you. Bask in the glory of this expression in the Power of Bliss Immersion.
The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
Article by Trish Curling
Videos Extracted From: Power of Bliss Immersion
ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE
- Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
- Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
- Appropriate for both teachers and students
- Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
- Demystify yoga poses and transitions
- Release aches and pains
- Learn how to avoid common injuries
- Caters to all levels with modifications and props
- 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
- 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
- Lifetime access
Continue Learning
Achieve Flying Balance
read more
Virasana
VirasanaHip ExtensionVIRASANA For some of us, postures like Virasana and Lotus can be uncomfortable or even painful for the knees, so we avoid them altogether. Depending on what we’re dealing with, this may be the best decision. If there is room for safe exploration,...
Get Bendy
Get BendySpinal MobilityGET BENDY In the yoga context, getting bendy can conjure up images of postures that may seem far-fetched or unattainable. What we should set our sights on instead is not an end result but rather all the things we learn while we're exploring...
Wall Drills To Progress In Handstand
Wall Drills to Progress in HandstandAdho Mukha VrksasanaWALL DRILLS TO PROGRESS IN HANDSTAND Wall drills for Handstand are an excellent way to master the mechanics required to go upside down with confidence. Using the wall as a support to refine alignment, rather than...
Mountain Pose Mechanics
Mountain Pose MechanicstadasanaMOUNTAIN POSE MECHANICS How often do we go back to refine the “basics”? Revisiting a posture like Mountain Pose (Tadasana) is like pruning a tree. We may have already developed a foundation, but it’s important to continue to clip away...
Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand
Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...
THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK
When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to
- the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
- exclusive online course discounts
- exclusive blogs and videos