Last updated: December 21, 2023
What Does
Ardha Chakrasana Mean?
Ardha chakrasana is an intermediate asana that can help to prepare the body and mind for deeper backbends and heart-opening postures like chakrasana (wheel pose). The name is derived from the Sanskrit ardha, meaning “half,” chakra, meaning “wheel,” and asana, meaning “pose.”
To enter ardha chakrasana, the practitioner begins in tadasana (mountain pose). The hands are placed on the lower back, then the body leans back, bending the back and opening the chest.
Ardha chakrasana is known as half wheel pose in English.
Yogapedia Explains Ardha Chakrasana
Ardha chakrasana is an effective posture for reducing stress and aiding posture by reversing the habitual pattern of slumping forward and rounding the shoulders. It helps to release the neck and shoulders, relieving tension.
It is thought to regulate the blood pressure, particularly for those suffering from high blood pressure. This asana is also said to have a cleansing effect on the nervous system.
On an energetic level, this posture energizes the muladhara (root) and anahata (heart) chakras because of the stability required for the pose, and its heart-opening action. Ardha chakrasana (like all backbends) is thought to awaken kundalini and bring the energy of the body up through the spine. If blockages such as emotional issues are encountered here, this can cause difficult feelings to surface.
It is recommended that backbends be practiced gently, only moving deeper as the body and mind are ready.
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