Moon Yoga: What Does Yoga Have to do with the Moon?
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Happy National Moon Day (July 20th, 2022)! Neil Armstrong was the first man to step foot on the moon on July 20th, 1969, and this day commemorates this monumental occasion.
Did you know that we only ever see the same side of the moon due to its axis rotation matching that of Earth's? It takes roughly 27 days to rotate on its axis and 28 days to orbit the Earth.
The moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and is about 240,000 miles away. It is very important to the stabilization of the Earth wobble and is vital in our climate, due to gravitational forces creating tidal changes. The moon literally pushes and pulls giant bodies of water on our planet affecting weather and climates.
The beautiful moon also has a distinct effect on the human body, mind, and Spirit as shown through 2,000 years of astrological research. The human body is made up of around 60% water, so imagine this, tiny waves and tides within your physical body, being pushed and pulled by the rotation and phases of the moon.
You hold a small ocean within you, and as the tides come in and go out, your emotional self is transformed and changed.
In astrology, there are three major influences in your natal chart: Sun, Moon, and Rising sign.
You need your exact birth time to find your Rising sign and possibly your moon sign, because the moon changes Zodiac signs every 2.5 days.
In 28 days, the moon has travelled through all 12 Zodiac signs! Knowing your moon sign helps you know your emotional self, it is the second most important influence, next to your Sun.
In yoga, the study of the Self is the Niyama Svadhyaya and in Sanskrit it literally means ‘one’s own reading’.
When you study your moon in astrology and bring awareness around how the phases and signs of the moon affect you, you bring a greater understanding to your emotional self. Ultimately when you understand your emotional self, it brings a greater understanding of the actions and reactions of others.
The moon has a deep influence over you and the collective.
Have you ever wondered why you feel tired and more introverted when the moon disappears from the sky as a new moon? Have you ever noticed how drivers rage more or bad news increases around full moons? Have you ever noticed the awe and mystic wonder that enraptures humans during eclipses?
Let’s break down the moon’s meaning and phases to start your astrology and yoga journey.
Yoga and Astrology: Understanding the Moon
The moon in astrology represents your emotions, instincts, and subconscious. It helps you understand what makes you feel secure and safe and how you take care of, nourish, and nurture yourself and others.
It taps into the feeling side of our personality and rules over the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Understanding this can help us comprehend why the collective may feel the way they feel as well.
There are many phases of the moon in a 28-day cycle and it changes signs every 2.5 days, which has a great impact on the collective.
Designing your class themes and sequence based on the moon phases and sign can have a huge influence on your student’s life, without them not necessarily knowing. This is the magic of astrology, providing you secret insight into the cycles of human emotional experience.
I like to keep it simple for my students when I talk about them in class and how they are influencing our life. The four phases that I share in my class are New Moon, Full Moons, and Half Moons. On special occasions, I will have workshops on eclipses that happen every six months.
What is a New Moon?
A New Moon is a new beginning because it is a start to a new cycle. It is a time to reset and create new intentions. We cannot see a new moon because there is no sun light on the moon, it is a dark moon.
Due to this being a lower energy time, students may feel more introverted and classes may be less full; students tend to stay home more around new moons. Encourage introspection, gentler movements, longer holds.
Read more about the new moon phases and signs.
This moon phase is a great time for Yoga Nidra and Restorative Yoga since it is calmer and slower time.
What is a Half Moon?
The first ‘Half-Moon’ we experience is the 1st Quarter Waxing.
This is a time to take action on the new seeds your planted at the new moon. New beginnings require steps to be taken to move forward.
The energy is still low, but slowly increasing. It is a phase of rumination and creation.
This phase is wonderful for Yin Yoga, opening the energy channels along the physical body meridian lines for the flow of life force creativity. In your vinyasa flow class, include half-moon and crescent moon poses!
What is a Full Moon?
A Full Moon is a time for clarity and adjustment. Full light of the sun on the moon. There is an illumination of something in your life to bring more attention to it, for observation, exploration.
Also a good time to celebrate how far have you come with your new intention. Time to reassess, evaluate and decide how to adjust or add to it.
Time to let go of what is holding you back or what is not resonating any more to create space for what is meant to be.
Your yoga classes can be full, students tend to come to class more around full moons. This is a good time to encourage more energetic movement, shorter transitions, and less hold time in asana.
More Moon Phases to Know
The second ‘Half-Moon’ we experience is the 3rd Quarter Waning. This is a time of release. After the full moon, the energy is still heightened, as we seek clarity through the illumination of something in our life that needs to be released to reach out goals and fulfill the new intention we started at the new moon. It is a phase of surrender and letting go. This phase is wonderful for Vinyasa, flowing with the high energy to work through any blockages. In your vinyasa flow class, include half-moon and crescent moon poses!
We then return to the New Moon phase and begin again.
Astrology and Yoga: Zodiac Signs
Now that you have a great understanding of the moon’s phases, incorporating the thematic archetype, qualities and energy of each Zodiac sign will enhance your own personal practice as well as your classes.
Your students will thank you for tapping into their deepest emotions.
If you know your moon sign, this brief summary is a great start connecting with your emotional body.
Diving Deeper Into Your Zodiac Signs
- Aries is a fire sign of self-identity; your emotional Self responds by being courageous, active, and independent.
- Taurus is an earth sign of values and self-worth; your emotional Self responds by being sensual, patient, and determined.
- Gemini is an air sign of communication; your emotional Self responds by being curious, witty, and social.
- Cancer is a water sign of home; your emotional Self responds by being sensitive, nurturing, and domestic.
- Leo is a fire sign of creativity; your emotional Self responds by being enthusiastic, generous, and loyal.
- Virgo is an earth sign of service; your emotional Self responds by being predictable, helpful, and methodical.
- Libra is an air sign of relationships; your emotional Self responds by being harmonious, fair, and charming.
- Scorpio is a water sign of transformation; your emotional Self responds by being penetrating, investigative, and determined.
- Sagittarius is a fire sign of knowledge; your emotional Self responds by being adventurous, optimistic, and broadminded.
- Capricorn is an earth sign of foundations; your emotional Self responds by being traditional, reliable, and responsible.
- Aquarius is an air sign of community; your emotional Self responds by being independent, individualistic, and innovative.
- Pisces is a water sign of unconditional love; your emotional Self responds by being compassionate, sympathetic, and intuitive.
Sensing into and studying the moon can you help you as a yoga teacher tap into your own emotions as well as your students.
This is a magical superpower you can possess to bring knowledge, energy, and nurturing compassion to your classes. You feel into the force of nature already running through you and your students, now you can design a class around the phase and sign.
It takes time to really dive into the cycles of the moon and it takes time to manifest self-observation and action, so as you travel this path give your Self time, space, and grace.
I have a specially designed class series called Life Cycles Yoga that meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning online to work with the Zodiacal moon and sun energy utilizing the 8 limbs of yoga.
As Zodiac seasons change, students receive a personalized horoscope for the transiting Sun and Moon in their natal chart.
If you are interested in this class or other offerings, please visit my site and get 11% off coupon code BEYOGI2022 through September 21, 2022.
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