Are you looking for some inspiration in your yoga practice? Wanting to move your body more while reconnecting with your spiritual practice? In this post I’ll teach you exactly why and how to align your yoga practice with the moon cycle.
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In today’s episode, you’ll discover:- The benefits of aligning your yoga practice with the moon cycle
- How to embody the energy of each phases in the moon cycle
- My tips on what to incorporate in to your yoga practice through each moon phase
When I start off my daily yoga practice standing on my mat, I like to check into the moon phase and incorporate that energy into how my flow unfolds that day. Tapping into the moon’s cycle helps me to feel more in sync with the universe and to really embody those cosmic energies through my yoga practice.
Why use the moon cycle in your yoga practice?
The moon cycle rules our energy levels. When the moon is full, the vibe is high and we typically have a lot of energy. When there is a new moon, we tend to feel a little slower and crave stillness. It comes down to tapping in and allowing yourself to flow with that cycle. There are times to be more active, times to slow down, and times to focus on different things that may be coming up. Moving your body in sync with the moon aligns your own energy with the energy of the lunar cycle.
The New Moon
The New Moon is the best time for setting intentions. In yoga, you can set a sankulpa to begin your practice. A sankulpa is an intention for your practice, your day, or the entire moon cycle. At the start of your practice, bring your hands to your heart and set your sankulpa to help manifest the energy you desire. The new moon is also a great time to focus on meditation. This is the best time of the moon cycle to focus on stillness and quiet that mental chatter. I recommend sitting on your mat and practicing meditation for 30 minutes in whatever way works best for you. Be still!The Waxing Crescent Moon
The waxing crescent moon phase is the time to warm up with your yoga flow. Using breath work, called pranayama in Sanskrit, before you start to move your body, is a wonderful way to do just that. I recommend using nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), but there are many different techniques to choose from. Start moving into some standing or balance poses at this time. Focus on gently working into your asana practice at this point, instead of jumping into those faster paced vinyasas. Try slow, gentle flows during the waxing crescent.The First Quarter Moon
The first quarter moon is where we start to add a bit more heat into our yoga practice by moving into a Vinyasa or Hatha flow. Consider attending a yoga class either in person or online during this time. Do something that challenges you! Try out a new inversion asana, or challenge yourself to move deeper into your poses. Check out some tutorials for specific poses to help nudge yourself along. During the First Quarter Moon, we are typically more open to trying new things and connecting with new people. Classes allow us to do just that while creating space to challenge ourselves a little more than we might otherwise. Want to attend a yoga class online with me? Click here to book your class.The Full Moon
The Full Moon is the perfect time for releasing & letting go of emotions stored in the body. In Yin yoga, poses are generally held for a minimum of 2 minutes, allowing the release of pent up emotions and energy previously stored throughout the body. Full moons are great for Yin yoga because they allow us to deeply release what is no longer serving us. If you’re feeling really high energy during this time, it could be a good practice for you to do something that matches your energy levels like an hour long vinyasa flow. This will help you to burn off some of the excess energy.The Waning Gibbous Moon
As we shift into the waning phases of the moon cycle, it is time to slow down your flow. My personal favourite practice for the waning gibbous moon is a vin-yin flow – starting with a Vinyasa or Hatha flow and ending with some Yin poses as you slow down. This can the best time in the moon cycle to open up the heart chakra. The energy of the Waning Gibbous allows you to really drop into the heart space so you can forgive and release. Some of my favourite asanas for heart-opening include anahatasana, cobra pose, and cat-cow.The Last Quarter Moon
The energy is starting to drop off as we move into the Last Quarter Moon. We are slowing down with our energy and shifting inwards. Slower flows that focus on working with the breath will be most helpful and appropriate here. I suggest working with those Vin-Yin flows, spending more time on those Yin poses. As the Last Quarter Moon can be a good time for reviewing, you may like to review your yoga practice. What new asanas have you learnt these past few weeks? What areas of your body need more attention?The Waning Crescent Moon
As we come to the end of the moon cycle, the energy slows right down. Restorative Yin, where you hold your pose for 5 minutes or longer, will be the most nourishing path to take during the Waning Crescent Moon. Really prioritize making yourself comfortable. Bring props such as bolsters, blocks, and blankets into your practice. To really prioritize healing, you can bring in crystals and essential oils to assist the energies you are working with. Focus can be placed on different chakras using targeted asana to help clear out old energy and tune into the healing vibration. Bringing in some meditation to help slow down and find stillness before the moon cycle begins again will also be helpful.
Looking for guidance + inspiration for your yoga practice?
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Kyra xx
Comment and let me know: do you align your yoga practice with the moon cycle? What are your insights from this post?