The Moon Cycles : integrating the Moon into your Yoga practise

The Moon controls our tides, whether that is the oceans or the waterways of the human body. Having the natural anchor of the moon to guide your practise can be a marvellous way to explore your body and the energetic rhythms of the month.

What the Moon Cycles represents Spiritually?

As a constant in the sky, we have become disconnected with the changes the moon goes through and how this is intricately link to us as earthly beings. But as the Sun provides day, light and warmth, the moon provides intuitive understanding and self-reflection. The Sun is the masculine (yang) energy; whereas the moon is feminine (yin) energy.

Side note: if talking about the masculine and feminine energy, we all have masculine and feminine energy within us. Having a balance of those two contrasting energys is going to look different to everyone. I would love to write a blog post all about this - so watch the space.

The energy for the body changes depending on the moon cycle that we are in. Most believe the full moon to be the high energy season, and the astrological sign this is under will affect the energy around this time, magnifying certain qualities. When you are first integrating this into your spiritual or yogic practices, it is good to just stick with the basics. Nevertheless, I do make journal prompts for the individual new moon and full moon on my instagram. Linked at the top and bottom of the page.

There are 4 main moon cycles;

• New Moon - Setting intention. The energy is less intense and a time to look inward.

• Waxing Moon - Energy is building and with it, so we are feeling that. Make plans.

• Full Moon - High energy for manifestation. Taking our plans and putting them into action.

• Waning Moon - The energy is coming down, and it is a time to bring in reflection for when the New Moon comes back around.

With these, there are separate rituals to bring in, and different ways to explore the moon’s energy.

• New Moon -

  • Time to rest and find stillness as it is a low energy time.

  • Be very open to meditation and allow the thoughts to come and go. Listen to find what truly resinants with you.

  • Set Intentions - Take some time in silence for the intuition to come up with what you need spiritually in this next month. Open the journal and allow those thoughts to come to paper.

• Waxing moon -

  • Reassess those intentions, and work out your next month around those.

  • Make plans and see the challenges the next month is going to bring about.

  • Find ways to make your life easier later on, plan out your spiritual check ins, like the Full Moon and especially the Waning Moon, on the calendar so you can keep check of your intentions.

• Full Moon -

  • The plan comes into action.

  • Time to manifest those dreams and hope with work and action.

  • Have fun. Lots of high energy and so dance, socialise and get your to do list done.

• Waning Moon -

  • Finish off those things you have began, ending the cycle.

  • Get that journal back out and reflect on the events that happened this last month.

  • Start that journey back inwardly and allow yourself to settle the energy again.

When you are new to working with the energies of the moon, then start with one thin at a time and as you go, it will become natural to follow the Moon’s cycles.

What the Moon and Yoga have to do with each other?

If you are beginning to bring a spiritually aspect to your yoga practise, but it is intimidating and indian text do not resonate with your heritage and upbringing, then I do think the Moon is a glorious way of connecting. The Moon relates to all cultures and all people, whether you want to explore astrology or the find a greater connection with nature that your ancestors would have previously had. The Moon is truly the beaming connection to the self’s spirit and the spirit of divine (and/or universe).

I believe starting with integrating spiritual practise (shared above) can be as simple as having a journal to start shift thought into words. This is more of a way to bring meditation into your practise and have time for reflection. There is also the act of letting reflection affect the the ongoing actions of each month so you learn and grow. Letting go of the energy or the habits that do not serve your spiritual journey.

• New Moon and Yoga -

  • As before, focus on your intuition and setting intention in your movement for the next month.

  • Listen to your higher chakras (crown and third eye) and they may be more open this time of mind, not distracted by the excess energy of the moon. You have clear pathway to your intuition.

  • Great time to slow down and do calmer thought provoking yoga, for example yin yoga.

• Waxing Moon and Yoga-

  • Allow your intention to guide where your practise is focused this month. For example, if you feel tightness in the heart space, maybe bring awareness to a heart centred practise this month. Or, if you have be having a hard time thinking because of mind fog, then maybe the next month you want to focus on the third-eye space, and meditation for mental clarity.

  • Practise building strength in your practise and also increasing the intensity as this is more of a yang time of the month. You could start each practise with Sun Salutations or go to more vinyasa classes.

  • The waxing moon is a good time to build connection, book some group classes and workshops.

• Full Moon and Yoga-

  • Energy is high, this may be the moment to try something new. A class, that pose you decided to work towards or maybe be spontaneous and do that cold water plunge.

  • Allow your spirit to be free; other movements may be calling you, so run or swim.

  • More intense classes might be calling you, so this would be the moment to try the hot yoga or spicy vinyasa class.

  • There are more fiery breaths to bring into you practise, that might make you feel more empowered, like kapalabhati.

• Waning Moon and Yoga -

  • The energy is slowly coming out of the air and this can be nice and easeful if you allow it to be. So begin to do calm movement; for example, slow flow yoga or a gentle walk.

  • Reflect on you practise, maybe sitting in stillness or journalling.

  • Bringing in breathing practises that cleanse the energy, like alternating breathe.

How being a woman may change this alignment

Where your personal cycle sits in the Moon’s, could change what each moon represents to you. Each cycle has its own name for when you lie in the moon cycles. So if the New Moon sits when you get your period, then the advice I gave above, would fit into your cycle syncing. However, if you find you menstruate with the Full Moon, then maybe align with having a calmer part of the month at the Full moon, the energy being wild, but yours may be subdued.

This is just simply the way as not all of our cycle are 28 days long, but the rhythms of the moon are more constant. I would trust your intuition about what you need, because that is what cycle syncing is actually about. Listen to your body, feel the energy charge in the air and work out what feels right for you.

If you do not bleed, then I would follow the natural rhythms of the moon still to find more engagement with the cosmic energy and you spiritual journey.

Reasons to not incorporate the Moon into your Yoga Practise

There are a couple of reasons that you might not feel called to follow the energetic impulses of the Moon; you may not be trying to increase your feminine energy or you may not feel driven by the moon.

Firstly, not all of us want to flow the feminine energy. For example, men have a cycle that is determined by the Sun’s cycle or 24 hour cycle as we commonly know it, they may not want to slow down with the New moon. They may feel more compelled to move and build heat in the morning and meditate in the evening, every single day. That just projects the difference between the Feminine cycle and the Masculine cycle.

Finally, you may not be engaged with the moon yet or ever, other spiritual understanding tell us to do yoga in other ways. I believe this to be a good system for women, but many of the texts say for a long time only men could do yoga. Maybe these yogic understanding and movement practise were devised for men by men and, now as there are more women in this space, we will see a shift in yogic practises being synced to our cycles. I also know that it is not for everyone and you just are starting your yogic journey and maybe are not ready to bring more into it. As I said before, try and build up slowly and see where you intuition guides you.

The Light in me sees the light in you.

Thank you for being here xx