Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Full moon day: energetic and emotional, but not well grounded

Don't be surprised if today you feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. Today is full moon! ( From the Ashtanga Yoga Center web site:

Both full and new moon days are observed as yoga holidays in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition. What is the reasoning behind this?

Like all things of a watery nature (human beings are about 70% water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun. Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction. Both sun and moon exert a gravitational pull on the earth. Their relative positions create different energetic experiences that can be compared to the breath cycle. The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest. This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong.

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.

The Farmers Almanac recommends planting seeds at the new moon when the rooting force is strongest and transplanting at the full moon when the flowering force is strongest.

Practicing Ashtanga Yoga over time makes us more attuned to natural cycles. Observing moon days is one way to recognize and honor the rhythms of nature so we can live in greater harmony with it.

3 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sai Venkat said...

    Hmm Master.. Do we have scientific observation on this? Not challenging you but curious. It will be good to observe the effects of moon waxing and waning over time on someone practising yoga long time like you.

    People normally give example of sea and tide as power of moon's gravitational force has on earth. But the real reason behind tide is the surface area of water in ocean. You can't expect the same effect on a glass of water. The effect of gravitational force of moon on humans is almost comparable to a glass of water and hence makes me wonder how significant is the effect. (Used to do theoretical physics before :)

    --Sai

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Sai,
    Some times I don't feel any difference when practicing on moon days. But other times I feel very different.
    The interesting fact is when I practice, feel different, and then later go and check. It happens to be in a moon day.
    cheers,
    Paulo

    ReplyDelete