I think one of the reasons I love the moon phases so much is due to how I can weave them in my minds eye into various metaphors. Truly, it is helping me evolve to a state of constantly accepting change. I am learning to love and be grateful for the ups and downs inside this thing we call life. It reminds me that when I am unhappy; that this too will change. And when I am thrilled with life and living -- to be grateful, for the same reason.
Everything will change, just give it time.
What am I creating? Eventually all these posts will be weaved into a free ebook that I am making for my community. I am doing this to help anyone out there develop strength (exercises), flexibility, and insight (journaling) throughout the various phases of life we have or will go through.
Learning how to develop all three skills will give anyone the energy and capability to overcome their personal challenges and obstacles.
☾ The symbolism behind the new moon represents the opportunity to start anew. This is the time when the seed is being planted. Sometimes, we view this as the very start of the manifestation process, yet it is not the beginning. This is when you've already gathered the material, you know the seeds you are planting, you've gotten the ground ready -- there was a lot of planning to even get to this moment. Rejoice! Be grateful to be here, be excited for the journey ahead.
☾ Child's Pose — Balasana (bah-LAHS-uh-nuh). The name comes from the Sanskrit words बाल bala, "child" and आसन asana, "posture" or "seat".
☾ To modify, (during pregnancy) the knees can be spread. The arms are stretched forward in front of the head. Discomfort in the neck and shoulders while performing this move can be comforted by placing a rolled blanket between one's buttocks and heels. Afterwards you can bend your elbows and stack your forearms so you can rest your forehead on them.
☾ The moon is getting bigger, even slightly. It is building in strength and energy, just like you. At this stage, the gears are moving. There is forward motion. This is the sprout coming out of the seed. Plans, ideas, and growth are happening. Keep going, this is a sign that you are improving, and continuously better.
☾ Utkata konasana (oot-KAH-tuh cone-AHS-uh-nuh), also known as the goddess pose or fiery angle pose.
☾ Start in a wide standing stance. Turn your toes out and your heels in, so your feet are pointed out at about a 45-degree angle. Bend your knees in the same direction as your toes, and lower your hips down toward the height of your knees. Reach your arms out at shoulder height and bend your elbows so that your fingertips point skyward. Spread your fingertips wide and activate the muscles across your back.Engage your core muscles and draw your tailbone toward the floor. Keep your spine long. Stay here for 30 seconds to one minute, then release.
☾ The little sprout is now beginning to take roots. The strength, flexibility, insight is deepening. This is the stage of faith, determination, and decision making. This is the phase when you keep pressing forward despite your fears. You keep growing in the heart of adversity.
☾ Sukhasana (Sanskrit: सुखासन; IAST: Sukhāsana), or otherwise known as easy pose. is a simple cross-legged sitting asana in hatha yoga, sometimes used for meditation in both Buddhism and Hinduism. It is in this pose that we are going to ground, and meditate.
☾ For eight minutes I want you to set a timer. Go! Fetch! It could be as easy as setting one, right here, right now on your phone or computer. And I want you to focus on grounding yourself right now. I want you to think about your little roots growing deep into the soil. You are getting stronger. Begin thinking of all the ways you are getting stronger -- andbreathefindyourbreath.
☾ The buds are just beginning to burst through. They are preparing to blossom. This is the stage where ideas, plan are reexamined and refined before continuing. This is where one must continue in their steadfast dedication to rising up. Stay strong, keep up the hard work.
☾ Trikonasana or Utthita Trikonasana (Sanskrit: उत्थित त्रिकोणासन; IAST: utthita trikoṇāsana), or Extended Triangle Pose.
☾ Trikonasana is performed in two parts, facing left, and then facing right. The practitioner begins standing with the feet one leg-length apart, knees unbent, turns the right foot completely to the outside and the left foot less than 45 degrees to the inside, keeping the heels in line with the hips. The arms are spread out to the sides, parallel to the ground, palms facing down; the trunk is extended as far as is comfortable to the right, while the arms remain parallel to the floor. Once the trunk is fully extended to the right, the right arm is dropped so that the right hand reaches the shin (or a block or on the floor) to the front (left side) of the right foot, with the palm down if flexed. The left arm is extended vertically, and the spine and trunk are gently twisted counterclockwise (i.e., upwards to the left, since they're roughly parallel to the floor), using the extended arms as a lever, while the spine remains parallel to the ground. The arms are stretched away from one another, and the head is often turned to gaze at the left thumb, slightly intensifying the spinal twist. Returning to standing, the bend is then repeated to the left.
☾ The blossoms have officially opened. The flowers have bloomed in the night. The vision has manifested. This phase of the moon represents peace and confidence in fertility, abundance, manifestation. The full moon is the total manifestation. Breath in the hard work that you have cultivated over the past few moons. Think of all the small wins that you have already accomplished.
☾ Downward Dog Pose, Downward-facing Dog Pose,or Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Sanskrit: अधोमुखश्वानासन; IAST: Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
☾ Downward Dog stretches the hamstring and calf muscles in the backs of the legs, and builds strength in the shoulders. Downward Dog has been called "deservedly one of yoga's most widely recognized yoga poses"and the "quintessential yoga pose". Maybe this is why I chose this as my "full moon pose". For me, it is the hardest pose -- sometimes I believe I have psychosomatic shrinking of my hamstring muscles.
I mean, if I am to be honest -- I am going through heavy PTSD (due to my entire insides opening up after birth) right now from something that happened ages ago. Feelings I never knew I felt, are coming up. After that event, my hamstrings never went back to the flexibility they once had. I was a gymnast! Yet, immediately lost all flexibility after quitting and leaving that environment. Part of my hope, is that when I work this program myself that this can be my blossoming moment.
☾ The blossom is wilting. The energy is leaving the harvest. This is also known as the disseminating moon. The energy is spreading, naturally. Making it a great time to let go.
☾ Bhujangasana (Sanskrit: भुजङ्गासन; IAST: Bhujaṅgāsana) or Cobra Pose is a reclining back-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. It is commonly performed in a cycle of asanas in Surya Namaskar (Salute to the Sun) as an alternative to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upwards Dog Pose).
☾ The palms are placed under the shoulders, pushing down until the hips lift slightly. The backs of the feet rest on the ground, the legs outstretched; the gaze is directed forwards, giving the preparatory pose. For the full pose, the back is arched until the arms are straight, and the gaze is directed straight upwards or a little backwards. The legs remain on the ground. Modify using sphinx pose.
☾ At this time the seeds were planted, became rootlings, blossomed, harvested and the soil is bare. This is a time of re-evaluation. Where the womb is bare, she must re-evaluate and contemplate the future.
☾ Lotus position or Padmasana (Sanskrit: पद्मासन, padmāsana) is a cross-legged sitting meditation pose.
☾ From sitting cross-legged on the floor in Sukhasana, one foot is placed on top of the opposite thigh with its sole facing upward and heel close to the abdomen. The other foot is then placed on the opposite thigh as symmetrically as possible. The pose requires "very open hips". It can be modified using a support such as a cushion or blanket; by sitting on its forward edge, the pelvis is tilted forward.
☾ And meditate while you stretch. Breathe into the meditation posture. The energy is leaving, sit with it. Sit with how it feels for things to leave you. For things to go away. For things to exit out of you -- how does that feel? What does that feel like when you let go of all the energy surrounding you? How does the flower feel when she is losing her beauty?
☾ The soil needs to be plowed. The seed needs to be picked -- which flower do you want to grow this time? Preparation is needed to forge ahead. The time has almost come to plant a new harvest, to repeat the cycle -- again.
☾ Tadasana (Sanskrit: ताडासन; IAST: Tāḍāsana), Mountain Pose or Samasthiti (Sanskrit: समस्थिति; IAST: samasthitiḥ)
☾ The posture is entered by standing with the feet together, grounding evenly through the feet and lifting up through the crown of the head. The thighs are lifted, the waist is lifted, and the spine is elongated. Breathing is relaxed. Although Tāḍāsana is a basic asana, it is the basis for many standing asanas.[8] As such, it is important as it allows the body and consciousness to integrate the experience of the preceding āsana and to prepare for the next.
And just like in many yoga flows, after this posture -- you will move on and flow into the next. And just like the moon grows and shrinks, us humans will also have growths and breakthroughs. We live in a continous cycle.
I hope that you enjoyed this <3