The Practice of Moon Days; Full Moon Tomorrow

Image

Full Moon Tomorrow

The dot of light in the darkish sky above Cairo is the Moon. Tomorrow early morning, the moon will be at its fullest. For us ashtanga practitioners, this is a time of rest; we take a break from the usual 6-day practice, allowing the process of yoga to subtly integrate into the body one extra day. But do we really take a break from practice?

The moon days are as much a part of practice. It tests our attachment to the practice itself, it tests our ability to actually observe this time with presence and awareness. It teaches us about the pull of the moon in our lives–and when we notice this, how we feel deeply connected to more than just our individual body but to something infinitely greater.

PHOTO: The full-ish moon last night above the streets of downtown Cairo. Enjoy Moon Day, Everyone!

Friday Night, Saturdays, Moon days: Days to Do What You Like

Image

IMG_5270

Friday night. It’s Saturday tomorrow and a new moon day. This is when I often ask my self: what do I fancy?

A cup of molten hot chocolate? A glass of wine? All the bread product you can fit in your grocery basket? A night out on the town with friends?

We must learn to pulse and flow with the disciplined life. And this requires flexibility, too.

Photo: A special treat: surprising cup of (literally) hot chocolate at Cafe Nena in Gracia, Bareclona. Taken Friday morning, post practice.

Harvest Full Moon

Image

Harvest Full Moon

Happy moon day! Grateful for those who came to the lecture class today on the yogic warrior. I also want to applaud the students who decided to honor moon day as a day of rest.

So today’s full moon is closest to the fall equinox and was used by farmers as a light to harvest their crops during this time of the year.

With that in mind, I want to ask this question: what have you been growing and cultivating that now needs harvesting? What is now ripe for the picking?