Utilising Full Moon Energy to Respond, rather than React to Challenges
Having made our new year’s resolutions, now at the start of February it’s probably a good time to revisit and consolidate them with a new resolve, especially in light of the recent full moon. Full moons and lunar eclipses are often associated with harnessing the creative and energetic influence that is generated by the Moon, the closest astronomical body to Earth.
In Yoga, the Sun and the Moon have great significance. Hatha is derived from the Sanskrit words “ha” meaning “sun” and “tha” meaning “moon”. So Hatha Yoga is a balance of the masculine and feminine aspects within each of us - the sun representing the masculine part of us which is hot and active; and the moon representing the feminine part of us which is cool and receptive. When the moon waxes and wanes we can see the influence it has on the oceans and tides. Given that we humans are about 70% water, we too are affected by the phases of the moon, both physically and mentally. In Yoga we practise postures and techniques to slow down and calm the mind. Many of us are familiar with the Sun Salutation which is heating and stimulating. But there is also a Moon Salutation which has a more cooling, quietening and restorative effect.
Not everyone believes that the Moon can have a profound effect on us, in spite of anecdotal and factual evidence. Calendars incorporating the moon phase date back to ancient times and are associated many cultures and faiths, including Yoga. But even from a modern astronomical perspective, the present Super Blue Blood Moon, which occurs only once every 150 years, is significant enough to create an impression which engenders some form of reflection. Around the full moon energy is high and this momentous occasion is as good a time as any to draw on this energy to discard the old and make room for the new.
My resolve this year to practise “responding” to situations rather than “reacting” will now be consolidated by incorporating the Yoga observances (Niyamas) of Contentment and Surrender to the Will of the Absolute. As the expression goes, “By being content, one will always have enough” and by simply performing our actions/duties to the best of our ability without investing too much in the outcome, we become less emotionally reactive and enjoy greater peace of mind.
Jenny Sherlock
