The new moon is a great chance to begin (or rather begin again). It is a great time to tune in with yourself, to plant the seeds of intention for the cycle (4 weeks) ahead.
One of my favorite ways to do that is to get on my mat for a grounding practice. The 7 poses outlined here are done close to the ground, are slow moving and offer the opportunity to tune in and ask “How do I want my life to go?”
- Reclined Butterfly – Lower down on to your back. Bring the soles of the feet together and let the knees drop out to the sides. Bring the hands into yoni mudra, connecting thumbs and forefingers in a triangle shape. Place the hands on the womb space, to connect with the feminine here. Take deep breaths in and out through the nose as you hold here for a minute. Maybe closing the eyes.
2. Half Happy Baby – Bring the feet to the floor. Draw the right knee in, opening it out towards the shoulder. Stay here, or grab the outside of the foot or shin. Bring the elbow inside of the knee to open it wider. Stack the ankle over the knee, kicking the heel up. As you hold here for a moment, notice where tension lies in your body.
3. Reclined Pigeon – Cross the right ankle over the left knee. Clasp hold of the back of the left thigh or outside of the shin and hug the legs in. Keeping the head and shoulders grounded down.
4. IT Band Stretch – Keep the right shoulder grounded down, as you lower the legs to the left. Trying to bring the right foot down to the floor. Press the right knee up, maybe using the left hand to help here.
Repeat 2 through 4 on the other side.
5. Cat/Cow to Child’s Pose – Come up to table top pose, with hips over the knees and shoulders over the wrists. As you inhale drop the belly, curl tailbone up, and lift the gaze. As you exhale round and contract the spine, sending the hips back to the heels in child’s pose. Move through several rounds like this, using the breath to guide you. On the final round, stay in child’s pose for a couple of minutes.
6. Low Lunge/Half Split – Step the right foot through between the hands. Open and broaden the heart. Sink the hips down and forward. Keeping the fingertips down. After a few breaths, push into the right heel and straighten the front leg any amount. Shift the hips back and fold down over the leg. Hold for several rounds of breath. Step the right leg back and repeat on the other side.
7. Sleeping Pigeon – Bring your right knee behind your right wrist, right foot can be towards the left side. Stretch the left leg back behind you. Square off the pelvis. Fold down over the front shin. Relax the upper body, particularly the arms and shoulders. Take a moment here letting go of the tension that remains. Slowly transition to the other leg.
These 7 poses come from a 35 minute slow flow new moon yoga class on my channel. Check it out below.
Namaste,
Kassandra
