I love to sync my yoga practices up to the lunar cycle as it allows for space to honor the energy and moods that go with the ebbs and flows of the moon.
The full moon is a time to celebrate, to recognize the abundance and richness in our lives. And then use that to our advantage.
It is also a time of energy and vitality, these 7 poses honor that.
- Child’s Pose – Start kneeling, bringing the big toes together to touch and take the knees wide. Walk your hands out. Instead of folding straight down, crawl the fingers towards the left side. Reach longer through the right fingers as you rest your head down. Find slow steady breaths while holding here for a moment. Then crawl the fingers over to the right.
2. Lotus Lunge – From downward dog, kick the right foot up and then step it through between the hands. The feet should be about hip width apart. Push into the feet, and lift up. Bring the hands together at the heart in Lotus mudra. Bend deep into the front knee. Shift the gaze down into the center of the hands.
3. Tree Pose – Standing on the right leg, step the left foot forward. Placing it somewhere along the standing leg – at the ankle, shin, or thigh. Press your knee open, while hugging into the midline. Mirroring the cycling of the moon, take 3 big circles with the arms while holding in this balance pose.
4. Dancing Warrior – Step your left foot back, spinning the heel down so the foot is parallel to the back of the mat. Open out through the arms. Bending deep into the right knee, keeping it pointing forward. Inhale to reverse, right hand up and over and left down. Exhale to extend up and over, bringing the right forearm to the front thigh and left hand up. Repeat this dance a few times.
Work through 2-4 on the other side.
5. Pigeon Pose – Return to down dog. Kick the right leg up, shift the weight forward, and bring the right knee behind the right wrist. Stretch the left leg back behind you. Square off the hips. Come up on the fingertips, inhaling to open the heart. Exhale, to fold down. Ripple like this for a few rounds of breath. Then rest all the way down. Repeat on the other leg.
6. Tiger Pose – Come to table top, with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. Kick the right heel up to the sky. Let your belly drop as you expand and open through the heart. Add the bind by reaching the left hand back. Clasp hold of the right ankle or foot. Push the foot into the palm as you lift the heel up. Repeat on the other side.
7. Reclined Butterfly – Lay down on your back. Bring the soles together and the knees apart. Extend the arms up overhead. As you hold for a moment here, cycle back to what you are grateful for and areas of abundance in your life.
These 7 poses come from a 30 minute full moon vinyasa flow I shared on my YouTube channel.
Namaste,
Kassandra
