Aquarius Full Moon Practice Suggestions

It's that special time of the month when we look around us and decide whether the life we're living is working. It's time to sort through the material harvest of our energetic intentions and see if we are truly being nourished by our choices.

Your yoga practice is the perfect way to facilitate this process. Given it is a Full Moon in Aquarius, now is a great time to explore how you perceive yourself in relationship to others. Aquarius is an inclusive energy. It recognizes that we all have gifts and talents that are necessary for us all to be well. So, if there is a new technique or a different type of yoga you have been burning to explore now is a great time. Instead of your normal Ashtanga class check out some Kundalini. Rather than head on over to your normal Anusara Studio, check out a Vinyasa Studio. The point is to experience that we all have something different, yet valuable to offer.

Healing others by healing yourself and using your own unique gifts are two other big themes for this Full Moon in Aquarius. So make some time to check in with yourself. During your meditation, ask yourself whether you are fully aligned with your Divine Purpose. Take some time to understand how you can bring a sense of integrity and wholeness to yourself. By taking these small steps for yourself, you will be encouraging others to do the same. When one heals others heal with them.

This energy can be integrated into your practice by working with core building asanas. Arm balances, Navasana, Plank into Chataranga into a modified dolphin will all be of service to you. Your essential self resides in your core. A strong connection with who you essentially are is vital when exploring whether you are aligned with your divine purpose.

New Moon in Leo Practice Suggestions

August firsts New Moon in Leo presents the opportunity to bring some healing to your practice. Two good themes for this New Moon would be Ego examination and cultivating a community service based mindset. 

If you choose the ego examination route-- try lots of forward bending! Forward bending causes you to look at yourself. When you try to look at the mat beside you, or focus your gaze any other place than your toes, knees or thighs it becomes painfully obvious and you are forced to stop. This is just the type of scrutiny August firsts New Moon requires.
Moving super slow and taking special notice of your thoughts would also be helpful. I said your thoughts-- not necessarily your body. Our Ego runs rampant through our mind, influencing our perception and communication of truth. As you sit in a deep Warrior II watch your mind. Allow the sweat to bead around your forehead, and run down your neck. Stay with you mind-- see what pops up.
Also--try poses you normally don't do, or sequencing yourself differently. Breaking your normal yoga routine will show you how you handle change and challenge, thus giving you a deeper glimpse into the ego-- your primal protector in action.

If you are taking the community service route: Attend a community class. Yes, go to the $5 or $10 class rather than the $17 one!! They are usually taught by teacher trainees, and are not bad ;) OR better yet-- teach a class yourself. There are always shelters, friends, and relatives  willing to receive a class. If this doesn't speak to you, donate your practice. Before practicing dedicate your practice, and the blessing of it to something larger than yourself. Mother Earth desires our healing energy for atonement. This is a good way to give it to her.

One more note-- now is a great time for heart openers!! Core is great, but our Ego lives in our Core. Spirit lives in our heart. We are working to balance this energy with a definite bias towards spirit. So, now is a great time to work on your heart openers. If you really want to work on your Core-- do ab based asana you don't normally do, and watch what pops up!!

Practice with Love ;)

Everybody likes new things

Well kind of anyway. This afternoon I was blessed to have a garden host my yoga practice. There is something delicious about feeling the sun on my brown skin and seeing the ants crawl on my mat. It inspires me to chorus. 

I don't know how you normally practice. But there is something amazing about asana alone with out music. There is nothing  but your body (the physical manifestation of consciousness) your mind (door way to divinity) and Spirit.Today I dedicated myself to moving slowly so I could feel what was stuck where in hopes of removing it.

My hamstrings were tight, due a first chakra that won't be quite satisfied until I leave Paris. But my hamstrings loosened with acknowledgment of the issue, a little bit of tenderness and a gentle reminder that we'll be moving soon.

As I stepped forward into Ukatasana I noticed a lovely twinge in my left hip. Being a great fan of the forward fold, because it increases self awareness, I was presented with a unique opportunity. The twinge in my right hip reminded me of my concern about finances and residual emotional pain I was holding on to. So I staid there. The Sun beat on my back. Ants ran around my toes. And I staid there. Thanking the pain for reminding me to heal, and sending the memories to where they belonged. I've realize just as in nature, our emotions always have their place. The challenge is to put them in their place and not allow them to run amuck. 

I ended a few sequences just like this. In a forward fold, connecting with the pain. Thanking it, asking it to return to its rightful place. And it feels much better. Not to mention my chakras later told me what was going on. (Yours will too-- if you ask them). 

So this is my challenge to you. Next time you practice take time to connect with your body deeply. See what it has for you to move through.

Stay Blessed.

If you wonder where I've been

You know, this section of the blog has been a little too quiet. Forgive me. My relationship with yoga was strained. You see, when you teach an Un Godly amount of yoga, a few things need to happen to support your teaching. Unfortunately, I was doing none of these things. But alas, I am in France, no classes to teach, yoga mat on hand and finally reconnecting with Yoga. Here is what She has taught me about teaching more than three classes a week.

1) You need to make sure that you have enough time to recover and take care of yourself. I’ve realized that in order to create space and give to others I need to make sure that I am receiving and taking care of myself.

2) You need a deeeeeeeep practice; a practice so deep that it is more about yoga coming through you rather than your need to teach anybody anything. In order to facilitate such a space, refer back to number one and then come back to number two.

3) You also need to attend other teachers’ classes. I found that when I did make time to roll out my mat in someone else’s class number 1 and number 2 took care of themselves, especially when arm balances and crazy amounts of ukatansana were involved. Yay for Faith Hunter and Tazima Davis!! Flame on!

4) Oh yeah and don’t be afraid to take a break dammit.

Yep, I needed a break from Yoga. I realized one day that if I asked one more person to inner spiral something my head would explode. (And on occasion it did—a little) To prevent finding yourself here, please follow the steps listed above and don’t be afraid to say no. No is healthy and comes from Kali Ma.

More to come. 

Lunar Sequencing ~ Full Moon in Scorpio

I am a sucker, that’s right a sucker for a Full Moon Yoga practice. The full moon is ripe with potential for change and revelation. And this full moon is no different! Tonight’s full moon is in Sultry Scorpio; which is ruled by transformative Pluto. So, my friends if you have anything you’d like to release or if there is an area in life where you feel stagnant and are ready for change tonight is the night to dig deep, receive guidance and move forward.

The next full moon is in Scorpio as well, so if you don’t get it right within the next three days, you’ll be given another opportunity in May to cleanse, release and move forward. However, I feel this full moon is more about material resources, (Sun in Taurus), where the next full moon will be more about your mind (Sun in Gemini).

Alas, I digress. So for tonight, I suggest a few rounds of moon salutations (Under 40 Animated yoga postures-- see number #35) to get you warmed up. After you’re nice and warm invite some twists into your practice. Twists are heating and purging. It’s amazing to feel darkness unhook itself from your body when you deeply twist. It’s good, healing stuff! Grounding poses such as Eagle, Tree and Ukatasana and heart openers such as locust and bow will also be helpful in connecting you with Taurus’ nurturing, earthly energy. After some grounding and twisting allow yourself to explore some hip openers to release stagnant emotions, and create a space of receptivity for divine inspiration. Half Moon is always a must for any lunar practice, as is a nice meditation at the end.

Taurus’s energy is important here, but not as important as channeling Scorpio at this time. So, in honor of Scorpio practice with Scorpionic energy! Bring intensity, depth and purpose to your asana; allow yourself to be transformed by whatever comes to you on the mat knowing that you will be healed by it. Your practice and body will guide you tonight as it always does. So just enjoy the ride!