New Moon In Aquarius

This is a time of deep reconfiguration and realignment.  The moon in Aquarius will focus the energy on your calves and ankles as well as your veins and circulatory system.  This gives a good opportunity to ground your foundations as you begin to prepare for growth and flow.  The energetic awareness around your lower legs gives focus to your roots, grounding in to your clear intentions to create strong foundations for the waxing cycle to come – in the moon and in the seasons ahead.  The focus on your veins and circulatory system, together with Aquarius’s element of Air, gives a sense of freedom, movement and expansion.  The combined effect is Grounding to Grow, which is at the heart of every Luna Rhythms Yoga practice.  

Grounding into this New Moon, you reach into your roots to find your foundations for growth through the waxing phase of the cycle.  As the moon moves towards its peak, the earth also shifts into the waxing phase of Imbolc, bringing renewed life and growth.  At this rebirth of the moon and the year, you may feel as if your entire body is rebirthing itself too.  

We are preparing to leave the darkest time of the year, yet as the moon is in its darkest phase the shadows are still coming to the surface to be witnessed and released.  This is a time of gentleness.  A time to be still and kind to yourself.  Bringing the energies of renewal into your heart with clarity of intention for moving forward into this new phase of life.  Taking this momentum of change into your life in a grounded way.

How Luna Rhythms Yoga can support you during this Aquarius New Moon:

At Luna Rhythms, our unique system of yoga integrated with the lunar cycles and solar seasons teaches techniques from the ancient yogic practices of asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and mantra in alignment with the energies of the day, season and cycle.  This New Moon in Aquarius is the perfect time to ground your intentions for growth.  

Chanting the Bija Mantras, or seed mantras, LAM andOM three times each with deep resonance can help to align your vibration with both grounding and expansion.  LAM, the bija mantra of the base chakra, vibrates at a low frequency and resonates with the intention to ground, bringing your energy down into your roots and into the earth.  OM, the bija mantra of the third-eye chakra, lifts the energy from your base to your crown, opening you up to grow and expand.  Om is the cosmic YES, powerfully affirming your intention to accept the transformation you are experiencing and step into vibrational realignment with your highest potential.  

As an Air sign, Aquarius gives an opportunity to focus on breathing practices, or pranayama.  At this time of readjustment and reattunement at every level it is helpful to practice a breathing technique that brings balance and harmony, finding your centre as your focal point through this period of unprecedented change.  

Nadi Shodhana, or Alternate Nostril Breathing, can help to balance your energies and enable you to tap into your inner calm.  This pranayama is best practiced with your eyes closed, but you may keep them open the first few times as you are learning.  Placing your right hand in front of your face, bring your index and middle fingers to touch the space just above your nose between your eyebrows.  Then use your thumb to close off your right nostril. Exhale fully through your left nostril then inhale fully, also through your open left nostril.  At the top of your inhalation, use your ring and little fingers to close your left nostril so that both nostrils are now closed.  Feel the breath at the top and centre, just behind your index and middle finger.  Then open your right nostril by taking away your thumb and exhale fully through your right nostril.  Inhale again through the right and close off the right nostril with your thumb so that both nostrils are again closed.  Feel the breath behind your eyebrow centre.  Then open your left nostril by removing your ring and little fingers, and exhale fully through your left nostril.  This is one full round and you are back to the starting position. Continue for at least three rounds to bring yourself into balance and harmony.  Rest a while with your eyes closed when you have completed the practice. 

Watch a video demonstration of this breathing practice here.

You may also like to try the Padma balance, or Lotus Flower Balance.  Sitting on the floor with your feet out in front of you, bend your knees and raise your legs bringing your feet together in front of your abdomen.  Rotate your hips outward so that your knees open out wide like the petals of a Lotus flower.  You may need to use a block to raise your hips and keep your spine aligned. Bring your arms between your legs and around underneath your feet to take hold of them with your hands.  This pose is similar to the Cobbler’s Pose, or Baddha Konasana (Bound-Angle Pose), but the feet are up in the air at abdominal height creating the balance.  This asana (posture) connects you with the earth, creating deep roots and stability for the flower of your life to blossom.

You can watch a video demonstration of this practice here.

Finally, Dwi Pada Pitham, or Two-Foot Support, can be a dynamic asana practice for grounding into the earth through your feet and opening up your chest and lungs for expansion and growth. Moving with the breath, you will experience both the grounding and the airy elements of this New Moon in Aquarius. 

Luna Rhythms Yoga is based on a range of different techniques from the yogic tradition that enable you to embody and integrate the monthly and daily rhythms of the lunar cycle, ensuring that your practice is always in alignment with exactly what you need when you need it.

To find out more about these practices and how you can get involved check out our Classes, Retreats and the Luna Rhythms Yoga Foundation Course. Join us!