New Moon and Full Moon Yoga

Hello and welcome.

I’m looking forward to sharing some yoga with you over the coming months. To go alongside the new yoga prints from Moon Phase Studios, I’ll be regularly sharing different poses for the new moon and the full moon. But before we get to poses, we should first dispel some of the myths about yoga.

 New and Full Moon Yoga prints by Louise @Essential yoga and Moon Phase Studios

• You don’t need to be a “Bendy Wendy” and be able to touch your toes

Flexibility very gradually builds as we practice yoga poses and movements – you really don’t need to be able to touch your toes to start yoga – that’s like saying you need to be able to run a 4 minute mile to think about starting jogging. But with regular practice, over time, you will notice the difference in your flexibility, strength and stamina. Probably also your breathing too.

• You don’t need to wear fancy lycra™ sportswear

Simply wear something comfortable that you can move easily in. That could be leggings, trousers or shorts, and a t-shirt or top. You just need to be able to move your arms and legs without restriction, and if you are practicing any of the poses where your hips are higher than your head you don’t want a top that is so loose that it floats down over your face 😄 If you are going to be seated then a loose skirt would also be fine. 

• You don’t need special footwear or socks with toes or grippy pads

In fact bare feet are definitely best. The freedom of bare feet allows us to spread our toes as much as possible – helping with balance – and lets all the muscles in our feet get exercised without any restrictions. Bare feet also grip surprisingly well – certainly much better than socks! Try wriggling your toes with footwear on – and then try it with bare feet – bet you that’s easier!

Use a chair if standing is difficult today. Use a big book as a block to bring the floor closer.

• You don’t need special equipment

We can stand or sit on the floor, we can use a dining chair. If you find the floor slippy in some poses, then try practicing on a towel to help with grip, and you can add a blanket under knees or backs if the floor is too hard and you need some cushioning. If you do have a yoga or exercise mat then leave it out and ready to use – you’re much more likely to use it if you don’t have to first get it out of a loft or cupboard and then its bag. A big book can act as a block to bring the floor nearer to you, and a dressing gown tie can act as a strap to help with some reaches. A folded blanket is really useful - great for popping under your hips to sit or your thigh to help support it, and for keeping you cosy when you rest in final resting pose (savasana).

Stand tall and look out – Mountain pose (Tadasana) 

• You don’t need to go to a studio or use an online resource

You can practice yoga anywhere – standing at the bus stop or in the supermarket queue, sitting as a passenger in a car. You can be stood or seated, or even on your bed. It’s nice to find a quiet space where you can practice undisturbed, but actually part of yoga is being able to be focussed regardless of noises and disturbances around us. Wherever you are, try taking a moment to yourself just for some long deep breaths and see if you can let the distractions around you fade out of the way for a few minutes 😊 Next time you are waiting in line simply stand tall, drop your shoulders away from your ears and look out in front – and then again just breathe. That’s another yoga moment. Another favourite of mine is to practice balancing on one foot while cleaning my teeth. The sink is there for support under your spare hand. You could change leg half way through, or do one side in the morning and the other at night. Clean teeth and improved balance – what’s not to like?

Standing on one foot to help improve balance – Tree pose (Vrksasana).

As we settle into our yoga for the moon phases we will look at poses that work well in the quieter more introspective and reverent time of the new moon, and others that sit well with the more open, focused and energetic full moon phase. But feel free to mix and match as you wish.

The poses I’ll cover can be taken individually or run together into a sequence as shown in the yoga prints, or another combination that works for you that day. I’ll provide plenty of variations and options so you can find something that feels good in your unique body. But always look after your own body. Yoga should never hurt so don’t force anything or over-do it – slow and steady wins the race, remember. Yoga is not a competition – it’s not about how it looks or who can bend into the weirdest shape – it’s about feeling good inside – finding your breath, finding stillness, finding inner strength, finding resilience, finding focus and calm. Always feel that your yoga is your own practice. You can do 5 minutes or an hour; you can use music or silence; you can be outdoors or inside;  you can speed it up or slow it down; you can use props or take the supine or chair version….. just try a little as often as you can – and maybe use your 13 Moon Journal or a Moon & Blooms notepad to capture your progress or your feelings. Any questions? I can be contacted at louise@essentialyoga.uk and I’ll see you again soon 😊