what's up with "moon days" in ashtanga Mysore yoga?

Blood Moon in OctoberI practice Ashtanga Mysore-style yoga every morning lately. I love its blissful effects on my entire life. From the intensity of the poses to the self-led regimen to the specific sequencing, it's the real deal. 

no yoga on moon days

I wonder though about the classical necessity to not practice on the Moon Days. This means, there is no class held on New Moon or on Full Moon. Typically, you practice 6 days per week in general, and also take breaks on the Moon Days.

the moon's cycle gives us special energy

With all of my experience with yoga and moon energy and its watery nature (humans being mostly made of water), I have a special affinity toward the intensities in each of the extreme phases of the moon as the different energetic pulls on the Earth are exhibited.

"Yoga has a sly, clever way of short circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety." ~Baxter Bell (tweet this)

New Moon is a time to set new intentions as it's the start of the cycle. Full Moon is a time to celebrate the power of who you are in your fullest state of everything (emotion, senses, intelligence, ideas).

I know that the classical Ashtanga reason—5,000+ year old ritual—to not practice on the Moon Days is answered in terms of the moon's cycle mimicking a breath cycle. (Source: Tim Miller) 

• New Moon - The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of the contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion is greatest.
• Full Moon - The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of the expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded is greatest. 

yoga and the moon are the breath

I'm all for living in harmony with nature. But to not celebrate the awesome energies of the moon seems crazy. Yoga is all about the breath. The most important transitions happen at the top of the inhale and at the bottom of the exhale.

I have my most important breakthroughs in yoga classes—Mysore especially—as I'm learning the series pose by pose day after day. My biggest lessons and realizations have occurred in knowing that at the top of the inhale I am successful if I keep moving forward, and that at the bottom of the exhale I can ground myself so well that I am untouchable by the stories of my mind.

Also, at the most energetic time of the month, I need yoga to calm my energy that tends to build up and become chaotic. During the least energetic time of the month, I find yoga beneficial to increasing my physical energy.

Why in the world would I want to not celebrate the moon's intensified versions of these lessons? They are my favorite days.

"Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind." ~Patanjali (tweet this)

breakthroughs at top of inhale, bottom of exhale

In the New Moon's most grounding energy, I love to get on my yoga mat and absorb that peacefulness. It's where I am most at peace, and most likely to sit still and meditate for the longest amount of time. My home Mysore yoga practice is to meditate for the longest amount of time for the month (even to hold a record), to harness the depth of my potential for my truest intentions. It would be difficult to miss this. It's on my calendar for sure as my own personal "Moon Day." It is certainly not a day where I'm going to sleep in and rest. Rest? How could I rest knowing that I'm blowing off such important energy?

In the Full Moon's most awesome and fierce energy I find myself at home. It is the best day of the month for me. Its height of emotion—not just for me but for others around who share such inspiring knowledge—is one of the greatest gifts of the month, not to mention the bright bulb looking in on me through my window or out on my porch through trees before I sleep. It is meant to be stared upon in awe and to celebrate. Especially in a yoga practice which requires the utmost of energy (Ashtanga), its energetic assistance on the soul is to be admired.

Without yoga during this time, I am crazy; yoga is my savior. It is a time to be mindful of being headstrong as this causes injury, and where better to do deep introspection than at the edge of headstrong? As quoted by my Mysore yoga teacher when I reach my own roadblocks and edges in my practice,

"This will be/is a deep opportunity for you in your practice. Look at where the mind goes. That's where the most beneficial work will be done."  

My "Moon Day" for Full Moon time is to be all I can be, shine, open, express and be damn proud of who I am. My yoga practices on this day are the more vibrant and have the most potential to get me to the next level of living (not just my yoga practice, but my life).

the moon is feminine

If we are practicing 6 days per week, it's nice to have a couple extra days off. Why not make these mid-moon cycle when there isn't as much to celebrate and feel? I'm just questioning the classical logic of the concept of taking off on the best days. I know that in Breath of the Gods (the historical documentary on the origins of Hatha Yoga through the life of Krishnamacharya who taught both Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar) that the Ashtanga sequence was developed by men and "then the women just started doing it." Perhaps the feminine is more in tune with the essence of the moon and I wonder how it would be had a woman made this decision?

I ran this article by my Mysore yoga teacher and the response was that (jokingly) I have issues with authority :) 

Happy Full Moon tonight...

© 2014 Yoga Robin®