Reflections on a new moon
When I think of the new moon, I think of the deep, quiet rest of a dark night. I think of infinite black or blue and relief from the chaos and heat of summer. Tonight I was at one of my teaching gigs, which is on the rooftop of an apartment building, and I had the pleasure of enjoying a view of the bright, blue evening sky streaked with clouds while I lay on my back.
Lately I’ve been writing a bit about dristhi and trataka, those yogic practices where we use focused gaze to calm our bodies and minds. This evening, as I practiced on my mat in the open air with views of the July sky, I thought of how it was to have a broad gaze at that deep blue, almost like watching an expanse of ocean. There’s so much freedom as well as comfort in a sight like that.
It made me think of how on this new moon, my intention is to bring balance to my summer with water: hydrating more every day, meditating near water, reflecting on the qualities of water, and adding more flow to my yoga practice. In the bright heat of this California summer, I’m taking the darkness of this new moon to remember how water is essential to my health and well-being. I am a coastal girl, after all, even though I’m currently living in the (Silicon) valley.
This post is short and sweet because I want you to have plenty of quiet time to reflect on your intentions on this night of the new moon (a good time to set intentions, I hear!). What does this night of shadows bring up for you and your yoga practice?
The new moon is like that pause after a long exhale (that exhale being the time between the full and new moon). The pause is just as important as the more dynamic parts of the breath. It’s a moment where the mind stops and you can just feel and sense. Try it. Breathe out and pause for a second or two before breathing in. Then try it again; and again. Perhaps that will help you find your intention on this night before the moon begins to wax again!
