Black Moon

EN

Today is a very special day.

Diwali in India the festival of the lights ~ light your inner light and maintain some silence with your eyes closed. honor the divine light within and feel the love and warmth inside your whole body. carry this love through your day and share this light with all the ones around you. 

you are the light so shine and receive back.

today is also a Black Moon.

it is the second New Moon this month ~ so its called the black moon. the moon seats next to the sun, totally black and feels very personal, going within, so a great time to plant seeds of intention - what do you want to achieve in the next 30 days?

according to some astrologers this moon comes powerful and transformative, potentially even life changing. rest, become reflective and prepare for what comes. its very intimate and special.

since today is a black moon, you can go deeper in something hidden inside you… its the good time to face that dark side, as the Balinese always teaches us, to clear the space so you fill it with good things. yes it will feel emotional and dark but its facing the darkness inside us that we can grow.. we all know that. 

Tania wrote me asking about this idea about not practicing Asthanga Yoga on moon days. Patthabi Jois was son of an astrologer so he was himself very connected to the planets and stars. the Ashtanga practice therefore is very influenced as well. also Moon days are, in spiritual societies as the Indian one, days for ceremonies and Guruji, being the respected person he was, celebrated and offered Pujas in these days.

so Ashtanga traditionally became a six day a week practice, with Saturdays, new and full moons off, as well as ladies holidays. I have to admit I was always a moon child, connected with the moon, talking with her and always believed she was listening to me. I remember in Macau she could be big and here in Portugal she can also be of a big intensity and beauty. I always felt it was kind of logic not to have such an intensive asana practice in such days. Just by looking at the sea and how much it is influenced by the moon it would just be obvious that as well touches us human beings. 

I found this from the Ashtanga Yoga Center which might be helpful to Tania. 

«And the facts are that like all things of a watery nature (human beings are about 70 percent water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun.

Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction. Both sun and moon exert a gravitational pull on the earth. Their relative positions create different energetic experiences that can be compared to the breath cycle. The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest. This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong.

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.

Practicing Ashtanga Yoga over time makes us more attuned to natural cycles. Observing moon days is one way to recognize and honor the rhythms of nature so we can live in greater harmony with it».

So best we acknowledge the moon days, give her special attention, give her some offerings and prayers and set intentions. its starts a new cycle of 28 days, a practice of kindness, surrender and love might be just what feels good.

PT

Hoje é um dia muito especial.

Diwali na Índia, o festival das luzes ~ hora de acender a luz interior, manter silêncio de olhos fechados. honrar a luz divina e sentir o amor e o calor no corpo. somos luz, brilhe e receba de volta a mesma luz.

hoje é, portanto, uma black moon.

é a segunda Lua Nova este mês ~ pelo que a sua chamada lua negra. a lua encontra-se próxima do sol, o que faz vir para dentro. um momento perfeito para plantar sementes de intenção - o que gostaria de alcançar nos próximos 30 dias?

segundo alguns astrólogos esta lua vem mesmo poderosa e transformadora, com energia de mudança total de vida. descanse, reflicta e prepara-se para o que vem. é muito íntimo e especial. 

já que hoje é uma lua negra, pode aprofundar em algo escondido dentro de si ... é o bom momento para enfrentar o nosso darkside que, como os balineses sempre nos ensinam, para limpar o espaço possa ser preenchido com coisas boas. sim vai-se sentir emocional e dark, mas é depois da escuridão que crescemos ... todos sabemos isso..

a Tânia Bragança escreveu-me a perguntar sobre o não praticar Ashtanga em dias de lua. Patthabi Jois, filho de um astrólogo, era muito ligado à astrologia, aos planetas e às estrelas, o que faz do método muito próximo a esta ciência. e dias de lua são, em sociedades espirituais como a indiana, dias para cerimónias e Guruji, sendo a pessoa respeitada que era, nestes dias oferecia pujas e cerimónias. 

por isso, tradicionalmente, o Ashtanga é uma prática de seis dias por semana, com sábados, lua cheia e lua nova e ladies days sem prática de asana. eu sempre fui uma moonchild, conectada com a lua, falando com ela e sempre acreditei que me ouvia. lembro-me em Macau ela era grande e aqui em Portugal, ela pode, também ser de grande intensidade e beleza. sempre senti que era quase lógica a ideia de não praticar esta prática de asana nestes dias. basta olhar para o mar e ver quanto ele é influenciado pela lua - parece óbvio que também toque aos humanos.

Na minhas pesquisas encontrei este texto no Asthanga Yoga Center:

«And the facts are that like all things of a watery nature (human beings are about 70 percent water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun.

Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction. Both sun and moon exert a gravitational pull on the earth. Their relative positions create different energetic experiences that can be compared to the breath cycle. The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest. This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong.

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.

Practicing Ashtanga Yoga over time makes us more attuned to natural cycles. Observing moon days is one way to recognize and honor the rhythms of nature so we can live in greater harmony with it».

O melhor é então honrar, respeitar, dar atenção especial à Lua, fazer-lhe ofertas e dedicar orações. estabelecer novas intenções na Lua Nova. um novo ciclo de 28 dias começa, logo uma prática de bondade, entrega e amor pode ser apenas o ideal para se sentir bem.