Full moon

Yesterday was a full moon, and like all things of a watery nature (we are about 70% water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The energy of a full moon 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. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong and vulnerable to push beyond our limits.

You may notice that it's more difficult to balance during a full or new moon. This can be frustrating when you fall out of poses that you can normally hold steady. Often times when this happens, we try to push ourselves harder...and when that doesn't work we get mad and say things to ourselves like "what's wrong with me? why can't I do it? I should be better" etc.

We tend to attach our self-worth to outcomes: achieving a certain pose, getting good grades, winning the match, etc. The trouble with this is that the satisfaction of victory is only a tiny moment in time. By telling yourself "I'll be happy when__fill in the blank__" you are setting yourself up for days, weeks, months, even years of feeling inadequate. 

The next time you find yourself in a situation like this, take a deep breath and let it all go. We are infinitely more powerful that we think we are - it's our thoughts that limit our abilities. 

There are a few different yoga principles that come into play here:

• First is ahimsa which means non-harming. We tend to think of ahimsa in relation to others - not harming another individual. However, it also applies to how we treat ourselves - when we beat ourselves up and tell ourselves that we aren't good enough, we are causing ourselves harm.
• In yoga we also practice vairagya which is the Sanskrit word for non-attachment. It's easy to become attached to an outcome or to our thoughts about a situation. Thoughts are just thoughts - they only become real when we believe they are true. Take a moment and see if you can detach from a thought and see it for what it really is - separate from you.
• Finally, we are contantly looking for balance in sthira sukha. Sthira means strong, steady, stable; and sukha is comfortable, at ease, relaxed. Finding a blend of strength and ease leads us to a place where we can establish harmony in mind and body.

Here is the playlist for class today