April Full Moon-Stay grounded, take stock of the time

Hello Moonchild :)

We are past the eclipse season. But things may be unfolding and making more sense now. Garner the lunar energies under this Full Moon to pause, reflect and meditate. Allow the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to come together. Zoom out and see the larger picture and the reason why things are. Find your guidance for the way forward.

The Full Moon peaks on Tuesday, April 23rd. In an Indian context, it is Chaitra Purnima* that is also observed as Hanuman Jayanti. We celebrate the birth of one of the central characters in the epic of Ramayana - Hanuman, known for his qualities of loyalty, courage, selflessness, humility, devotion, perseverance and strength. Contemplate on one or more of these these qualities that you may have and how they are supporting your life right now. Some of these may have come to serve you as part of the transformations fueled by the eclipses.

As a reminder...

The eclipse season is about allowing and unlocking powerful new beginnings and adopting new ways of being and doing. The divine places something in your path leading to a strong shift that changes the course of your life, offers you an opportunity to grow.

What can you do today?

Set aside about an hour ideally after Moonrise.

(To know Moonrise timings, I use the My Moon Phase app)

Choose to do the practice in view of the Full Moon if the weather permits.

You will need a mat, your journal and a pen.

Step 1

Centering

Sit in a meditative posture. Observe your connection with Mother Earth. Remember your ancestors and Gurus and seek their blessings. Visualize a Full Moon in your eyebrow centre. As you inhale and exhale a few times, ask the lunar energies to flow through you and guide you.

Step 2

Body Movement

Go through a gentle movement practice that focuses on hip and heart opening. Add poses that aid release for your body.

Step 3

Moonbathing

- Sit down, close eyes and feel a deep connect with Mother Earth.

- Open your eyes, gently gaze at the Moon for a while.

- Close your eyes and retain the image of this luminous Moon in your eyebrow centre.

- With every inhale visualize the healing white light flowing from your eyebrow centre into your body, filling it up gradually. With every exhale, visualize this white light clearing all blocks, anything that does not serve you anymore. Do this for 3 breaths.

- Then open your eyes, gaze at the moon again and repeat the practice.

- Do this 14 times

(If the Moon is not visible, simply close eyes and visualize it in your eyebrow centre and do the same practice)

If you love chanting, you can also do the ‘Om Som Somaiyah Namah’ chant 7 times.

Step 4

Journaling to take stock of the post-eclipse time

Write down the following questions and answer them.

How did the last one or two months play out for me?

Was there anything I changed or closed?

Did I initiate anything new?

How did I go about these?

What do I feel about it all now?

What are my qualities that helped me navigate this time?

Read this after writing.

Step 5

Humming breath in the Heart

Sit with eyes closed. Place your palms on the heart. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, gently make a humming sound for the length of the exhale with a gentle smile on your face. Feel the vibrations of this hum coursing through you. Repeat this 14 times.

Step 6

Exploring action points

Bring back the image of the Full Moon in your eyebrow centre for a few breaths.

Re-read what you wrote down. Add on if something further occurs to you in terms of way forward.

Close the ritual by offering gratitude to your ancestors, Gurus, the Moon and Mother Earth.

Wish you a lovely Full Moon practice!

Gratitude

Sheetal

*Full Moon in the month of Chaitra