August Full Moon - Root in the now to prepare

The power of touch to raise awareness, awaken and transmit prana to energise and heal

Hello Moonchild :)

How have you been since the last dark moon? I've had gratifying experiences, small challenges, learnings and revelations. I think this moon is going to throw some light on all that and more :)

We have the Full Moon rising today, August 19. In India, we call it Sravana Purnima. The festival of Raksha Bandhan falls under this moon. Happy festivities to all those celebrating :)

This is the last Full Moon before eclipse season begins (Lunar eclipse on September 18 and Solar eclipse on October 2). We know eclipses create massive shifts and fuel much needed transformations. The beginnings of it will already be felt, more so on Moon days.

The invitation for this Full Moon and the upcoming New Moon is to start preparing for the eclipse season, so we are better poised to navigate it, receive the rich experiences that the season showers and come out of it beautifully transformed, 'living' all the knowings that surface.

Before reading what you can do, let me also draw reference to the last dark Moon practice that is relevant now as well. I shared about creating your healing kit. Continue dipping into this healing kit to keep yourself grounded and connected with the inner self.

What can you do today, everyday, till the eclipse?

The practice is very simple, yet powerful.

Simply put, Become extremely observant everyday!

You can kick this off with a ritual this evening through the following steps.

1. Setting up, Centering, Chanting

Set aside about 30-45 minutes. Create a sacred space with flowers/lamps/incense or anything else that holds meaning for you. Keep your journal and pen ready.

Sit in a meditative posture on a mat or if outdoors even on the bare earth/grass. Observe your connection with Mother Earth. Remember your ancestors 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.

If you love chanting, close eyes and do the ‘Om Som Somaiyah Namah’ chant 14 times.

2. Breath awareness and Visualization

Choose a position to sit that you can stay in for a while. Use back support if needed.

Allow your eyes to close.

Scan your body from bottom to top and relax the whole body.

Take your awareness to your heart space. Observe the breath here for sometime, allowing your breath to find it's own rhythm. Notice the breath flowing in and out of this heart space effortlessly, sense expansion and relaxation with inhale and exhale respectively. Stay with this awareness, until you feel a sense of stillness.

Visualize a soft green light deep in your heart space. Dwell on this image for a while. Nothing else matters. No expectations, no thoughts, no hurry to go to the next step. Stay here till you feel a sense of deep calm and restfulness.

3. Reflection to Raise Awareness

Ask these questions to yourself one after the other. If needed look at one question, close eyes, reflect and observe what surfaces. Then open your eyes and read the next question and reflect, make mental notes.

Question 1

What are the feelings or emotions that I am experiencing?

(Fear/restlessness/stuckness/lethargy/confusion/clarity/joy/overwhelm/grief/impatience/volatility/heaviness/lightness/frustration/anything else. Whatever it is, your work now is to just notice and label. Avoid trying to manipulate or change it.)

Question 2

Where are they felt in my body?

Once you identify, do this:

Rub your palms vigourously and create heat. Place palm in the identified part/parts of the body. Feel your own touch. Sense energy/prana flowing from palms to the region. Speak the words, 'I love you' to the parts you are nurturing with your touch.

If you are a woman or someone who connects strongly with the Svadisthana chakra/womb space, place your palms in a simple Yoni Mudra in the lower abdominal region as shown. Sense touch. Sense energy/prana flowing into this space. Speak the words, 'I love and nurture you'.

Yoni mudra is associated with the svadisthana chakra, the womb space, the seat of flow, creation, creativity, your relationship with the self and others. A deep connection with this sacred region brings forth your intuition, reveals your creative possibilities and the potential for flow and new beginnings/directions.

Question 3

How is my breath?

(depth/pace/temperature/inhale or exhale longer/spaces between breaths)

Wait till the breath is slow, smooth, noiseless and effortless.

4. Closing

Bring awareness to your body and it's connection with the earth. Touch the ground with your palms. Bring back the image of the Full Moon in your eyebrow centre for a few breaths. Close the ritual by offering gratitude to your ancestors, Gurus, the Moon and Mother Earth.

The Recommendation! (IMPORTANT)

Do Step 3 of this practice everyday, at any time in the day! You can do it more than once too.

Know that you are witnessing now, raising awareness little by little, moving closer to the higher self with every practice.

Know that you are doing this to prepare yourself for the time ahead, to understand and navigate it from a rooted space.

Know that you are opening yourself up to gifts that the eclipse season brings, so stay open and welcome what comes your way :)

Wish you all a dedicated time of practice and an enlightening eclipse season ahead!

Love & gratitude :)

Sheetal