June Full Moon: Mid-year reflection

Namaste Moonchild :)

And just like that we are half-way through the year!

We celebrate not just that, but also the Full Moon Moon and the International Day of Yoga on Friday, June 21!

Given that it is mid-year, it is the ideal time to reflect and review your life so far. What better time than a full moon to do this? Full and New Moons are conducive phases to pause and delve into inner work. It is a significant day too, with yoga practitioners all over the world honouring this path that helps them live a life of meaning and purpose.

The invitation is simple - to have an intimate and honest conversation with yourself to raise your awareness and acceptance of your reality. This will bring in peace and grounding, creating a sound foundation from which to approach the rest of the year.

What can you do as a ritual?

Set aside about an hour.

You will need a quiet room, about an hour, journal and pen or an audio recorder. If you have a favourite deity or an altar, let these be part of the space you are practising in.

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.

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

STEP 2

Movement/Asana practice

Approach today's practice with a beginner's mind, like you are doing everything for the first time. So forget your regular sequences, favourite asanas or preferred kind of movements. Instead let the body tell you what it needs at every step.

How do you do this?

Through a process of slow body scanning and subsequent choice of movement/asana.

Start by talking to your feet. Ask your feet how they feel. Move them and notice what sensations are there. Listen to what your feet are asking for? Receive the message and proceed with the necessary body work. It could be touch/massage too. Then move to your ankles and lower legs. Repeat the process till you speak to each and every part of your body including the face and head. Remember to breathe well through out. Allow the body to speak, let the mind not interfere, let it take a back seat :)

As my teacher would say: Always know that it is not you doing the Asana, it is the Asana doing things to you, making shifts in you, you are a mere observer.

STEP 2

Breathwork

Sit in a meditative posture. Prepare for belly breathing.

As you inhale, feel breath moving into your belly and expanding it gently.

As you exhale, feel your belly relaxing and going in.

With time, make your exhales comfortably longer than the inhales.

Do this for 28 breaths.

Once done, allow your breath to flow naturally and embrace whatever experience follows. Be a witness.

STEP 3

Reflection and Contemplation - Journaling/Speaking into audio device

Answer the following questions in writing or by speaking into your device.

Question 1

Where am I right now?

Look at all spheres of your life. Answer honestly and from the heart without holding back. You can use the chart below as a guide to explore various facets of your life.

Read what you wrote or replay and listen.

Question 2

What are the feelings and emotions associated with where I am now?

Again, be open. Know that nothing is good or bad, and everything is a learning experience. Witness your responses without judgements.

Read what you wrote or replay and listen.

Question 3

What led to where I am now? What is my role in reaching there now? What are the circumstances not in my control?

Read what you wrote or replay and listen.

As you listen cultivate an attitude of taking ownership of where you are. Identify what is not in your control and what you need to let go of. Note these down as they occur to you.

STEP 4

Sitting with the experience

Sit still with eyes closed and breathe into your heart space. Visualize your heart space welling up with kindness, love and compassion for holding space for yourself in the past few months. Know that you have done the best you could. You receive everything (joy, sorrow, achievements, setbacks, laughter, tears, anger, fear, doubts, excitement, gratitude etc.) with equanimity. All of these have been gifts in shaping who you are now.

STEP 5

Closing the ritual for the day

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.

Whatever you initiated today will keep unraveling until the next Full Moon. So remind yourself every morning of the experience in this practice and to pay attention to whatever is surfacing everyday in this context.

Until the next New Moon, stay healthy and aware!

Wish you a meaningful practice! :)

Gratitude

Sheetal