Mauni Amavasya - A time of quietening

Hello Moonchild :)

The upcoming Dark Moon on January 29 is the day of Mauni Amavasya.

Quoting the wise teacher, Indu Aroraji below:

Mauna means the silence of the manas (mind, thought and senses). Amavasya refers to the new moon. “Ama” means dark and “vasya” means the lowly desires. Amavasya’s (new moon) are special days in lunar calendar that are ideal for self-reflection, emotional purification and self-study (swa-adhyaya).

Symbolic Meaning: This day symbolizes the quieting of the lowly desires and upholding of the dharma celebrated by Yogis/inis and Sadhakas. A very special day for mental and emotional purification, especially for those who are sincere practitioners of Yoga practices like meditation, yoga nidra, mantra japa etc.

It is the time to quieten down and just be. From silence and nothingness come clarity and peace. So let us pause all the active 'digging in' and allow ourselves to settle :)

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

I would invite you to reflect on what silence means for you personally. Look at what contributes to the chatter in your mind. Review your daily schedule and identify an activity that causes overthinking/stress/distraction/worry/fear/restlessness and the like. These could be conversations, excess screen-time, watching disturbing content, doing things without a break and not resting, over committing to work and people, overeating and eating junk etc.

What can you do or not do to counter this? What would be a silent balm to your nervous system? Is it 30 minutes to an hour of no talking? Is it fasting? Is it meditation? Is it a digital detox? You can choose your ritual! If you plan to do an asana session, stay away from intense movement and stick to a yin or restorative grounding practice.

Yoga Nidra is also a lovely practice for the time!

I've been following the guided Yoga Nidra from one of the most authentic sources - Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati (the successor of Satyananda Saraswati, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga). This is powerful. I would invite you to try it too. It is best practised at dawn, mid-day or dusk.

(Credits to @lifeofayogamom for uploading this on her YouTube channel)

In this guided audio, Swamiji speaks of making a Sankalpa (intention). I would recommend that you keep this simple in the context of 'being'.

Here are some options to choose from:

I am peaceful.

I am calm and grounded.

I am grateful and content.

I am rested and relaxed.

Here is one more guidance that you can check out if this resonates better with you.

Alternately, you can choose any guided meditation of your choice.

Here is one on my YouTube channel:

Some tips for preparation:

Make sure you are in a quiet room where you will not be disturbed.

Let the lights be dim.

Keep your phone on silent mode.

In the weather is cold, cover yourself with a blanket. It could get cold during the practice.

Wear loose clothes and remove jewelry/accessories that can cause discomfort.

Keep a journal and pen just in case you need to jot down anything after the practice.

If time permits, you could do this for 3 days consecutively at the same time. Keep observing yourself during this period to see what this state facilitated by Yoga Nidra or the meditation births for you. Make notes. Integrate the insights into your life :) The practice and the Moon's energies will guide you along!

Have a quiet and deep practice :)

Love & gratitude

Sheetal