Sunshine and Moonlight

This weekend we have finally experienced proper spring. Warm sunshine. Blue sky. The colours seem more radiant and vibrant. The trees are green and flowers are blooming. Even us, human beings, seem happier, lighter and glowing.

We have also experienced the dark moon with the new moon just showing on the sky in the last couple of days. The Lunar cycle and especially the dark moon draws us inwards so we can contemplate, rejuvenate and assimilate. And when the moon is out at night it is natural for us to rest and sleep.

In yoga and ayurveda we play with these two principles: The Solar and Lunar Energies.

The Sun

In our yoga practise we energise with dynamic Sun Salutations creating heat and movement. The Solar principle is about doing, creating, transformation. It is what gets us up in the morning and the reason we can digest our food – as well as our sensory experiences.

In the summer and midday we feel the heat the most.

Too much heat and solar energy will transform us into aggressive, egoistic, road rage individuals. It will literally burn us out.

The Moon

The cooling meditative energy of the Moon is what we connect to when we rest in shavasana or meditation in the beginning and end of our yoga practise. It is the gentle warm up. And it is the more lunar, yin practise when we stay, release and relax into different poses – generally towards the end of class. It is the watery, flowing practise. It builds us our Ojas and rejuvenates us.

We feel the lunar energy at night and especially at the new and full moon.

Can we have too much nourishing lunar energy? The lunar energy can make us feeling low and even depressed.  We can feel heavy and sluggish, tired and slow.

Creating Balance

As with everything in life – it is about balance. We need the solar energy to interact and be part of our community. To create, get up in the morning, go to work, digest our feelings and our food. We also crave our lunar energy. We know the importance of rest and sleep. Of being meditative and taking time to simply be.

Start to notice your patterns. Is everything in your life about the Solar principle – do you also take time to rest and rejuvenate? Or are you stuck in a pool of heaviness and depression – not being able to get up and out into the World?

Inner Wisdom

This is where you need to take responsibility for your life experience. What is making your life balanced?

Please share your insights from this blog below. Are you more Solar or Lunar? Do you need a bit more of something else – in which case how will you do it?