Full Moon, Yoga, Eastern Spiritual traditions

– what's the connection and what's the significance?

The moon is hugely influential on our planet – just look at how it influences our tides.  In no lesser effect, it also influences us.  The moon in any phase, when moving through its cycle, represents the mind in yoga and Eastern spirituality - your head-space: thoughts, feelings, your intentions – both good and bad.  As the moon is constantly changing, waxing and waning through its cycles so are our thoughts and feelings.  When the moon is full, once every 28 days or so, as it completes its cycle with no shadows cast upon it (Purnima – whole) it brings all our emotions to the surface – both positive and negative.  So, at this time we may feel

     calm but also sadness and sorrow,

     content but maybe fearful or frustrated,

     satisfied yet angry and annoyed. 

There are nowhere these feelings can be hidden as there are no shadows cast on the moon, so our emotions feel more exposed at this time.  During this time yogis recommend that we do not participate in rigorous asana practice (yoga exercises) as this can stir up more emotions, rather it is a time for resting and reflection. 

It is our golden opportunity to cultivate this time in meditation, using pranayama (our breath) inhaling and exhaling, and expanding the prana (life force) in our bodies to help us uncover and observe all these mixed feelings and emotions.  In meditation we can then slowly experience the duality of these emotions and let them balance and settle.  Once settled they will ultimately cancel each other out.  When this happens, it produces a deeply peaceful and relaxing state of wholeness that drops the mind.  This is meditation, the state of no mind.

Mediation also reveals to us a glimpse into our own true Self that lies beyond the reach of ordinary mind. It can give us new inner knowledge and perhaps even an understanding of our higher potential.  This awakening also opens us up to see the beauty in others more clearly, their inner workings, themselves as part of a whole; thus, in turn making us a little more whole. 

The full moon is truly an auspicious time for meditation.

Written by: the lovely Fran Miller after the Full Moon Meditation program with Swami Gopal Puri May 2020

Photo credit: Fran Miller May 2020 Full Moon over Melbourne