Revisiting Moon
Last season we dedicated an entire episode (#40) to living Under the Moon Cycle and during that episode, Tonya vowed to try some intention setting, manifesting and just basic emotional tracking according to the cycle of the moon. Tonya wanted her tracking to be driven by herself as opposed to apps that track for you, not that she had anything against those apps, she just didn’t want to be influenced by other app suggestions. What she did download was just a basic moon calendar that gave her the moon days, phases, and astrological signs and she downloaded a beautiful Lunar Abundance graphic by Ezzie Spencer that illustrates how to use the moon for setting intentions and creating abundance. She additionally began tracking her body’s moon cycle, and just noted in her regular journal practice how she felt in accordance with these cycles. Now, Kim, you mentioned you use an app that does many of these things for you right? Not a moon cycle app. Tonya, I think you recalled a Flo App I use for menstrual cycles and schedules according to your stage in the menstrual cycle. Do you mind sharing with our listeners the app and how you feel about it/ it’s accuracy etc? Currently, Kim does not have a moon phase app. Kim believes we have an episode (#56) coming up this season spending more time on this subject of honoring your menstruation cycle.
Sorry, Tonya thought it was a moon app as well. The app that installed a few months back when we first discussed this topic only provides the phases, times and astrological alignment but Tonya have noticed (not to be too TMI) that her bodies moon cycle is synced and she typically sees Aunt Flo around the new moon and ovulates around the full moon. Enough of that though. Let’s talk a little bit more about yoga and the moon...
The number 108 has much significance in Yoga, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Vedic astrologers determined that the average distance between the Sun, Moon, and Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. It is therefore viewed as a number of wholeness and existence. The traditional mala has 108 beads, plus one guru bead around which the other 108 beads turn like the planets around the sun.
The numbers 1, 0, and 8 represent one thing, nothing, and everything (infinity), representing the belief of the ultimate reality of the universe as being simultaneously one, empty, and infinite.
You’ll see a common practice of yogi’s doing 108 sun salutations in-between seasons to signify new beginnings and sacred changes.
The full moon is a time of fullness, completion, endings, and letting go. The light of the full moon helps illuminate those things that are holding us back and preventing us from moving forward in life. By becoming aware of the things that are blocking us and holding us back we are able to work on letting them go so we no longer feel as stuck. We can use the two week period of the waning moon (becoming smaller) to continue letting go and affirming our willingness to release any obstacles to happiness.
This clearing period creates space for opportunities to blossom when the new moon arrives and brings with it the opportunity for new beginnings and new directions. We use the new moon energy to identify what it is that we truly want in our life and start to plant the seeds of growth. During the two weeks of the waxing moon (growing larger) we continue to add energy to the intentions and goals we have set, and take any action that we can to help make our dreams a reality.
What Tonya discovered: She found this experiment interesting. At times it was difficult to maintain a practice (setting intentions/remembering to track etc.) but upon reflection, linking her journal with her calendar, she also noticed how many things sort of fell into the cycle naturally. For example, Both Kim’s TEDx and the release of season 2’s bonus kick off episode occurred on a waning gibbous moon - releasing/receiving. Letting go/ harvesting. When we recorded at Kim’s studio it was a first-quarter moon - developing, growth, strength, sending roots, and taking action. The date of our photo show as a new moon, which we even discussed on that day. New starts, set intentions, planting seeds. Today is the last quarter moon - readjustment, transition, cleansing.
Is it worth it/should we try to do more by the moon cycle, invest in other apps, make business decisions, etc.? Kim think yes to some degree. Kim feels like the moon energy needs to be honored a bit more in the energy aspect of our lifestyle. For example, she notices her sleep is off around a full moon. She has also heard that moon bathing helps reset our hormone levels. To be honest there were periods of time in her life where she was outside with moonlight now she can’t tell you when the last time was that she stood in the moonlight. The moon is our closest celestial neighbor and has a powerful influence over every living thing on our planet, exerting two and a half times the gravitational pull of the sun.
Tonya found it to be helpful. It was fun to tie a ritual to things - to set intentions in her journal with the new moon, cleanse her crystals under the full moon, think about harvesting the fruits of her labor toward the end of the cycle. She was also surprised at how many things aligned with the moon that she didn’t plan, including my own moon cycle.
Quotes:
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Resources:
The Moon App v3.8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moon-free-calendar-phases/id1077455978