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Audio: moon meditation (for use as a starting point)
With the election last week and all of the chaos happening since, it seems almost ironic that we have been approaching a full moon tonight (November 14), and it’s not just any full moon. It’s a supermoon- the biggest and brightest one since 1948. And it will not be until 2034 that the moon gets this close to us again. That’s pretty powerful stuff.
Anyways, I was lucky enough to attend a full-moon practice this past Saturday night (at Barefoot Lizard Yoga) right under the moon, all bundled up. It was a nourishing, gentle practice with lots of slow flowing and some deeper stretching toward the end of the practice.
While the physical practice (or in Sanskrit, the asanas) felt wonderful and was beautifully taught, my favorite part was the guided imagery. It resonated so much with me that I keep coming back to it in my mind, again and again. I also felt the need to share it with others, because it has helped me and continues to help me release negative feelings, thoughts and just CRAP in general, and to feel much lighter.
Here is my rendition of the guided imagery taught to me in that full-moon practice. Give it a try if you, too, are feeling like you have some cleaning out to do.
Close your eyes and start to deepen your breath. Create an ocean-sounding (or Ujjayi) breath by constricting the back of your throat and breathing in and out through your nose.
Start to imagine yourself standing on the shore, on a beach, facing the ocean.
Then, imagine yourself looking up toward the beautiful, golden full moon, and then back at the tide washing high up on the shore.
Then imagine you are the shore, and as you inhale, the water covers you and washes away all of the debris, everything you don’t need anymore, everything that does not serve your greater good.
On your exhale, see the water retract and carry all that you don’t need out into the vast ocean, leaving you spacious and open to all that is good in this life.
Continue with each inhale and with each exhale for several breaths, for as long as you need. And if you need a mantra to keep you focused, use something simple like, “As I inhale, I create space. As I exhale, I let go.”
You can guide yourself through this meditation lying down your bed at night or in the morning. You can also try it sitting up straight on a cushion or chair, during any part of your day when you can find stillness and quiet. Shoot for at least five or ten minutes, if not more. Maybe you have a yoga practice and you’d like to add it in to your savasana at the end… Whatever works for you.
Allow this time to be a period of renewal, of cleaning out what is holding you back from being your Truest, best self, and of creating new space for something better.
With love and light,
Caroline
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