Why we don’t practice Ashtanga Yoga on moon days
There are many myths and theories about the moon and its influence on human beings. In Ashtanga Yoga, we also practice in alignment with the moon. We explore how moon days came about and why we consider them important.
Table of Contents
An insight into traditions, beliefs and modern reasons to take rest on moon days.
What are moon days?
Moon days in Ashtanga Yoga are the days of full and new moon. On these days, it is traditionally recommended to take rest from asana practice. All around the world Ashtangis take additional rest on these days.
Full and new moon appear, when the moon and the sun both are in an exact line with the earth. The exact time when the moon turns full or completely dark is decisive for whether a day is considered a moon day or not. According to western lunar calenders, the day after the moon reaches one line with the sun, whereas in Indian calenders, the moment before the moon reaches it’s “peak position” defines the moon day.
Due to the earth’s rotation, those times vary across time zones, which consequently leads to slightly different moon days depending on which time zone you are in.
Moondays are dangerous days – What Pattabhi Jois said
As we did not practice with Pattabhi Jois ourselves, we can just rephrase what is most commonly told, by students who had the chance to practice with him. Basically, that comes down to two reasons.
Firstly, he seemed to believe that this specific constellation of sun and moon has a significant effect on human energy, which leads to a higher risk of severe physical injuries.
Secondly, Pattabhi Jois was a Brahman, who had to fulfil duties in temples and the household, which might have made it unfeasible to teach Ashtanga asana those days.
The Moon affects the mind – What Sharath says
Sharath agrees with his grandfather and states, that the position of earth and moon influence the human mind and body and leads to different energetic states. He mentioned that the mind is more active on moon days, which increases the risk of physical or mental injury when practicing on moon days.
Rest on moondays as a recognition of natural cycles
Taking rest on moon days is considered a way of tuning in with the natural cycle of the universe. This sounds likely to also be the basis of Pattabhi Jois and Sharat’s recommendation to take a break from asana practice.
The idea of the moon affecting the likelihood of injury mostly seems to be based on the gravitational pull of the moon on water. As humans consist of 50-65% of water, the assumption is, that during moon phases energetic forces impact our energy level. Full and new moon each embody the opposite peaks of the moon's energetic spectrum.
In Indian tradition, it is believed that the energy of the moon affects our body and mind. The full moon and new moon days are considered significant points in the lunar cycle, where a respective energy reached its peak. These Days are believed to have a strong influence on the body's energy channels and can disrupt the practice - which is in accordance with Sharaths statement on moon days. By taking a rest day on moondays, practitioners honor and align themselves with the natural rhythms of the moon.
Full moon and the period leading up to it are associated with Prana, the upward moving force which provides us with additional energy, but also makes us outgoing, headstrong and less receptive to subtle energies. On the contrary, the waning moon and new moon are related to apana, the downward moving force, which makes us feel more grounded, introspective and less energetic.
Rest on moon days as cultural heritage
In various eastern societies and religions, for example Hinduism and Buddhism, moon days are considered important spiritual events on which people engage in temple rituals. Therefore, full and new moon days are public holidays in some cultures.
Why we personally don't practice on moon days
Personally, we don't practice Ashtanga Yoga on moondays for mainly two reasons. The first one is simply to respect the tradition and follow the lineage of our teachers. Observing moondays as rest days is deeply rooted in the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga.
The second one being that taking additional rest days in a regular rhythm defined by the moon, feels energetically well-balanced and healthy.
Both of us practice 6 days a week. Taking rest on moon days makes this strong practice very sustainable to maintain. It allows the body to recover, heal, and rejuvenate and prevents overexertion and therefore promotes overall well-being.
Not only physically, but also mentally. Moon days support non-attachment to the physical practice, allow us to enjoy a latish evening out, eat a bigger dinner or just sleep-in until 4 or 5am. They are the perfect opportunity to get some practical things sorted or do a focused task during the early morning hours. Finally, we are certainly looking forward to getting back on the mat after an additional rest day.
Ashtanga moon day calendar
Do you want to know when this year’s moon days are coming up? Then you can with just one click by adding our Ashtanga Yoga moon day calendar to your personal google calendar. This is available for Germany (GMT+1) and the UK (GMT) and we will update the calendars for every upcoming year.
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