3 Moon Rituals to Help You Tap Into Positive Energy
If you’ve practiced with us in Culte La Lune our Art of Lunar Living course, then you know how much we love rituals for every phase. Ritual allows us to ground ourselves and tap into the Moon’s energy. As the lunar cycle moves towards the Full Moon, you may start to feel more creative or positive energy surging around you.
As you start to soak up this creative energy, immerse yourself into ritual. You’ll feel a higher vibration once you take time for yourself and honor the lunar cycle.
Ritual #1: Half Moon Pose / Ardha Chandrasana
This is one of our favorite yoga poses. You can incorporate it into your full yoga practice, or if you’re on a time crunch, consider moving straight into this yoga posture in reverence to the moon.
The meaning:
Ardha Chandrasana: ardha = half candra = glittering, shining, having the brilliancy or hue of light (the moon)
How to practice:
Inhale, lunge to the side bending your right knee, sliding your left foot to open up your stance.
Place your left hand on your hip and reach out and then down with your right arm, place your fingertips in front of your right toes.
Press your right hand and right heel firmly into the floor, and straighten your right leg, simultaneously lifting the left leg parallel to the floor.
Extend actively through the left heel to keep the raised leg strong.
Be careful not to lock the standing knee; make sure the kneecap is aligned straight forward and isn't turned inward.
Rotate your upper torso to the left, but keep the left hip moving slightly forward. If you’re a beginner keep your left hand on the left hip and the head in a neutral position, gazing forward.
Having trouble? Here are some tips:
Bear the body's weight on the standing leg.
Press the lower hand lightly to the floor, using it to regulate your balance.
Hold for a round of 3 to 5 breaths, and then switch sides.
Ritual #2: Create a Moon Altar
Gathering a few significant objects you’ve picked up along your life path, the altar will serve as a place to reconnect to the feeling you experienced during joyful moments and will steady the mind in moments of overwhelm or stress.
How to set it up:
Choose additional items that specifically signify what you're calling in.
For example - are you calling in abundance? Add more coins to your altar.
Calling in wellness? choose items found in nature. Calling in love and sensuality? choose oils, flowers, and aromas that evoke a feeling of romance.
Add to the altar throughout the lunar month:
Get creative! As you find special items in nature, or collect trinkets inspiring you, add to the altar to allow it to be a living meditation.
How to work with your altar:
Spend a few minutes each evening paying your respects to yourself, your past, and your future.
On the evening of the Full Moon spend a bit of extra time meditating with your altar, and perhaps bring some of your items outside for a moonlight bath. The moonlight will charge your items with positive energy, and is especially good for the crystals you might have in your altar.
Ritual #3: Third Eye Breath
Begin with Long Deep Breathing.
The Breath:
Long Deep Breathing uses the full capacity of the lungs by utilizing the three chambers of the lungs: abdominal or lower, chest or middle, clavicular or upper.
Begin the inhale with an Abdominal Breath. Then add the Chest Breath and finish with a Clavicular Breath.
All three are done in a smooth motion. Start the exhale by relaxing the clavicle, then slowly emptying the chest. Finally, pull in the abdomen to force out any remaining air.
Breathe through the nose.
Activating the Third Eye:
While keeping your eyes closed, point your eyes upward so that they’re “looking” between the eyebrows.
Stretch your forehead upward so that it’s crinkled.
Hold your gaze, right between that space between your brow.
Relax your forehead.
Imagine relaxing the crown of your head, the sides of your head, the back of your head, and remove your tongue from the roof of your mouth if it’s crept up there.
The Visualization:
As you hold this gaze where your third eye chakra energy center is, see a tiny indigo blue light take shape.
Hold the gaze. Continue with long deep breathing for 3 minutes.
When you complete this practice take notice of what clarity arises for you in the moment and throughout the day.
