Module 5: Stage 4 - MOON, Stable
MOON in Hatha yoga is MIND. Because, like Mind, it is always changing. MOON Stage is about purifying (calming) and strengthening (stabilizing) the Mind.
What's in this module:
MOON Stable stage explores:
- EARTH, WATER and FIRE element
- SAMANA Vayu – twists
- KAYA STHIRA – long holds
- SAMA VRITTI – 1:1 breathing
- NADI SHODDANA Pranayama, made stronger with VILOMA and KUMBAKA
- KAYA STHIRA meditation
- MAHA MRITYANJAYA Mantra
When the Moon is made steady, the Sun can be made to rise.
*** MOON stage of Hatha Progression is best represented by Yoga Sutra 1.2 ***
~ Yogascittavrttinirodhah ~
Yoga is mastery over roaming tendencies of the mind
MOON in Hatha yoga is MIND. Because, like Mind, it is always changing. MOON Stage is about purifying (calming) and strengthening (stabilizing) the Mind.
Now we start yoga.
How can we see true reflection of Moon in rough waters on the lake on of our mind?
The 2nd part of MOON stage is about stabilizing the mind (we get there by stabilizing the body and breath). We focus on structural integrity of body vessel with SUBTLE CORE work, ECCENTRIC CONTRACTION in asana practices, refined in dynamic movement. Keeping clay pot structurally sound, build up the root (MULABANDHA), anchor the SACRUM: contain the vrittis!
MOON Stable stage explores:
- EARTH, WATER and FIRE element
- SAMANA Vayu – twists
- KAYA STHIRA – long holds
- SAMA VRITTI – 1:1 breathing
- NADI SHODDANA Pranayama, made stronger with VILOMA and KUMBAKA
- KAYA STHIRA meditation
- MAHA MRITYANJAYA Mantra
*** MOON Stable stage is best represented by description of asana in Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.48 ***
~ sthirasukham asanam (2.46) ~
A stable and comfortable posture is asana
~ prayatnasaithilyanantasamapattibyam (2.47) ~
It is attained by loosening of effort and by mental absorption in the infinite
~ tatahdvandvanabhighatah (2.48) ~
From that pairs of opposites cease to have injurious impact
In this Module we start to look at the meaning of PRANI – one whose spine is full of energy (original definition of YOGI). And, that, to “manage energy” means to go after the prana we need to increase according to what our purpose and life ask of us. This leads us to take a closer look at PRANA and its subsets: VAUYS. All vayus are subsets of Vata dosha. So, here comes…. Vata Management = Energy Management.
Ayurveda comes to aid, reminding us of shared circumstance (dosha of season, political situation, etc.) + our unique elemental nature. Then we know what which element we need to balance in order to stay our best Self.
Founder and Head Coach of Calm Accelerator, LLC and all of its programs, Holistic Health Coach, Ayurveda Wellness Counselor, ERYT500, Meditation Coach and Yoga Mentor
Read more about Natasha here
10 Lessons
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Sadhana - Portion on Practice according to Yoga Sutra. Review of MOON stage
Joining 2 halves of the MOON: practice to get Calm and Stable (at 11 min)47:00 MINS -
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Sacral Twisting practice: deep core integrity work combined with cleansing action of Agnisara (purification), culminating in inverted restorative lower abdominal twist: cleansing, balancing and energizing at the same time.
Nadi Shoddhana Pranayama with Kriya.75:00 MINS -
Introduction to Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra - Victory over the Great Death
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Introducing Spinal Rotation – TWISTING
Practice of Sacral (lower body) Twisting to anchor SAMANA at the root, with aid of Apana: calm and grounding, slow moving, supported and focused inward.73:00 MINS -
Brahmana (activating) long holds – we can get uplifted without loosing our ground. Strong holds with focus on moderate core twisting (=balance) and backbends.
80:00 MINS -
Principles of Ayurvedic nutrition and hot to eat right for your type
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Lateral twisting category increases Vyana Vayu (circulation, nourishment = brahmana), but because we are also working in the lower body area leading up to seated Pigeon (Kapotasana) variation – we are staying connected to our root system (Apana Vayu).
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Thoracic (upper back) and Cervical (neck) twisting for expanded respiratory function, as well as strengthening the heart and core with both support and challenge from a prop: 6' staff.
76:00 MINS -
Live Satsang & practice (at 3 min): introduction to Pole technique to
a. expand breath capacity and start building Prana
b. strengthen retention capacity (container so we don’t float away) with use of 6′ Pole
26:00 MINS
