I was driving home around 5pm tonight with two of my lovely fellow yoga teachers and we saw the moon rising on the horizon… it was HUGE!! I have honestly never seen it that size before. The sky was all pink over Melbourne CBD, and the moon had that gorgeous pinky tone too, it was BEAUTIFUL!!! :-) I get very excited about the moon (as you know), and indeed today, for a very good reason: tonight is Full Moon, not any Full Moon, it is a Super Full Moon! A super full moon occurs when the moon’s closest approach to the Earth (called ‘lunar perigee’) coincides with the phase of full moon. When this happens the moon seems bigger and brighter. In fact, I have just read that tonight it will appear to be approximatively 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter! This full moon is not just a super full moon, it’s the closest super full moon of 2013! So what can you do tonight yogi(ni)s? Well, if you already have a full moon ritual, go for it! If you don’t, it is the perfect opportunity to get started: allow as little as 10 or 15 minutes of your time to simply sit comfortably, in silence, eyes closed, and go within, introspect, let the super full moon energy guide your experience. And if you are lucky enough to see the full moon from your home (it is way too cold to sit outside!), make sure you sit facing the window and gaze at this bright ball, it is quite mesmerising! Read more about the moon gazing meditation below. I may get my practice happening soon so make sure you enJOY both the view and energy of the Super Full Moon tonight, it is pretty special… ;-)

The Moon Gazing Meditation
Start by bringing your awareness onto your breath and let it settle, let your breath become deeper and slower. When you feel relaxed, begin to gaze at the moon (or any other chosen object) without blinking (without straining). After about a minute, close your eyes, keep your inner gaze steady and visualize the object in your mind (Ajna, third eye chakra). When the image loses its crispness in your mind’s eye or you begin to forget what it looks like, open your eyes again and repeat the gazing technique. You may experience the eyes watering (all very natural) before you can really hold the visual impression in the optic sensors, simply close your eyes for a short time and start again. Gradually, you will be able to extend the time you can hold the memory of the object in your mind (burn the image into your mind) and you won’t need to stare for as long. As your concentration grows and your mind becomes steadier, you will be able to extend the amount of time you practice as well. Like any meditation practice, it is best to start with easily attainable lengths of time and work up to 10, 20 or 30 minutes. At first, don’t be surprised, you may be challenged by just 5 minutes. Progressively increase the time you spend at a rate that is comfortable for you; too much too soon and you will give up completely out of frustration!

This is a wonderful practice to recenter! Done on a regular basis, it will allow you to think clearer, improve your memory as well as your sleep, to feel more relaxed and fully alive.