In ancient times, the moons journey acted as a 28 day calendar for life.

Her phases were used as a marker for the passage of time and life was built around nature, the ebb and flow, the wax and wane, always in touch with the seasons and the natural world around us.

In our day to day busy lives we are- as a population gradually losing our contact with nature.

Stressed, burnt out, always rushing from here to there, it’s a lot to deal with and we find that we start to lose ourselves.

The moon inspires an energy all of her own. The gravitational pull that affects the tides also affects us. Bodies that are sixty percent water, and subject to our own ebb and flow.

Coming back to nature, living in harmony with the cycles of the natural world has an immediately calming effect on our technologically exhausted lives.

Living a life in line with the moon and her phases starts to bring us back to who we really are. We gain clarity and perspective, become stronger in our ideas and more aflame with our passions.

We learn when to rest and when to work, how to work to our full potential without exhausting ourselves. We start to understand that the ups and downs we experience are common to all, we feel less lonely in our dark times, and know that as the moon changes, so will this also pass.

Practising a moon ritual, alone or within a circle helps to give us a focus, towards every aspect of our lives. Work, family, relationships, all can benefit from this time of rest, gratitude, honour and release.

Within our Fire and Flow rituals we come together with a shared experience that brings us closer. We communicate, we work to overcome our barriers and we celebrate our successes.

A moon ritual can be as simple or as complicated as you like, as personal or as open as you like.

We’d love to have you join us via our Facebook Live meditations or in person at the Morzine Yoga Studio.

The Phases of the Moon

In simple terms, the moon moves around the earth as the earth moves around the sun. The position of the moon in relation to the earth and the sun and the amount of light reflected onto the moon’s surface from the sun is what gives us the different view of the moon over her cycle. These are the phases of the moon.

New Moon:

The start of the lunar cycle. The moon is between the earth and the sun and the sun shines light on the side of the moon we can’t see- we see the dark side of the moon.

Energetically speaking, new moons are a time for rest, for preparation and for goal setting for the month to come. A time to get organised, to set boundaries and to look after yourself in order to achieve and grow. During the dark moon (the days just before the new moon) you may feel an overwhelming exhaustion. You’ll want to pull back into yourself, crave solitude and feel very emotional. These feelings are to guide you into the growth association of the new moon. To look inward and see what areas of life need a little extra attention or guidance, and then create those plans and intentions with the new moon.

Waxing Phase:

This is the two week phase between the New and Full Moon.

Gradually the moon gets bigger in the sky. Our energy levels grow along with the illumination of the moon and this is our time for action! The growing light of the moon can help us see more clearly and work on all the plans and ideas we put into place during our new moon intention setting. As the moon approaches her fullness this is a time of intense energy. Often people have trouble sleeping in the days leading up to the full moon - this is your extra chance to get things done- to finish what you’ve started- your time for rest will come.

Full Moon:

We see her shining in all her glory, bright and beautiful. The lunar light shines down to celebrate completion and endings, or gives you the extra energy to push forward with your goals and ideas. Sometimes blockages or obstacles are illuminated and you’ll be given the energy to overcome them. The full moon is the perfect time to release and let go of anything that no longer serves you. A moon ritual of release and let go is particularly powerful during these full moon days.

Waning Phase:

The two weeks between the full and new moon, as the moons light diminishes in the sky. As the Waxing or growth phase allows us to push forward, this phase is all about release. Looking deeply into ourselves, finding our truth, or more simply the perfect time to de clutter and let go of everything, physically and emotionally that we don’t need.