12 Yoga Poses for Spiritual Growth
Did you know that aligning your yoga practice to the moon cycle can lead to spiritual growth?
Practicing specific yoga poses based on the moon's current energies can help you transmute and release stagnant energy.
As the moon cycles through three months per season: (3) Spring, (3) Summer, (3) Fall, and (3) Winter, why not have a year's worth of growth within each season's three lunar cycles?
This is also how you achieve "12 years of yogic growth"–when one achieves kaleidoscopic enlightenment through the alignment of the mind and body with the natural rhythms of the Universe.
How to Align Your Yoga Practice with the Sun & Moon
Where do Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter fall around your birthday?
Every year your birthday signifies a cyclical event, our FULL SUN ENERGY.
The seasons after our birthday are considered the waning phase; the light from within diminishes for six months. This period is where we feel a more introspective approach to existence.
The seasons before our birthday are the waxing phase; the light from within ignites for six months. This period is where we consider a more creative approach to existence.
It is important to note that practically strategizing our yoga practice will have different paths based on the energy we choose to focus on, the sun or moon. The goal would be to use both!
Just as our Pingala and Ida channels contrast, both tapas will gravitate towards the center of our body, balancing our Sushumna and spine.
Through spiritual discipline, using yoga poses to signify where we are yearly can support our alignment.
Each month, we can practice these yogic technologies and find a vast channel of kaleidoscopic adventure or enlightenment. As the months move forward, so does our awareness and understanding of our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual bodies.
Waxing Yoga Poses - New Moon to Full Moon
Here are 6 yoga poses you can try during the waxing phase of a moon cycle.
Marjaiasana / Bitilasana (CAT/COW)
Why? Warms up the spine and improves lower back pain.
How to practice:
Start in a tabletop position with hands and knees on a yoga mat or the Earth; hands should be directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips.
Inhaling, tilt pelvis up and drop belly towards the Earth; the chin is last to lift slightly.
On exhale, tuck pelvis under first, and then push into the Earth with hands, bringing belly button towards cat spine; chin is brought last towards the chest.
Repeat this order: inhale–tilt pelvis up, drop belly, chest proud, chin lifted. Exhale–tuck pelvis, push into hands, belly button towards cat spine, chin meets the chest.
How Many? Repeat until the spine feels lubricated.
BIRD-DOG SEQUENCE
Why? Strengthens the core.
How to practice:
Start in a tabletop position with hands and knees on a yoga mat or the Earth; hands should be directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips.
Keeping hands planted, extend the right leg behind your body–hips stay square, and core is engaged. Take the left hand and place it behind your head, bending at the elbow. Take 3-5 breaths & switch sides.
Next, keeping hands planted, extend the right leg behind your body again–hips stay square, and core is engaged. Take the left hand and place it behind your head, bending at the elbow. Exhale and direct your left elbow towards your supporting arm (inhale to extend and exhale to crunch). Crunch 3-5 times with intentional breathing & then switch sides.
Lastly, keeping hands planted, extend the right leg behind your body again. Take the left hand and place it behind your head, bending at the elbow. This time, lift the extended right leg's heel to the sky. As you exhale, bend the extended right leg at the knee, and crunch the left elbow and right knee towards the supporting arm simultaneously. Crunch 3-5 times with intentional breathing & then switch sides.
How Many? Once
ARDHA UTTANASANA / FLAT BACK SEQUENCE
Why? Strengthens the solar plexus and lengthens the hamstrings.
How to practice:
Standing in tadasana (mountain pose), tuck your chin and roll down one vertebra at a time, starting from the top of your spine!
Dangle over your stomach for a moment and release the knees.
When ready, on the next inhale, drag both palms up the front of your shins. Flatten the spine with straight arms on the shins and crown towards the front of your space (wall or mirror).
Exhale, dragging your hands down the front of your shins, ending with the back in a forward fold position.
Repeat: inhale, up the shins, engage the core at the top of the flat back, exhale down the shins, and forward fold.
How Many? 3 passive breath cycles
SUPINE TWIST
Why? Rejuvenates the spine.
How to practice:
Lying back on the ground, bend your knees, and bring the soles of your feet to the yoga mat or Earth. With knees pointed to the sky, arms are in a T-position.
Inhale the left knee to the chest. Exhaling, open the knee to the left, bringing the outside of the left ankle on top of the right thigh and just below the knee.
Inhale from belly to heart. Exhale from the heart to the abdomen, and collapse your legs to the right. Aim to bring the inside of the left knee to the floor. Twist, with every exhale, towards the lower abdomen.
Use a yoga block, pillow, or blanket between the legs in the groin area or under the left knee for additional support. Turn your head in the opposite direction on an exhale. Once you've stayed for about two minutes, inhale back to the center.
Repeat on the opposite side, starting with the right knee to the chest and twisting to the left.
How Many? 2 minutes on each side. Three times per side.
Mandukasana / FROG POSe
Why? Lower back flexion and hip opener.
How to practice:
Start on your hands and knees. Take the knees as wide as your flexibility allows, point the toes outwards, and open the feet wider than the knees.
Deepen the stretch, move the hips towards the heels, and come down onto the forearms.
Bring the gaze down or slightly forward.
How Many? 5-6 breaths
BREATH OF FIRE
Why? Engages the core and energizes the body.
How to practice:
Seated in Easy Pose, use yoga blocks under butterflied legs for support; this allows the spine to elongate, so think crown towards the sky. Focus on straightening the spine; sit back against a wall if necessary.
To begin breath work, first inhale through the nose, expanding the belly fully.
Next, staccato-ly exhale through your nose; think of it as flexing the lower abdomen with each deflating breath of air. With every pumping exhale, engage the core until personal completion, until you have no breath left and the core is solid.
Then, inhale through the nose, expanding the belly fully for 4 counts. Next, sustain at the top of your breath for 4 counts. Lastly, exhale your energy and ground sitz bones into a yoga mat or Earth for as long as needed.
Regather before beginning another round OR start immediately after the exhale.
How Many? 3-5 rounds
Waning Yoga Poses - Full Moon to New Moon
Here are 6 yoga poses you can try during the waning phase of a Moon cycle.
TADASANA BREATH
Why? Focus
How to practice:
Standing on your feet. Ground the physical body into the Earth. Inhale hands up to the sky and bring your palms together.
Pushing palms into one another, lower prayer to the heart center on the exhale. Inhale at the heart chakra, and exhale arms to your sides.
Repeat two more times. Inhale hands up to the sky and bring our palms together. Exhale prayer to the heart center. Inhale at the heart chakra, and exhale arms down to the side.
How Many? Until Focus is Inward
VRKSASANA / TREE POSE
Why? Balance and isolation
How to practice:
Come to a standing position with your feet together.
Gaze forward to find a focal point to help you balance and lift one leg up off the ground, grabbing ahold of the knee. Root down through all 4 corners of your standing leg foot to find balance.
Then, grab ahold of the ankle of the lifted leg with the same side hand. Flex the foot, and bring the sole of the foot as high as possible on the standing leg's inner thigh. With your toes facing down, press the foot into the thigh to create a lock.
Bring your hands to your heart and for an extra challenge, reach your arms up for the fullest extension of the pose.
Arm Movement Advancement: let's dance it! Once in tree pose, inhale whatever hand is on the same side of the supporting leg, up above the head; imagine the hand moving from the side of the body and drawing a 180-degree half circle towards the sky. Next, exhale the opposite hand through the center, drawing a straight line from the belly button to the sky. Engage the core, inhale, and find length in the supporting leg's hip flexor. Finally, exhale out of the tree pose the way you entered: turn your knee towards the center, then set your foot down.
How Many? Once, each side
ANJANEYASANA / CRESCENT LUNGE
Why? Hip and groin stabilizer
How to practice:
Come into a runner’s lunge. One leg back, one leg forward with your fingertips underneath your shoulders on the mat. Make sure your feet are hips-width distance, and your front leg shin is in a straight line over the top of the foot. The back leg knee is lifted off the ground with the ball of the foot stacked underneath the heel.
Put a bend in your back left knee, place your hands on your front leg knee and press your torso up over your pelvis. From here, lift your lower belly and draw your ribs in. Begin straightening your back leg by pressing the heel back and lifting the inner thigh.
Stretch your arms up towards the sky. As you inhale, lengthen to the sides of your waist and lift your back ribs. As you exhale, draw your front ribs down and in.
For an extra challenge, bring your palms to touch and gaze up towards your hands.
How Many? 3-5 breath cycles on each side
BROKEN WING POSE
Why? Hip & low thoracic stretch
How to practice:
Lie on your stomach and establish a T formation with the arms.
Keeping the right hand extended, bring the left hand to the outside of your heart chakra/chest cavity. Bend the left knee, heel to booty, and gently push into the left hand. This will lift the left side of your body but keep the head connected to the yoga mat.
The goal is to take the left foot to the right side of your body. Breathe. Inhale back to center, and repeat on the other side.
Keeping the left hand extended, bright the right hand to the outside of your heart chakra/chest cavity. Bend the right knee, heel to booty, and gently push into the right hand. This will lift the right side of your body, but keep the head connected to the yoga mat. The goal is to take the right foot to the left side of your body. Breathe. Inhale back to center.
How Many? 3-5 breath cycles.
GOMUKHASANA / COW FACE POSE
Why? Stretching shoulder internal & external rotation
How to practice:
From a seated position, bring the bottom leg heel to the outside of the opposite hip. Use your hand to pull the other heel in so you can stack your knees. Make sure both glutes are on the ground and sit up tall.
Reach one arm up, and tap the middle of your shoulder blades as you bend at the elbow. Use the opposite hand to pull the elbow behind your head.
Take the free arm to the side, and turn the thumb down to rotate the arm internally. Bring that hand behind you hooking what you can — preferably the fingers, but you can also use a strap or towel.
Lift your heart high, drawing the back elbow and top elbow up, then fold down over your legs.
How Many? 5-15 breath cycles
HAPPY BABY
Why? Spine Alignment, Hip Opener, & Balances Root Chakra
How to practice:
Lying in Savasana, hug your knees to your chest. Support the head with a pillow, yoga block, or blanket to align the crown of the head to the top of your spine; the chin should be pointed directly at the sky.
When ready, wrap your index and middle fingers around the big toes and open the legs as far as you like. Add pillows on each side of your body for further comfort, allowing your legs to have support.
If toes are unreachable at this time, hold the shins to open the legs.
How Many? 2 Minutes