Lacking Motivation? Try these Yoga Practices to Give You A Boost
It’s time to talk about our last moon phase of the last month. The WAXING MOON.
Much like the Full Moon phase, the Waxing Phase brings us higher energy and guides us to take aligned action toward our goals. If you’re feeling lacking in motivation, we can take a cue from this phase to inform our yoga practice both on and off the mat to give us a boost of inspiration!
The Waxing Moon in Yoga
The Waxing Moon phase is associated with springtime as well as the birth phase of life. As the moon grows brighter in the sky, we are encouraged to put things into motion that will help us achieve the growth and expansion that we wish to manifest in our lives. Where the New Moon was about creating a plan, the waxing is about the execution of that plan.
If we align the way we practice yoga with this moon phase, it means we should try higher-energy physical practices- building the strength in our bodies and the will of our minds. What happens on the mat in our practice can be a direct reflection and representation of life off of the mat. If we can build energy on the mat, we hopefully experience an increase in how powerful, confident, and active we feel off of the mat.
On The Mat Waxing Moon Yoga Practices
Vinyasa or Hatha Yoga. These styles build endurance and strength in the physical body. When our body feels strong, the mind feels strong. When the mind feels strong, we feel motivated and willing to take action. The caveat here is, don’t push yourself past your limits. If you OVER exert- you may end up feeling frustrated and weak rather than confident and strong. Big standing poses are great to build energy…but never push past your limits! Try this Waxing Moon Yoga For Motivation class I just came out with!
Kapalabhati Pranayama, or Fire Breath. This is one of the strongest breath practices I use in my life. It helps to build fire and heat in the body as well as confidence and focus in the mind. During the Waxing Moon, I try to start my morning with a few minutes of Kapalabhati breath. Learn how to do this breath here!
Ujjayi, or Ocean Breath. Another powerful breath practice that can be coupled with Vinyasa and Hatha yoga styles of practice. This breath, when executed correctly, can sound like powerful ocean waves rolling across the beach. It helps bring about a stable and focused mind as well as a powerful energy for fueling your intentions. Learn this breath practice here.
Arm Balance and Inversions. These types of poses can be great if you do them with intention. Do not try to practice an arm balance of inversion simply because it looks cool. That is a sure way to end up injured as well as frustrated. Instead, practice arm balances and inversions with the intention of curiosity, shifting perspective, and learning. Something like Bakasana, or Crow Pose can be great for creating focus and concentration as well as being present and aware of your body and breath. Regardless of whether or not you lift up all the way, if you go in with the right intention- you will cultivate the energy you need, rather than worrying about a perfect performance of the pose. This can relate to our lives closely too. We need to take action without worrying about if every little thing will be done perfectly or correctly! If we worry too much, we end up stuck and stagnant. So trying these poses can be a great exercise in letting go of perfection when trying to take action.
OFF THE MAT WAXING MOON PRACTICes
Remember, yoga isn’t just what you do on the mat. How can you take the lessons you learn out into your life? You’ve built some energy and some confidence already in your yoga practice on the mat, so what do we do with that energy? Here are some ideas of how to put the Waxing Moon into practice.
Create an action plan. What intentions did you set during the New Moon? Can you break that intention down into 3 major actions that need to happen? Once you do that, make a list of 3-5 to-dos for each action. Then, schedule them into your calendar. If creating an action plan is new to you, you can download my Free Moon Magick Workbook here and use the template provided!
2. Affirmations. This is an intentional way of creating change in a way that will serve us. Create statements that you can write down or repeat out loud, or even use during meditation as a way of actively shifting your mindset. Think about what has held you back in the past…let’s say fear of failure for example. Create an affirmation to shift your mindset away from that fear, for example: “I am brave and confident in the actions I take.” Choose 2-4 and work with them during the Waxing Moon phase.
3. Create growth around you. There are lots of ways to create a growth and expansion energy that might not even immediately pertain to your goals. For example, you might plant something new, or work in your garden. Perhaps you add a new ritual to your morning routine…(such as repeating your affirmations first thing in the morning :)) This phase is about growth and expansion- so cultivate that growth mindset and energy by adding something useful or feel good into your life!
Give these on and off-the-mat tips a try for the next 10-14 days of the Waxing Moon and see if you can’t muster up some of this confident and powerful energy toward your intentions!
If you want to work a little more with the Lunar Cycle in your yoga practice and in your life, check out my Moon Yoga Playlist on YouTube, and be sure to download the Moon Magick Workbook for FREE to help guide you along with the phases for manifesting your intentions! And for even more exclusive classes and content to help you build consistency in your practice and apply the holistic tools of yoga to your life- join the Yoga Magick Studio! Your virtual yoga community awaits!