Taking Breaks and Saying No- The Waning Moon Phase is The One We Need The Most
Living Your Purpose
Not a single one of us, was put on this Earth to work. No, we all have a purpose, and sometimes we have to put in work towards that purpose- but the purpose is the point, not the work.
In our modern-day society, it really seems like we have it backward, and we have for a long time. Some form of work is always inevitable, but life is so much more than that, and we need to keep saying it and normalizing this fact. The current way things stand, it is INCREDIBLY rare to find someone in a job who doesn’t understand “burnout” and “lack of work/life balance.” It unites us in a way, which also means we are strong enough to conquer it.
This week I want to talk about this topic in depth, as it is very personal and important for me, as it reflects some of the biggest difficulties that I have personally experienced in my life and the development of my career. I also see people I am close to dealing with the challenges of navigating this truth and so I wish to help people understand that they are more than what they put out.
The Waning Moon asks us to Rest
As we come off a very energetic Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse, it’s time to move slowly into our recess. What better time to talk about our own personal phases and how we can better honor them?
The waning phase of the moon is when the moon begins to shrink in the sky after being fully illuminated. It is possibly the most overlooked phase, especially in how it relates to our lives and energy. The Full Moon is exciting! It’s high energy, it’s motivated, it’s driven. The waning moon, which immediately follows this phase, is about starting to slow down. It asks us to look at where we’ve been and possibly begin to let go of what hasn’t served us in the past. And you might hear this all of the time, but the question is, are you embodying it?
I can speak from personal experience in that I would often tell myself I was taking a step back, only to be right back into high-energy mode the next day….if not later that day!
Resting was a complete joke, and even now, when I have my days off, I have to seriously face the nagging feelings of “you should be being more productive.” It’s a challenge, but it gets easier each time. On the days when I wouldn't rest at all, I was constantly getting sick, injuring myself, and having complete mental breakdowns and panic attacks. In fact, the first time I ever had a panic attack was during this time, and I went to the hospital thinking I was actually having a heart attack. This experience, by the way, was probably what pushed me over the edge and finally got me to quit working for other people.
There’s a quote and I am not sure who said it, but it’s something along the lines of “Build your own dreams or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” And I have worked VERY hard for OTHER people’s dreams in the past. And while I will say there is nothing wrong with working for someone else if you like your job, but especially in the corporate world, workers are taken advantage of. We are pushed and pushed under the guise of “paying our dues” or “having a good work ethic.” I worked for a yoga studio for a while that completely gaslit their teachers into long hours in a 100-degree room for low pay because if they did, they could become a “higher level teacher” or maybe “manage a location” one day. If only we would show our “dedication and commitment.” If you’re hearing this right now, I encourage you to embrace this Waning Moon.
Normalize “NO”
It took me YEARS to learn how to say NO, and to actually cut the things out of my life that were making me miserable and holding me back. The Waning Moon is about shedding and letting go. Let this phase bring you confidence in creating boundaries in your work and your life. Oh my god, the guilt trip that I used to experience if someone wanted me to cover a shift or work a double shift. It was never a good enough excuse to just say “You know what it’s my day off, I can’t." Or “I’m just tired and I really don’t want to come in today.” You know the feeling I’m sure. I remember when I started saying no, it was also met with such judgment. I got treated like I had no work ethic, no commitment, no motivation- simply because I didn’t want to work more than I already was. Oh, the gaslighting.
Make no mistake though, you are not your job and you are not a workhorse, and you are certainly not obligated to give anyone any more of your energy than you want to.
Life in Balance
The LUNAR PHASES mirror our own phases. Two of the four phases are high-energy and output-oriented (Waxing and Full). The other two are the opposite (Waning and New). I wonder how many people can genuinely say they spend half of their time resting and slowing down. Even now with all yoga has taught me, I still can’t claim that.
I love the phases of the moon because they do help me constantly remind myself to look at where I need balance. Of course, I am not always successful and neither will you be, most likely. We must try though. Because at the rate many of us are going, burnout will continue to be at an all-time high, and it’s not just people in passion-based businesses. Every day we are asked to put more and more things on our plates, giving us less and less time to recharge our batteries. More often are we compared to the other people on the internet who seem as though they are always doing more than us.
Yoga Tips For Pulling Back Your Energy
For the next week or so, the moon will be waning. Let this phase guide you and give you permission to slow down, take the much-needed rest you LIKELY need, and refill your own cup. Here are five ways you can adjust your yoga practice to help connect with this phase and energy.
Yin or Restorative Yoga- These slow-moving styles of asana are sure to challenge you to be still. If you’re anything like me, this might even be more challenging than attempting a physically demanding pose. When you’re still, you have nowhere to run. You can not distract yourself from your own thoughts and feelings. You must face yourself in these moments, which is critical work we NEED TO BE DOING in order to grow into our true selves and our most peaceful and balanced selves. Try this relaxing class.
Pranayama- Breath is a powerful tool for flushing out excess energy. During the waning moon, we want to work on letting go of the excess, the things that do not serve us. Try things like Dirga Breath or even Kapalabhati Breath to bring any stuck emotion or tension to the surface and expel it.
Journaling- I really encourage free writing during this phase. Put the pen to paper and just write whatever is on your mind and whatever feels like it needs to come out. This is a way to expel unwanted energy, thoughts, or emotions, but it also brings those that might be stuck to the foreground. Free writing without using prompts or without any intention is a powerful way to get a look inside what is going on deeper within. It’s not easy at first, but just write literally everything that is coming to your mind as it comes.
Cleaning- You might be saying, uh how is this a yoga practice? Well, first of all, yoga permeates everything we do in our lives and yoga can be anything that you are bringing mindful awareness to. But also there’s a concept in yoga known as Sauca, which means purification. This concept falls under the category of The Niyamas, which are all about our behaviors as yogis. Purification and taking the time to cleanse not only ourselves, but our spaces, gives us the opportunity to get rid of old stagnant energy, brush off the dust, and make space for what’s to come. You can practice Sauca by taking perhaps a Waning Moon Ritual Bath or intentionally setting aside time to tidy your yoga space, clean your mat with essential oils, or really clean anything in your house. The importance here is intention and mindfulness. Ayurvedic practices like dry brushing are also great at this time.
Vata Phase- In Ayurveda, the Waning Moon phase is thought to be when we move into our Vata phase. For those who don’t know much about Ayurveda, Vata would be when our constitution is moving more with the Air and Ether elements. These elements have the qualities of being cool, flexible, unpredictable, and subtle. It can be a great way to balance that out by doing things that create warmth, stability, and predictability. Allowing yourself time to maybe get a massage, cuddle up with a good book, or create a new ritual out of a routine can help balance out the more blustery elements that come along with the Waning Moon. After all, we are constantly seeking BALANCE.
I encourage you to try not one, but all of these over the coming 7-10 days leading up to the New Moon (which by the way is also a resting phase.) Refill your cup. Recharge your batteries. Work can be powerful and impactful, but there’s more to life. Happy Waning Moon, and happy rest :)