10 Min Gentle Yoga // New Moon Practice

Yoga on this New Moon

I am beginning this new moon cycle with a gentle yet deep, beginner friendly yoga session. In this video, I share my story about entering new phases of darkness, my experience with setting intentions in yoga, and how revolutionary our existence really is. I explain how the New Moon phase connects us to this formative art of intention setting.

Dedicate 10-15 minutes to this yoga session.

Areas of the body that will benefit:

Thoracic – upper back, shoulders, and chest
Lumbar – lower back and buttocks
Hips – flexors and extensors
Legs – knees, ankles, and feet

And now,

New Moon Yoga Begins.

I invite you to set intentions.

Seated Position

watch the video to follow along

Roll your shoulders into your back a few times, establishing a rhythm with your breath.

Silently count, one- two- three- four, as you inhale, and one- two- three- four, as you exhale.

Count slowly enough so your breath moves deeply through your body, but not so slow that you feel short of breath. Feel the fullness of breath.

Does your inhale feel equal to your exhale?

Cat’s Breath

Now, re-position onto all fours.

Cat’s Breath is similar to the popular “Cat Cow” but we reverse the breath pattern to inhale as we round our back, and exhale as we extend open.

This serves to energize the core and back body.

Can you feel your inhale filling the back spaces of your lungs?Do you feel continuity through your spine as you exhale?

Forward Fold

From all fours, step your feet towards your hands and relax your back into a gentle forward fold.

Bend your knees slightly and clasp your hands to opposite elbows.

Hanging out in rag doll, sway your trunk side to side.

Do you feel stable yet relaxed in this movement?

Lunar Vinyasa

*Place your hands next to your feet and lunge one foot back.

Keeping the toes tucked, lower your back knee.

Shift your hips towards your front ankle.

Lift your arms forward and up.

Maintain an anchor of stability through your feet.

Lowering your hands, lengthen your exhale.

Step both feet to your hands and deepen your inhale.

Lunge your opposite foot back.

Keep the toes tucked and lower your back knee.

Shift your hips towards your front ankle, exhaling.

Lift your arms forwards and up, inhaling.

Return your hands to the mat.

Step your feet to your hands.

Follow along with Lunar Vinyasa once again, starting with the opposite foot this time*