Moon & Sun Yoga
Need to rev up or chill out? Use Shiva Rea's moving meditations to rebalance your energy in minutes.
By Linda Shelton
Photography By Mark Hanauer
Photography By Mark Hanauer
To understand the essence of yoga, start with a simple lesson in Sanskrit. The term hatha yoga, which refers to the physical practice, breaks down like this: Ha means "sun," tha signifies "moon," and yoga roughly translates as "yoking" or "union." In its own words, hatha yoga is about harnessing the warming energy of the sun and the cooling essence of the moon--and striking the appropriate balance between them.
We all require both kinds of energy in our lives--not just on the yoga mat--and we cycle from one to the other throughout the day. How do you feel right now? Active and excited? That's solar power, and it's just what you need to make it through a major presentation at work or a sweaty workout. If you're feeling peaceful and receptive, lunar energy is in charge, which is great if you're sitting down to meditate or getting ready for bed. Without the sun's energies, we'd never get anything done; without moon power, there'd be no rest for the weary.
You can draw on yogic techniques to rebalance your energy whenever you feel you could use a little pepping up or calming down. And you don't have to go through an hour-long class to do it. Instead, try these two easy moves from Shiva Rea, one of the world's foremost yoga teachers and creator of the Yoga Shakti DVD.
These exercises are known as kriyas, or "ritual actions," she explains, and they unite movement and breath to alter energetic states quickly and effectively. "Kriyas are simple, nonstructured fluid movements that can shift your internal rhythm and move you toward a more meditative state," she says. "They do offer physical benefits, but you do them for the energetic effects; they're activating, but they're not so physically demanding that you lose the meditative aspect of your practice."
Use the sun-oriented Ha Kriya as a literal warm-up and to transform sluggishness into energy. The Tha Kriya is nourishing and relaxing--perfect for when you want to cool down on a hot day or to calm down at any time. You can do one or both kriyas according to your needs at any given moment; you can also work them into your regular yoga routine.
Read more Mind & Body articles.
We all require both kinds of energy in our lives--not just on the yoga mat--and we cycle from one to the other throughout the day. How do you feel right now? Active and excited? That's solar power, and it's just what you need to make it through a major presentation at work or a sweaty workout. If you're feeling peaceful and receptive, lunar energy is in charge, which is great if you're sitting down to meditate or getting ready for bed. Without the sun's energies, we'd never get anything done; without moon power, there'd be no rest for the weary.
You can draw on yogic techniques to rebalance your energy whenever you feel you could use a little pepping up or calming down. And you don't have to go through an hour-long class to do it. Instead, try these two easy moves from Shiva Rea, one of the world's foremost yoga teachers and creator of the Yoga Shakti DVD.
These exercises are known as kriyas, or "ritual actions," she explains, and they unite movement and breath to alter energetic states quickly and effectively. "Kriyas are simple, nonstructured fluid movements that can shift your internal rhythm and move you toward a more meditative state," she says. "They do offer physical benefits, but you do them for the energetic effects; they're activating, but they're not so physically demanding that you lose the meditative aspect of your practice."
Use the sun-oriented Ha Kriya as a literal warm-up and to transform sluggishness into energy. The Tha Kriya is nourishing and relaxing--perfect for when you want to cool down on a hot day or to calm down at any time. You can do one or both kriyas according to your needs at any given moment; you can also work them into your regular yoga routine.
Read more Mind & Body articles.