Harvesting Moonlight

There is a quality and nourishment from moonlight that is vital to our human souls.  After the rare event of two cloudless full moons in a row (not typical in a Pacific Northwest fall) that were just astonishing, I have been inspired to write about the way in which we can more consciously bring moonlight into our lives as a form of nourishment.

This idea of deriving nourishment from light of various kinds dates back to the ascetic practices of Daoist Immortals, yogis and yoginis, and medicine people from around the world.  From the Asian medical perspective, the Moon is another source of Qi or Prana, a vital energy that we can ingest.  While we indirectly ingest moonlight and sunlight through their transformed forms in the food we eat, there are also traditions of going directly to the source and supplementing our own vital energy from the Sun or Moon.

The Moon has particular qualities that we might find specifically nourishing.  The moon is considered Yin, cooling, sattvic, soma-like.  While the full moon is actually the most Yang aspect of the moon's cycle (the new or dark moon is the most yin), it is still considered to have potent Yin qualities.  These yin qualities are particularly valuable in our overstimulating, mentally erratic times.

Simply tracking the moon's cycles and watching your own ebb and flow of energy can be a valuable exercise for most people.  Many of my students and patients have been astonished to find how dramatically their energy shifts during the course of one moon cycle.  Most folks find that there is a peak of their energy during the full moon with it being harder to sleep and having vivid dreams.  Creativity also tends to be high.  The lull of energy is often greatest at the time right around the new moon, with more a of a desire for introspection, sleep, rest, and inactivity.  From new moon to full moon (waxing) energy seems to increase , and from full moon to new moon (waning) energy seems to decrease.

How does one get in touch with these cycles and harvest the energy from this luminous orb that watches over us?  Here are a few suggestions:

1) Keep track of the moon's cycle-especially through directly observing during the night and day (yes, the moon is sometimes out during the day!)

2) Near the full moon, spend time outside under its light and feel it bathe your skin with its light (this is a form of passive moonlight harvesting).

3) Gaze at the Moon-this is an ancient practice from both China and Tibet.  Gazing at a full moon for extended periods of time with your eyes relaxed and body relaxed is a way to expand consciousness and nourish yourself with its light.

4) Swallowing Moonlight- In this practice you gently raise your hands as if reaching out to gather up the full moon, then you bring them towards your face, and then down the front of your body to the level of the navel.  As your hands are coming from the moon towards your body you are inhaling and as they sink down the front of the body you are exhaling.  As you exhale, make an audible swallowing sound.  Repeat this 3-18 times and on the last repetition finish with your hands resting on your navel, palm over palm.   Visualize the moon in your belly, illuminating you from within.

These four practices are an excellent foundation for developing a relationship with the moon's energies.  In the future, we will discuss moon dream practices, moon meditations, and other moon qi ingesting practices.

Enjoy the Moon!