Ayurveda & Yoga for the Solar Eclipse and New Moon
What does Ayurveda recommend for a solar eclipse?
If you haven't heard, there's a complete solar eclipse visible in a large part of North America this Monday, April 8th.
While many people will be taking a pause from their day to view the eclipse, Ayurveda suggests we stay in and use this energy mindfully to encourage balance in the body, mind, and spirit.
On a literal level, Ayurveda suggests to stay inside (if possible) during a solar eclipse. On a figurative level, Ayurveda suggests we journey within the self, stoking the fire of our spiritual practices. It's the perfect time to slow down and deeply listen to what you want the most in life and the step you need to take to get there.
How to bask mindfully in the solar eclipse energy
Interestingly enough, this solar eclipse also happens to fall on the new moon, the part of the moon cycle where the dark side of the moon is facing us.
The solar eclipse will happen in the afternoon, when the sunlight is typically the strongest during the day. The eclipse, along with the new moon, will obscure the light - creating a vast darkness.
According to Ayurveda, due to the darkness during new moons and solar eclipses, our Agni, or digestion, is weaker. The sun, Surya in Sanskrit, helps to stoke the fire of Agni - the fire of our digestion. To balance out the weaker digestion during this time, it’s suggested to eat lightly or fast 12 hours prior to the eclipse.
Check out the recipe below for stewed apples - a perfectly light meal that is balancing for all doshas and seasons of the year.
Beyond eating lightly or fasting, move your body gently. Gentle seated twists of the spine light up the solar plexus chakra, manipura chakra, at the center of the navel. This chakra is also related to Agni, our digestion. Gentle twists will help to get the digestion moving despite the darkness during the eclipse.
Ayurveda also suggests mantra meditation during the solar eclipse. A simple mantra that you can slowly count on each finger from index to little finger is:
SA, TA, NA, MA.
SA - refers to that which is infinite.
TA - refers to birth, life.
NA - refers to death, transformation.
MA - refers to rebirth, renewal.
Repeat as many times as you'd like out loud and to your self throughout the day.
This new moon and solar eclipse is a time to meditate on what's ending in your life, and what is beginning. Where in the cycle are you in this moment? Where in the cycle are we as a collective in this moment? Every moment is an opportunity to reflect and begin again - and these cycles in nature remind us of this.
No matter what you do during this time, the most important thing to remember is to slow down. This solar eclipse is not a time to move swiftly or make big decisions in your external, material life. It is a time of deep thought and contemplation.
Stewed Apples Recipe
According to Ayurveda, stewed apples are the perfect pre-breakfast food to stoke the fire of Agni, or to encourage a healthy digestion. Along with warming spices, this light tridoshic recipe is great year round - and especially during seasonal transitions.
Ingredients - 1 serving
1 or 2 apples (sweeter varieties)
a dash or two of cinnamon
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods
optional: ghee
Instructions
Wash, peel, core, and cube the apples.
Cover the apples with water in a pan.
Place on medium heat on stove.
Once boiling, turn down to a simmer.
Add spices and simmer until apples are soft, almost translucent.
Drain the “apple juice” - option to keep and drink the juice with those magnificent spices.
Take out the cloves and cardamom pods.
Place the apples in a bowl, option to add ghee on top.
Chew each bite mindfully to start the digestive processes.
Want to learn more Ayurveda & Yoga lifestyle tips for the season?
Join me for a Spring Refresh: Ayurveda & Yoga workshop on Saturday, April 27th at The Bhakti Center in the East Village.
More details:
Clear out the cobwebs in the body and mind with ancient Ayurveda and Yoga practices to welcome spring!
As the season sporadically shifts from winter to spring in the northeast, we can often feel sluggish and heavy (physically, emotionally, mentally) – mirroring the damp, dense weather outside. It’s not uncommon to feel stagnant or unmotivated with the rebirth of spring.
According to Ayurveda, this seasonal transition is governed by Kapha dosha – the elements of earth + water. Through specific Yoga and Ayurvedic practices, we can balance the Kapha that exists within each of us to invoke stability, strength and inspiration. This workshop is like spring cleaning for your body, mind, and spirit.
After a brief discussion on Ayurveda and the 3 doshas, we’ll practice a 90-minute Yoga master class tailored to uplift and energize. Wear something you can move, sweat, and breathe comfortably in.
Following our Kapha Yoga class, we will discuss what an Abhyanga, self-massage, practice is and how to best practice at home. You will mix your own Abhyanga oil specifically for balancing Kapha dosha.
Join me to gain some supportive self-love tools to elevate and revitalize your spirit during this seasonal transition into spring.