Moon Days

[Guest guest]

I've seen the Moon Days chart on Betty's homepage.<br>Can anyone tell me what

the Moon Days have to do with Ashtanga Yoga ?

[Guest guest]

It is traditional to rest (not practice

yoga)<br>on the full moon and new moon days, as well as<br>on

every Saturday. With any physical discipline,<br>there

is the need to rest, as too much practice<br>can

break the body down and not allow time for it<br>to

build itself up. I think it is well-established <br>in

body-building, for instance, to rest one day a<br>week. The moon

days may just be a way to get in<br>just a bit more

rest or there may be more to it.<br>My teacher told us

that this has something to do<br>with energy levels,

which would be highest on the<br>full moons and lowest

on the new moons. (Either of <br>which could

theoretically cause an intense yoga<br>practice to be more

dangerous). There is also the<br>idea that this serves to

keep yogis in touch with<br>the sky. I don't pay any

attention to it myself<br>at this time (there are probably

a lot of things<br>in my life affecting my energy

level more than<br>the moon) and I doubt most studios

cancel yoga<br>classes on moon days. My teacher doesn't

cancel<br>classes on moon days but I think he observes this<br>in

his own practice.<br>Perhaps someone else can

elaborate.

[Guest guest]

When asked the question about moon days last

week, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois answered that one should not

practice on moon days because it will cause one to lose

knowledge ["losing knowledge!"]. I will add this

explanation to the Moon Days page soon--sorry for the delay!