Greetings! I’m your local Onion Knight, Sasha, and today I want to present to you a movement meditation on the occasion of February’s new moon.
First let me start by saying that I love the new moon. Truthfully, I love all of the phases of the moon, but the new moon holds a special place in my heart. It is a symbol of darkness, of receptivity, and of new beginnings. It is the embodiment of Yin in our night sky, and it calls upon us to listen rather than speak, to observe rather than act, and to rest rather than push ourselves forward.
That being said, Yin does not necessarily mean passivity. While our minds may first jump to visions of peaceful monks sitting cross-legged in a monastery meditating, that is only one aspect of Yin energy. Sometimes, things which can seem to be outwardly Yang can, in fact, be inwardly Yin. In fact, that’s kind of the point – all things contain both Yin and Yang, the only difference is one’s perspective.
For today’s meditation, we are going to be embracing a more active side of Yin. Each of us possesses within us an internal rhythm. Now, I have had many people tell me over the years, “Sasha, I have no rhythm! That’s why I’m terrible at music/dance/sports/etc.” But the truth is that these people do have rhythm, they just don’t know how to tap into it. Often they try to force themselves to match the rhythm of others. They watch and try to mimic their movements, or they listen intently and try to match the beat of the music they are trying to emulate. All of this active effort (Yang) is what ultimately holds them back. Through learning to let go and allow your body to do what it wants to do, you might be surprised at how easy it is to follow along with a dance or a piece of music.
We will begin our meditation by relaxing our body and mind. Find a comfortable position and begin breathing. Don’t try to force yourself to breathe deeper than normal; just let your body do what it naturally wants to do. When you feel that you are in a receptive headspace, turn on your favorite playlist on whatever music app you regularly use. For the purposes of this meditation, upbeat songs work best, but the genre is not as important as the fact that you enjoy it. Listen to your music for a bit and allow it to penetrate you. Feel the music from within your body and notice any urges you may have to move. Once you notice that your body wants to move, allow it to do so. Music has a way of touching our subconscious mind, and this can often translate as a kinesthetic impulse. Feel free to get up and move with the rhythm of the music. Allow your body to do what it wants to do, and don’t hold back. Allow your conscious mind to move into the background and let the music take control, let the rhythm move you!
For a more advanced version of this meditation, try using music that is out of your wheelhouse. Perhaps a genre that you are less familiar with, or perhaps ambient sounds or chanting. Try moving to mantra singing or Gregorian chants. Experiment with different stimuli and observe how they affect your movement. When you finally get the hang of this meditation, feel free to let your body take over even if there’s not any music to dance to. I often like to break out into little dances with little more stimulus than a passing song in my head or even the hum of the refrigerator or the singing of birds. The more connected you are with your body, the better you will feel, and the more comfortable you will be embracing your Yin energies.