Scorpio New Moon Asana

Dragon Lunge, Yin Yoga style

Halfway through the current season, we can now truly embody it. It’s the ideal moment to contemplate what this season means to us. It’s autumn in the North, spring in the South. How do we honor this, feel into it, enjoy it, struggle with it, be in it?

Water sign Scorpio takes us to emotionally deep places.  We’re often afraid to look so deeply, but that’s what Scorpio asks. It reminds me of the deep ocean, and how scientists are discovering now that there might actually be MORE life in the deepest parts of the ocean than there is anywhere else. This, to me, describes Scorpio’s emotional layers.

In the body, the Scorpio region is our sacral center, the organs housed in our pelvic region. Scorpio rules our sacrum (base of our spine) and our reproductive and excretory organs.  The Scorpio New Moon is an auspicious time to bring this area of the body into your awareness.

The pose I am suggesting for this moment is Dragon Lunge. You’ll want a blanket or pillows to place under your knee, and maybe some blocks for under your hands.

Begin from Table pose, on hands and knees. Step your left foot out to the left and then wiggle the foot up between your hands so that you are framing your left foot with your arms, more or less. This is where props under the hands and support under the back right knee might feel good.

Take a few moments to explore the proper alignment for your body within this low lunge. Is the lunge too deep, or just right? Make sure there is no pain in your knees or in the tissues surrounding the pelvis. Rock a little bit in and out of the lunge to discover your middle ground and still point area to hold/meditate in the shape.

You want to find stability in your hips and structure, while remaining pretty gentle and soft in how you are holding yourself. This is the heart of Yin Yoga: to relinquish control and rigid, engaged action in the shape.  You want to find fluidity in your breath and perspective while listening IN through the shape.

Once you find that sensation where you feel you can hold the shape for 2-5 minutes…then relax your face, maybe close your eyes, and focus on intentional breathing. Your breath will be your main point of reference for staying with yourself and whatever comes through your emotional currents while holding this shape.

After the hold, return your left leg to Table.  Let yourself shake it all out in a preferred pose like cat/cow, child’s pose, down dog.

Then set up the opposite side low lunge for the same amount of time.

Here’s to acknowledging our depth, and embracing the beauty of all that we hold inside.