natural cycles

The sages of ancient India acknowledged the value of living in harmony with the rhythms of nature. They understood that when our actions are aligned with rest of the natural world, we experience auspiciousness — the energy of our actions is blessed by the energies of nature.

In determining the most auspicious times for a given activity, the relationship between the sun and moon is considered crucial, since these are the major "lights" in our sky, the two astral bodies most visible from the Earth. The Indian sages have created guidelines to help people align their activities with the phases of the moon and with lunar and solar eclipses.

In the Indian tradition, this guidance is often used when planning travel, weddings, major purchases, and other significant events.

For basic information on how to harmonize your activities with natural cycles, please see the links to the left. Rather than a set of rules, you can view this information as one resource in your decision-making process to determine the timing that will work best for you.

Full Moon

The luminous fullness of the moon represents plenitude, abundance, and generous blessings. Therefore, the day of the full moon is considered a very auspicious time to initiate and to accomplish significant activities. The only full moon day considered an exception to this guideline is Holi Purnima (the full moon after Mahashivaratri) and the day following. These days are traditionally avoided for new beginnings.

New Moon

The new moon is a time in the lunar month when the mind is especially quiet. It is therefore considered beneficial to dedicate additional time to meditation and chanting on this day as well as on the days before and after. Mahashivaratri is a Siddha Yoga holiday which falls on the new moon, and is traditionally a time for siddhayogis to chant the mantra.

The time of the new moon is not generally favorable for celebrations, significant activities, or new beginnings. The exception to this is the celebration of Indian New Year's Day, which occurs around the new moon.

Waxing Moon

For initiating significant activities, the bright half of the month, when the moon is waxing or increasing in light, is preferred to the dark half of the month, when the moon is waning. The increase of luminosity until the moon reaches fullness is traditionally equated with a strengthening of the forces that promote growth and prosperity.

siddha yoga