New meditation practice on the Quad offers students a way to relax into the school year. PHOTO CREDIT: James Singer
When I first saw Full Moon Meditation on the list of University of Rhode Island O-Week events, I was intrigued. As a certified yoga instructor, I teach and practice meditation on a daily basis, but have not once heard of “Full Moon Meditation.” My inner yogi was curious and fascinated by this event, so, of course, I signed up.
Let me just say, the class was so much more than I expected it to be. In my head, I thought full moon meditation meant sitting in the dark in the freezing cold, staring at the full moon. Sounds silly, right? But it was actually the complete opposite. Meditating under the moon and stars actually helped me focus better and allowed me to fall into a complete state of relaxation.
First off, walking to and actually finding the class was definitely a struggle. Because it was so dark, I couldn’t see or hear anyone, so my first thought was that the class was canceled. However, I was determined to experience my first full moon meditation, so I kept walking and eventually saw a large group of people sitting in the center of the quad. Relieved that I made it there, I rolled out my yoga mat, sat down and waited for the class to begin.
Jošquin Malone, a senior at the University of Rhode Island and meditation instructor for URI Campus Recreation, started the class with an alternate nostril breathing exercise. This exercise is also known as nadi shodhana pranayama in Sanskrit, and is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, relax the mind and body, boost concentration and help prepare for meditation. After practicing this exercise for five minutes, Malone instructed us to get into a comfortable position, either sitting up or laying down on our mats.
To get the full experience, I practiced meditation in both postures.
I spent the first half of the class laying down on my mat, gazing at the stars and focusing on clearing my mind. I was truly amazed by the beautiful sky that I was staring at, and how much it helped me become aware of my thoughts and meditation practice. After about 20 minutes, I transitioned into a seated position and closed my eyes, occasionally fluttering them open to find the full moon, which to my disappointment was covered by the trees. Eventually, we all came into a seated position as Malone guided us through a deep breathing exercise to end the class.
So, what makes full moon meditation better than regular meditation?
“There is this general idea within meditation and Pagan communities that the full moon is this divine feminine energy that you are inviting into your body,” Malone said, “It allows you to be in touch with your emotions and who you are as a person, as well as heal from trauma.”
Malone added that the full moon provides him with routine, because if he ever falls out of his meditation routine, he can restart it with the next full moon and go outside, listen to nature and admire the moon.
“I really love looking at the stars; it reminds me that a lot of my issues are very insignificant and small, and that kind of calms me,” Malone said.
Personally, I enjoyed practicing full moon meditation. As a certified yoga instructor, I always prefer to teach my yoga and meditation classes outdoors so that my students are able to connect with nature and the environment around them. Being in an outdoor setting, listening to the crickets chirping, looking at the starry sky illuminated by the full moon and feeling the cool breeze all helped me meditate better.
One thing I thought could make the class better was if it started at a later time. The full moon wasn’t visible at any point throughout the class because it was hidden behind the trees. Thus, if the class had started just a half an hour later, we would have been able to better utilize the full moon in our meditation practice.
Full Moon Meditation on the Quad will take place on every full moon. Bring a yoga mat, jacket and mindfulness for a relaxing meditation class under the moon and stars!