Nadia Carriere

What Are Moon Days & Are They Just For Ashtangis?

If you’re familiar with Ashtanga, you’ve probably heard of the famed Moon Days, or rest days. In a traditional Ashtanga Yoga practice, you practice every day, taking one day off for rest, which is usually a Saturday or Sunday depending on the practitioner. They also refrain from practicing on a full moon or new moon.

But why is that? And if the reasons are beyond that of tradition, perhaps they would pertain to Vinyasa or other yoga practitioners. I did some research and found the reasons to be quite interesting, so, I made a vlog on the topic as it’s a conversation I’m interested in opening up to the yoga community.

Thoughts on the reasons as to why you shouldn’t practice on moon days and whether yogis from other lineages should think about doing the same, or perhaps just experiment with listening to their bodies during that time.

What about you? What are your thoughts?

/146 Comments/by
Nadia Carriere

We Don’t Need Permission

I’m tired.

I’ve exhausted myself in ways that are so incredibly foolish. Almost willingly dousing my flame over and over again, alongside others do the same. Friends, family, the woman in the plane seat next to me.

We block our own creativity to serve another. Taking off our crowns in order to polish someone else’s and then envy those who do the opposite, accepting and honouring their place in this world.

“How dare she take up the space that is rightfully hers, when I choose not to.”

There is space for EVERY ONE of us. Every crown. Every set of wings.

“But I’m not an artist, writer, singer, painter, (fill in the blank).” If you write, you’re a writer. If you create, you’re an artist. They require action and a leap of faith in yourself.

We have this false need for permission to do anything and everything. Placing excuses on our dreams and never taking action since we aren’t worthy. Hoping that maybe one day someone will grant us the permission we so desperately seek, yet ultimately we are the only ones that hold the key to that box.

I loath the word permission with everything I have. You want to take the dream trip you can afford but can’t “justify” because of your worth, so you spend the money on things that don’t honour your higher good. Your body is craving a day off but you trudge ahead with pride in the name of strength, ignoring your intuition and self respect, because you choose not to. No one gave you permission to do any of it, so you don’t. Instead you abuse yourself with a smile on your face.

Our intuition is warped, while healthy fear and doubt have been silenced. We doubt ourselves instantly, and never others, because the truth whispers and lies shout. Our nerves debilitate our ability to make decisions, and we fear all the things that help us grow.

Yet we pour all of our faith into anyone and everyone else, searching desperately for a stamp of approval for our thoughts and visions if we even dare speak them out loud. Allowing them to be crushed when someone tells us it’s not doable, or making every excuse to convince ourselves it’s impossible.

I dream of a world where women aren’t afraid to speak, act, and share their truths. Looking left and right for permission. Searching for authorization and a stamp of approval. I pray for the day when we can live authentically and honestly without fear or hesitation. When we can listen to our intuitions and create from our souls instead of piecing the whispers from others into a smorgasbord we think we want.

Can you imagine the magic and healing on this planet if we were to all live our truth without doubt or hesitation?

What could you do if all that was peeled away?

I dare you to try.

/119 Comments/by