The sun and moon have long been worshipped throughout all cultures, and even in the physical aspect of yoga we’re almost immediately connected to them with the practice of suryanamaskar (sun salutations). The sun and moon represent the masculine and feminine qualities that reside in all of us, and acknowledging their different energies can bring about a sense of alignment with day and night. In a modern world where our worship leans towards technology and our natural boundaries of night and day blur, reigniting a connection to the sun god Surya and moon deity Chandra can inspire us to discover our own natural rhythms and connect to the sacredness of nature once again.
Hello Sunshine
Many well known yogic mantras and hymns are dedicated to the sun, traditionally chanted at the beginning of each day to ask for protection and guidance, and as a reminder that light always overcomes darkness in life. The Gayatri mantra in particular is chanted at sunrise, invoking the mother goddess and Savitur, the sun god.
The Gayatri mantra: Mantra to the Savitur the sun God
Om Bhur Bhuva? Swa?
Tat-savitur Vareñya?
Bhargo Devasya Dh?mahi
Dhiyo Yona? Prachoday?t
Om the eternal, earth, air, heaven
That glory, that resplendence of the sun
May we contemplate the brilliance of that light
May the sun inspire our minds
(Translation by Douglas Brooks)
Physical practices like suryanamaskar (sun salutations) have been built around greeting the rising sun each day, and even pranayama practices like surya bhedana (sun activating breath) are used to ‘fire up’ digestion and connect to the power of the masculine side of ourselves. The sun has been so central to the yogi’s life that meal times essentially follow the path of the sun with the biggest meal eaten when the sun is highest in the sky and the inner sun or fire of the belly is strongest. Perhaps the most well known Hindu god of the sun is Surya, mentioned particularly in the Vedic texts as a deity of the rising sun and dispeller of darkness or ignorance. At each sunrise, traditions in parts of India including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha revere the sun and the god Surya, and at certain times of the year perform Surya Pooja, a special sun worship.
Perhaps the greatest gift of greeting the sun each morning is the opportunity to start the day in a powerful and positive way. Instead of reaching for the snooze button again or forgetting to look outside entirely, a moment or so spent with the morning light can help us reconnect to the outside world, and serve as a reminder of the sacredness of each day. A simple morning ritual to meet each day could include chanting the Gayatri mantra, a few rounds of suryanamaskar and a moment to set the day’s intention, imbuing the coming hours with purpose and a sense of alignment with nature.
Goodnight Moonlight
Chandra is the cool and calm deity of the moon, linked also to soma, which is said to be the amrit or ‘nectar’ of immortality and fertility. The word ‘Chandra’ translates as ‘moon’ in Sanskrit, and in ancient texts is said to hold the nectar of immortality, waning when the gods were drinking from it, and waxing when the cup was filled again. In Vedic astrology, the moon represents the subconscious mind, emotions, intuition, imagination, feelings and perceptions, and also links to the element of water. Perhaps the ancient yogis connected the moon to such states of mind because of the deeper states reached through sleep, diving deep into the oceans of the subconscious and experiencing the workings of imagination through dreams.
Moon worship has taken place throughout religions and traditions for as long as we know, especially regarding the moon’s cycle, tides of the sea, and the female menstrual cycle. As we tend to mark the calendar instead of watching the waning and waxing moon, its likely many of us are unaware of our synchronicity to the moon and our own cycle as women, and reconciling this relationship is one way we can reconnect with nature.
The Chandra Gayatri Mantra provides a way to connect to the energy of the moon come night time, and at a time in which our mental health requires the ability to mark the end of the working day and the beginning of the night, chanting this can work as a powerful way to draw boundaries between work and personal life.
The Chandra Gayatri Mantra: Moon God Mantra
Om Kshira puthraya Vidhmahe
Amrithathvaya Dheemahi
Tanno Chandra Prachodayat
Om let me meditate on the son of milk, (‘milk’ being seen as a connection to longevity and good health)
Oh, essence of nectar, give me higher intellect,
And let the moon illuminate my mind
Looking to the moon each night not only allows a moment of peace and contemplation, but the cyclical nature of the moon reminds us of the cyclical nature of life itself, and the fact that change is a natural and inherent part of us. As a way to calm the mind before sleep and to mark the end of each day, we could chant the Chandra Gayatri mantra, practice Chandra Namaskar (the moon salutation), and perhaps practice a few rounds of Chandra bhedana (moon activating breath), breathing through the left nostril to invoke more feminine, soft and soothing qualities in preparation for diving into the depths of dreaming.
