"A principle in life to remember is to travel light. You are traveling all the time.Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light." Yogi Bhajan
What Is Sadhana?
Sadhana is our daily spiritual practice. Sadhana is not a goal, but a way of living. It is the time when we honour ourselves and our part in the bigger picture of the universe. In some traditions, Sadhana is two and a half hours of spiritual practice, a tithing of ten percent of your day to God. But as Sri Swami Mayatinanda says "Sadhana can be practiced simply by breathing, having a compassionate thought, saying a kind word … touching the earth with bare feet. Sadhana is being aware of the integral connection that keeps us forever dancing in rhythmic measure with the cosmic pulse."
Sadhana is our daily reminder to check in with God, to check in with the universe, to walk our talk, to follow our path. And when the moon is full, we can use this time for special sadhana.
Full Moon Contemplation
At Full Moon our emotions are intensified… they too are full… if we are feeling loving and exuberant, these feelings will be enhanced by the full moon, but if we are feeling angry or irritable these feelings too will be exacerbated. Countless groups gather together to meditate at the full moon, because if we sit in meditation at this time, this too will be enhanced by the power of the moon. We will go on a deep journey.
Full moon is a good time to take stock. New moon is about new beginnings, whereas full moon is for evaluating what we have achieved. So often, because we live our lives at such speed, we do not stop to consider what we have already achieved, we hurry onto the next thing, the next goal, the next achievement.
I recommend basking in the radiance of the full moon. Moonbathing is a way of cleansing the soul. The full moon naturally has its pinnacle, but the energy of the full moon lasts around three days - so you can perform a three night moon meditation by simply sitting outside by the light of the moon and chanting or sitting in silent contemplation.
Full Moon Food
Sri Swami Mayatinanda feels that we can practice Sadhana simply through breath and sound and also through cooking.
Her book The Path of Practice takes us deep into the practice of Sadhana as a living daily ritual to nourish ourselves. For her, the "Full Moon is a natural time for you to enjoy and celebrate. When the moon is full, you are under the influence of its cooling, ojas-producing essence (ojas is translated as 'glow of health') which inspires ovulation and heightens your sexual impulses and vitality."
She says this is a time to eat wholesome ancestral foods that reinforce your spirit of abundance - hearty ojas-producing foods like pancakes, breads, risottos, pilafs, pasta, vegetable casseroles, fruit pies and bakes.
To make cooking a sadhana or spiritual practice, she says to use your hands, grind the spices yourself, make your own breads and chant or sing as you get into the sensations of making foods. Get in the kitchen around full moon and make hearty nourishing foods for you and your family.
Full Moon Cakes
Traditional Chinese moon cakes are round like their namesake and are usually filled with red bean paste, lotus seed paste or coconut (you can often find these in Chinese supermarkets). This version is like prasaad that you find in temples in India, but you can form the mixture into balls or cakes.
2 cups chickpea flour (garbanzo/ gram flour)
¼ cup almond oil + ¼ cup warm water
1 tablespoon of organic ghee (clarified butter)
¼ cup unrefined brown sugar
½ teaspoon natural almond essence
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl. Heat a large cast-iron pan and pour in the batter. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, until the batter is slightly browned. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Red Lentils and Quinoa
1 cup red lentils - 1 cup quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)
4 cups water
2 dried bay leaves - ½ teaspoon rock salt
1 teaspoon organic ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fresh minced garlic and ½ teaspoon fresh minced ginger
¼ cup fresh minced parsley
Wash the lentils. Bring water to boil in soup pot. Add the lentils, bay leaves, and salt and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Wash the quinoa in a fine sieve and add to the lentils. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Heat the ghee in a small pan and roast the cumin seeds, ginger and garlic until they turn golden brown. Remove from heat and add immediately to lentils. Simmer for 5 more minutes and garnish with parsley.
Both recipes taken from The Path of Practice.
Full Moon Ritual Incense
You can also make incense and oil for enhancing your full moon practices. Sandalwood and frankincense are the smells that heighten our awareness at this time. Mix together two parts Sandalwood, two parts Frankincense, 1/2 part Gardenia petals,
1/4 part Rose petals, a few drops Ambergris oil and burn over charcoal.