Hello super blood wolf full moon. This is quite a rare and beautiful event for us to become more still and create self-awareness. As this is the first full moon of the year, we have the opportunity to reflect and create space in the mind, body and soul to discover our hidden talents, what we really want to be doing and new wonderful ways in which we can express ourselves and our ideas to the world. 

Starting the sequence with trikonasana and grounding to the earth. This asana works on the root chakra, our energy centre of balance and stability in the world. Place your feet firmly on the ground, connect with it and experience the beauty of feeling secure in your own body, knowing that when you have inner balance, the outer world will feel just the same. 

Ardha Chandrasana seems like the appropriate asana to do during a full moon day. But this asana has many great benefits, including grounding and stillness of mind. Ardha Chandrasana strengthens the legs, tones the abdomen and helps relieve any stress or excess energy created by the mind’s wandering thoughts. 

Like any of the warrior asanas, Virabadhrasana III is an empowering asana, bringing self-confidence and embracing your true self. Balance, strength and grounding are all qualities of a warrior and this asana will help you identify these within yourself. 

Adho Mukka Svanasana wakes up the mind and energises the body. This asana provides a great stretch to the whole body and opens the chest, allowing for the breath to deepen. Adho Mukka Svanasana helps release any blockages from the physical, mental and emotional self and relieves fatigue and worry. Appreciating this present moment and letting go of whatever is no longer serving you. (Click here for step by step instructions)

On an energetic level, ​Kumbhakasana activates Manipura, the solar plexus chakra. This is the energy centre in the body where we connect with our inner power and embrace our will power. It requires you to engage the abdominal muscles and find your inner balance by trusting yourself, knowing you have the strength to pursue any experience with complete self-trust and self-awareness. 

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana energises the mind therefore giving you a boost of confidence. As this is a back bending pose, it empowers you to let go of the old and open your heart to the new. Wonderful experiences are everywhere if your perception of the world is in a state of clarity and inner peace. Setu bandha sarvangasana provides flexibility of the spine and with this comes flexibility of the mind. When you are open to adapt to different experience, you learn that each one comes with its lessons, all impacting your self-development in a growing, progressive phase. 

Urdva Dhanurasana provides an even greater flexibility to the spine, but it also teaches you to see the world from a different angle. Sometimes, turning your world upside down, will provide the clarity you need to know where your path is headed. This asana might bring to surface unexpected past issues or emotional experiences you have buried in the past, not to take you back to those moments but to help you move on, removing the heavy burdens, releasing the old experiences, and welcoming in the new. 

​Supta virasana helps release symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression. Sometimes, we can be too much in our head and experience excess worry and overthinking. This asana provides a lovely calming effect to the nervous system and empowers you to relax, let go and just be in the present moment. As we are at the beginning of a new year, we need to create space in the mind in order to manifest the beautiful experiences that await. 

​Matsyanasa activates and balances Vishudi, the throat chakra. This is the energy channel in the body that represents freedom of expression and clear communication. Matsyasana empowers you to open this energy channel and release any blockages created by feeling afraid or ashamed to share your ideas with the world. When you release these negative blockages and realise that you have a voice, you can move forward with a liberating feeling of joy and communicate clearly. 

​Balasana is a reflective asana, providing you with a nurturing feel. This asana doesn’t require any physical effort, but instead it provides a peaceful moment of tranquillity, to reflect, release and move forward with self-love and self-confidence. I always think of balasana as giving myself a big hug, giving thanks to my body, mind, emotional and spiritual self and embracing all that I am in the present moment. It's also a good idea to repeat an affirmation during this asana and connect with its meaning, giving yourself the encouragement you need in order to believe in your mantra.

​Viparita karani is another asana that requires no physical effort. All that is needed is your willingness to be still and create some space within. Letting go of any thoughts or feelings, during viparita karani you are open to connect with your consciousness and letting go of the ego’s needs to continuously guide you to the next moment. This asana boosts blood circulation in the legs, leaving you feel energised and ready to walk your path with confidence and clarity. 

Valentine’s Day is almost here making February a month of love, warmth and kindness. Love itself can be expressed in different ways, but most importantly we need to be open to the idea of love ourselves. If we are not able to understand its power, we cannot accept it nor embrace it. Practicing the following asanas will help bring your awareness to your heart centre, purifying this space and bringing it into balance. When the heart chakra is balanced, we are able to give and receive love freely, allowing its powerful energy to travel outward and attract it inward. 

A wonderful way to open the heart centre and release any nervous or emotional tension. This asana is also great for building strength in the arms and wrists. The journey in purvottanasana begins by first lifting and opening the hips and then as you exhale, allow your solar plexus and the heart centre to open. This gradual movement teaches us that it’s ok to take things slow when it comes to love. You don’t have to push yourself into exposing your vulnerability, it’s all a process which your body will lead you through at its own pace. (Click here to see step by step instructions for this pose)

Providing a more dynamic heart space opening, urdha dhanurasana teaches us to surrender and let go of all that was, whilst opening our heart to all that is in the present moment. This asana requires a deep back bend, which can often help us free ourselves from all the past negative emotions or situations we have stored within and did not release. By freeing yourself from all that emotional tension and baggage, you can welcome in new beautiful experiences, trusting yourself and knowing you are worthy. (Click here to see step by step instructions for this pose)

Matsyasana or fish pose brings awareness to both the throat chakra and the heart chakra, the energy centres for self-expression and love. When we open our heart and allow ourselves to love and be loved, we will also be able to express ourselves more freely in an authentic and kind way. Whilst in this pose, let yourself feel the movement of your heart space opening as well as the throat. As the chest opens, take deeper breaths, filling the lungs with new positive energy, and letting go of anything that’s needed to be released. (Click here to see step by step instructions for this pose)

Camatkarasana is a powerful heart opening pose, that requires us to completely surrender and trust. Starting in plank first and engaging the abdomen, we take a deep breath and lift one arm and then take it all the way back, creating a backbend and also opening the torso completely. I always interpret the energy of this asana as accepting any insecurity we might have and opening up, trusting in the self and sending love outward. When we are ready to open up emotionally, we make space for new emotional experiences to come. (Click here to see step by step instructions for this pose)

Whilst the top four asanas open outwards, uttana shishosana creates more of an internal focus. We open up to ourselves, to accept ourselves as we are and love ourselves unconditionally. Staying in this asana for longer, teaches us about the importance of surrendering to the idea of self-love and self-appreciation. This requires us face all that we need to face, release, accept and move on in a kind and compassionate way towards the self. (Click here to see step by step instructions for this pose)

Repeat this mantra to yourself this February, three times when you wake up and before you start with your day ahead. As you affirm this to yourself, picture what it feels like to have this loving attitude towards yourself. Feel what this self-love does to your physical body, to your mind and your emotional self. Remind yourself that you are worthy of love, and you have the power within you to completely love yourself for all that you are in the present moment.