Working with the Moon as a Scientific Rhythm, a Therapeutic Framework, and a Cyclical Practice of Awareness
Working with the Moon is not new to yoga. What is newer — and uniquely effective — is combining yoga therapy with lunar awareness in a way that honors both the body’s physiology and the natural rhythms we live within.
If you’re new to yoga therapy or curious about how it differs from general yoga classes, you may want to begin here:
👉 What Is Yoga Therapy? Foundations, Evidence, and Its Role in Modern Healthcare
In yoga traditions, it is very common to find:
New Moon and Full Moon classes
moon-gazing or candle-gazing meditation practices (trāṭaka)
reflective practices tied to lunar events
For an example of how lunar observance has appeared in community settings at Yoga Avec Moi, you can explore reflections from one of our earlier moon-aligned workshops here:
👉 Reflections on Yoga Avec Moi’s Lunar Eclipse Workshop (May 26, 2021)
The Lunar Cycle: Eight Phases of a Repeating Rhythm
The Moon moves through a cycle of approximately 29.5 days, traditionally described in eight phases:
New Moon
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous
Last (Third) Quarter
Waning Crescent
These phases reflect observable changes in lunar illumination and position. They are not symbolic ideas, but measurable, cyclical movement — offering a repeating rhythm that can be tracked, observed, and felt over time.
Rather than predicting outcomes, the lunar cycle provides context: a natural pattern of building, fullness, release, and rest.
The Moon as a Physical Force
One of the most visible effects of the Moon is on the tides.
When the Moon’s gravitational pull is strongest, we observe high tides. When that pull shifts, we observe low tides. This phenomenon is predictable, measurable, and visible in the natural world.
Human beings are made up of approximately 70% water. While the Moon’s gravitational influence on the human body is subtle compared to the oceans, it is not absent. Over time — especially in people with greater somatic awareness or sensitivity — these subtle shifts may be noticed as changes in sleep, energy, emotional tone, nervous system regulation, or physical sensation.
Some people feel these changes clearly. Others experience them more faintly, or not at all. Neither response is better — they simply reflect differences in physiology and awareness.
Why Yoga Therapy Is Essential for Lunar Work
It is common in the yoga world to see lunar-themed classes or symbolic Moon practices. While these can be meaningful, they often assume:
similar bodies
comparable nervous system responses
a one-size-fits-all sequence
Yoga therapy works differently.
Rather than offering a pre-set class, yoga therapy asks a more precise question:
What does this body need today, given its history, capacity, and current state?
Yoga therapy is designed to adapt to:
individual bodies
injuries or surgical history
nervous system sensitivity
hormonal and emotional variability
When we combine:
the Earth’s natural rhythms
the physical reality of lunar influence
and a therapeutic modality that adapts to the individual
we create a practice that is responsive rather than generic.
This is why yoga therapy is the modality I choose for lunar classes: it allows the Moon to inform timing, while the practice itself remains grounded, safe, and individualized.
Why We Focus on the New Moon and the Full Moon
At Yoga Avec Moi, Lunar Yoga Therapy classes are intentionally offered on the New Moon and the Full Moon.
These two phases represent the most potent transition points in the lunar cycle:
the New Moon as a time of inwardness, rest, and resetting
the Full Moon as a time of heightened awareness, sensitivity, and integration
By working with these two points, the practice can be shaped to support either down-regulation and restoration, or containment and integration, depending on what the body and nervous system need.
This approach allows us to work with intensity intelligently — rather than amplifying it unnecessarily.
Yoga, Awareness, and Cyclical Intelligence
One aim of yoga & yoga therapy is to cultivate interoceptive awareness — the ability to sense internal states such as breath, sensation, emotion, and energy.
As practitioners deepen this awareness, many begin to notice patterns that align with natural rhythms, including lunar cycles. This is not mystical. It is phenomenological: noticing what is actually present through sustained attention.
In this way, lunar cycles become a framework for reflection and regulation, similar to observing sleep patterns, appetite, or mood across time.
For another perspective on embodied lunar rhythm — particularly fasting and cyclical awareness — you may explore this episode of The YAM Podcast:
👉 From 19 Days to a Lifetime: Fasting in the Moon’s Flow with Chirag Dave
How Lunar Yoga Therapy Classes Are Structured
Lunar Yoga Therapy classes at Yoga Avec Moi follow a consistent, intentional structure:
Moon Phase Education (10 min)
A short, grounded explanation of the current lunar phase and its place in the cycle.Physical Yoga Therapy Practice (40 min)
Gentle, supported movement adapted to the group — often restorative or mindful in nature.Yoga Nidra / Deep Relaxation (30 min）
Systematic rest to support nervous system down-regulation and integration.Reflection Practice (15 min)
Guided inquiry focused on felt experience rather than goal-setting.Group Consultation (15 min)
Shared reflection and compassionate accountability within the group.
Each element builds into the next — educating, embodying, resting, reflecting, and integrating.
Reflection, Felt Sense, and Manifestation
Reflection in Lunar Yoga Therapy is not about checking goals off a list. It is about felt sense — noticing how the body, emotions, and nervous system experienced the previous cycle.
Rather than asking “What do I want to achieve?”, we ask:“What do I want to feel?”
Over time, focusing on embodied qualities rather than outcomes supports manifestation that is grounded, realistic, and sustainable. When practiced in a group, this reflection is held with care and continuity, allowing insights to take root gradually.
A Cyclical Practice of Awareness
Lunar Yoga Therapy is not about peak experiences.
It is about returning — to rest, reflection, regulation, and rhythm — again and again.
Yoga therapy provides safety and adaptability.
The Moon offers a dependable reference point.
Reflection brings meaning and integration.
Together, they create a practice that is grounded, embodied, and deeply humane.
Ways to Work With Nahal
Private Integrative Yoga Therapy for Hormonal, Prenatal & Life-Cycle Support (Online)
Nahal offers one-on-one Integrative Yoga Therapy sessions that support individuals across a wide range of life stages and physiological transitions. This includes hormonal shifts, prenatal and postnatal support, nervous system regulation, recovery from chronic stress or burnout, grief, and other periods of change that affect sleep, energy, mood, and embodied stability.
Sessions are tailored to the individual and may support:
hormonal regulation and cyclical symptoms
prenatal and perinatal care
stress and nervous system balance
sleep and energy regulation
emotional processing during life transitions
This work is especially supportive when the body is moving through change — when rhythms feel unfamiliar, inconsistent, or difficult to trust.
Human Design Sessions, Cycles of Time & Energy Awareness
In addition to Yoga Therapy, Nahal offers Human Design readings and core classes that explore how energy moves through the body across time. Human Design works with cycles — including life timelines, developmental phases, and energetic rhythms — and draws from astrology, the I Ching, and somatic awareness to support clearer decision-making and self-trust.
These sessions can be particularly helpful for those with inconsistent or non-linear energy patterns — such as Manifestors, Projectors, and Reflectors — who may feel especially impacted by external rhythms, lunar cycles, or changing life demands.
Human Design sessions are often paired with yoga therapy to support integration between insight and embodiment.
Memberships & Ongoing Cyclical Practice (Patreon)
For those seeking ongoing support rather than one-off sessions, Nahal hosts membership-based offerings on Patreon. These programs are designed to support long-term regulation and cyclical awareness through:
Integrative Yoga Therapy practices
Hormonal and nervous system support
Breathwork for stress regulation
Seven Valleys & Yogic Chakras teachings
Lunar, seasonal, and life-cycle reflections
Community classes and long-form study
👉 Explore memberships & programs
Introduction to the Author
About Nahal Haghbin (陈娜娜 | Chen Nana)
Nahal Haghbin (Chinese name: 陈娜娜, Chen Nana) is a Canadian-born Integrative Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) who grew up in Tianjin, China. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from the University of British Columbia and a Master’s degree in Control of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
In 2014, Nahal worked with the World Health Organization on global outbreak responses including H7N9, MERS-CoV, and Ebola, serving within the Assistant Director-General’s Office Taskforce. Her professional path was shaped by her teenage experience of the SARS outbreak in 2003, which led her to pursue a career in global health and the control of infectious disease outbreaks.
During her time at the WHO, Nahal experienced a quiet but pivotal realization: in environments of sustained crisis, even the most capable professionals become deeply fatigued, and presence itself becomes a scarce resource. Relying on meditation to remain grounded during this period, she recognized that nervous-system regulation and embodied awareness are foundational to clear decision-making and collective safety. This insight led her to shift her work toward teaching practices that cultivate presence, resilience, and coherence—through Integrative Yoga Therapy, breathwork, Human Design education, and ongoing study programs. Nahal now offers private sessions, core and advanced classes, and membership-based learning, supporting individuals who seek both practical tools and deeper understanding in how they meet life, health, and complexity.