New Moon Yoga for a Fresh Start

Any time you practice new Moon yoga, it’s an invitation to channel the energy of the lunar cycle’s beginning phase. Each month, the Moon provides space for a natural reset and supports you in clearing your mind and allowing new thoughts, vibes, and feelings to enter your personal universe.

This grounding yoga flow channels energy upward toward the third eye to support insight and intention. By creating spaciousness for your movements and your breath, you’ll clear mental fog and connect with the clarity, ideas, and inspiration you need for the coming Moon cycle.

15-Minute New Moon Yoga for Mental Clarity

You’ll need two blocks or block-like props, such as small stacks of books, for support during this new Moon yoga practice.

Supported Fish Pose

Place one block beneath your upper back between your shoulder blades and the second block beneath your head, adjusting them to whatever level works best for you. Your heart should be elevated toward the sky in Supported Fish Pose. Let your arms fall by your sides, palms facing upward. You can choose to leave your legs long or bring the soles of your feet together to touch and release your knees out to the sides. Stay here for 1 minute.

Dynamic Heart Opener

Remove your blocks and move them to the side of your mat. Come onto your right side in a fetal position, interlacing your fingers behind the back of your head. Draw your elbows toward each other.

With an inhalation, draw your left elbow up toward the sky and back in space to open into a twist as you release your left shoulder toward the mat. Exhale to bring your left elbow back toward your right, closing the heart space.

Repeat for a total of 5 repetitions, moving with the pace of your breath.

Reclined Twist

With your final inhalation, extend both arms straight out from the shoulders and remain in a Reclined Twist. Stay here fro 5 cycles of breath.

Dynamic Pencil Stretch

Untwist, draw your legs through center, and inhale as you reach your arms overhead and straighten your legs forward, lengthening through your body in Pencil Stretch. This is like a reclined Upward Salute.

With an exhalation, draw your knees toward your chest and your forehead toward your knees.

Inhale as you return to Pencil stretch, and exhale back into a ball-like shape.

Bridge Pose

Lower your feet to your mat and your arms by your sides, palms facing down. Inhale, lifting your hips toward the sky in Bridge Pose. Stay here for 3 breaths.

Gently lower your back to the mat and roll into a fetal position on your left side. Then repeat the Dynamic Heart Opener and Reclined Twist before coming back through center and drawing your knees to your chest. Rock up and down the length of your spine 3 or 4 times, rolling yourself all the way up into hands and knees.

Cow Pose

Inhale, gently arch your back, lower your belly, and lift your chin in Cow Pose. Stay here for a full breath.

Cat Pose

Exhale, round your spine, and tuck your chin in Cat Pose. Stay here for a full breath.

Repeat Cat and Cow twice more, moving slowly with the pace of your own breath.

Thunderbolt Pose

Keep your toes untucked as you sit back on your heels in Thunderbolt Pose. You can place a block between your feet as a seat if that’s more comfortable. If you experience knee pain, find any comfortable seated position.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Now for some Alternate Nostril Breathing. Bring the first and second finger of your right hand to your third eye, just between and slightly above your eyebrows. Block your right nostril with your right thumb and breathe in through your left nostril. Hold your breath, block your left nostril with your fourth finger, release your right nostril, and breathe out.

Now, breathe in through your right nostril, hold, block your right nostril with your thumb, and release your left nostril to breathe out.

Repeat with the pace of your own breath for 1 minute. Return to your natural breathing pattern and pause for a few moments.

Downward-Facing Dog

When you’re ready, come into Downward-Facing Dog. Stay here for 3 breaths.

Three-Legged Dog

Send your right toes toward the sky in Three-Legged Dog.

Hip Circles

Bend your right knee, bring your heel toward your bottom, and make 2 slow circles with your right knee.

High Lunge

Step your right foot between your hands and rise into High Lunge. Reach your fingertips toward the sky.

Leaning Runner’s Lunge

With an exhalation, sweep your arms behind you in Leaning Runner’s Lunge.

Warrior 3

With your next exhalation, sweep your arms forward and bring your hands to your heart, lift your back leg, and slowly shift forward into Warrior 3. Your hips should be level with each other and your toes pointed down toward the mat. Stay here for 2 breaths.

Tree Pose

Draw your left knee forward and toward your chest as you stand upright. Send your left knee out toward your left, bringing your left foot to the inner right thigh, calf, or ankle in Tree Pose. Reach your arms up if you feel called. Stay here for 4 breaths before bringing your hands back to heart center and lowering your left foot to your mat.

Upward Salute

Inhale as you sweep your arms overhead in Upward Salute.

Standing Forward Bend

Exhale as you hinge at your hips and fold into Standing Forward Bend.

Halfway Lift

Inhale as you come into a Halfway Lift.

Downward-Facing Dog

With your exhalation, plant your hands on the mat and step back to Downward-Facing Dog.

Plank Pose

Inhale, shifting your weight forward to Plank Pose.

Chaturanga

Exhale, lowering down through Chaturanga and releasing yourself onto the mat.

Cobra Pose

Inhale as you press up through your palms and lift your heart away from the ground in Baby or regular Cobra Pose.

Exhale as you lower down to your mat and move through Plank or Tabletop to Downward-Facing Dog.

When you’re ready, repeat Three-Legged Dog through Tree Pose on the opposite side, allowing a vinyasa to return you to Downward-Facing Dog.

Thunderbolt Pose

Lower down to your mat and sit back on your heels in Thunderbolt Pose.

Seated Side Bend

Inhale, planting your right hand beside you. Reach your left arm up and over your head for a generous side bend. Stay here for 1 full cycle of breath.

Bring both arms back toward the sky before planting your left hand and reaching your right arm up and overhead. Stay here for 1 full cycle of breath.

Cactus Arms

Bring both arms back toward the sky. Bend both arms and open through the chest in Cactus Arms, lifting the chin. Raise both arms back to the sky before slowly lowering them to your sides.

Closing

Rather than Savasana, close your eyes and breathe in Thunderbolt for 1-3 minutes or as long as you need.

Bring your hands together at heart center and bow your head so your third eye meets your fingertips. Thank yourself for showing up on your mat today for this new Moon yoga practice.