Mystic’s Musings By Sadhguru – Founder, Isha Foundation

Amavasya means no moon day or new moon day. Whenever something or someone becomes absent, through that absence, his or her presence always becomes more powerful.

Similarly with the moon, her absence makes her more present than ever before. On any other day — even the Poornima — she is there, but on Amavasya, the presence and quality is felt even more.

If you are seeking well-being, Poornima is sacred. If you are seeking liberation, Amavasya is sacred. Accordingly, there are different kinds of practices and sadhanas for those two dimensions of life.

On Amavasya, the earth broods. A certain integration of the elements happens, so the life process on the planet slows down. This is a great opportunity because the integration of life happens much better on this day.

When everything is going well, you do not know what is happening with the body; the body is just you. But when there is a slowdown, you distinctly notice your body.

For example, when you get even a small ailment, suddenly the body is an issue and is something that you have to pay attention to. Only when it does not do well, you know, “This is not me. This is just my body giving me trouble.” Very clearly, a distance arises.

That is the significance of Amavasya. On that day, because a certain integration of the elements is happening, there is a slowdown of everything.

It is a day when one can become easily aware of, “What is me and what is not me” and from there on, the journey from untruth to truth begins.

From Amavasya to Poornima, every month the opportunity is created naturally. Even for those who are completely unaware, there is a natural opportunity available beginning every Amavasya and moving on. For all those who are seeking absolute dissolution, Amavasya is great.

You may have heard that if people are a little mentally imbalanced, on Poornimas and Amavasyas they become more so. Why this is so is, the impact of the moon is working on our planet. It is pulling everything up. Whole oceans are trying to rise. Similarly, your own blood is responding to the moon’s impact.

So if you are a little mentally imbalanced, because of excessive circulation in your brain on that day, you will become more imbalanced. If you are happy, you will become more happy. If you are unhappy, you will become more unhappy.

Whatever is your quality gets a little enhanced on those days because the blood is being pulled upward. The whole energy is being pulled upward in some way. For a spiritual sadhaka who is always using every means possible to move his energies upward, these two days are like a boon from nature.

[Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, visionary and a prominent spiritual leader. An author, poet and internationally-renowned speaker, Sadhguru’s wit and piercing logic provoke and widen our perception of life. www.ishafoundation.org]