Ashtanga Moon Days Calendar

In short: Ashtanga moon days are the days of the new moon and the full moon, when many Ashtanga yoga students take a rest from practice. This calendar shows the next moon day and every new and full moon for the next 12 months in your own time zone, calculated from the exact astronomical moment of each phase.

What are Ashtanga moon days?

In Ashtanga yoga, the method taught by K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India, students traditionally do not practice on the days of the new moon and the full moon. The custom comes from his school: the Mysore shala carried on by his family, today’s Sharath Yoga Centre, lists “moon days and Sundays” as its holidays and closes on those days. Many Ashtanga teachers and shalas around the world keep the custom, so moon days are worth knowing whether you practice Mysore style or in led classes.

Teachers give different explanations for the custom, often comparing the energy of the full and new moon to the breath. These are traditional ideas, not findings from research, and you do not need to believe them to enjoy the practical side: two regular rest days a month that give the body time to recover from a demanding practice that is traditionally done six days a week.

How to use the moon-day calendar

1. Check your time zone. The calendar uses the time zone your device reports. If you are planning for a retreat or a shala somewhere else, pick that place from the list.
2. Read the next moon day. The box at the top shows whether it is a new or full moon, the date, the exact moment of the phase and how many days away it is.
3. Browse the month grid. Use the arrows to move month by month. A dark dot marks a new moon and an orange ring a full moon; today is outlined.
4. Scan the 12-month list. The table below the grid lists every new and full moon from today until the same date next year, with the exact time.

How the dates are calculated

The new moon is the moment the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, and the full moon the moment it sits on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun. The calendar computes these moments in your browser with the standard method in Jean Meeus’ Astronomical Algorithms (chapter 49, “Phases of the Moon”): an average lunar cycle of about 29.53 days, corrected for the elliptical orbits of the Moon and Earth and for small effects of the planets. We checked the results against the phase tables of the U.S. Naval Observatory; they agree to within a minute.

The date of a moon day depends on where you are. A full moon at 2:00 a.m. in London falls on the previous evening in New York, so the same phase can land on different calendar days in different time zones. That is why the calendar converts each moment to the time zone you choose.

Why your shala’s list may differ

This calendar follows the actual astronomical moment of each phase in your time zone. Some Ashtanga schools publish their own moon-day lists, and their dates can differ by a day, for example when a list is made for India’s time zone or a school sets its own rule for phases that fall late at night. The Mysore shala also closes on Sundays, and many shalas take one regular day off each week. If you practice with a teacher, follow your shala’s list. If you practice on your own, this calendar is a reliable guide.

What to do on a moon day

Moon days are rest days from asana, not from yoga. Many students use them for a walk, a slow breathing practice or a quiet sit; our meditation timer and breathing pacer are made for that. Others read about the eight limbs of yoga, which put the postures in their wider setting. If you are new to the method, our guide to vinyasa yoga explains how it grew out of Ashtanga, and our retreat guides can help you find a place to practice with a teacher.

A note on rest and health

Resting on moon days is a tradition, not a health rule. Whatever the calendar says, take a break when you are ill, injured or exhausted, and follow your doctor’s advice about exercise during pregnancy or after an injury. Our other free tools can help you plan quieter practice on rest days.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Ashtanga moon day?

The calendar at the top of this page shows the next new or full moon in your time zone, with the date, the exact time and how many days away it is. It updates every time you open the page.

Why don't Ashtanga students practice on moon days?

It is a custom from the Mysore school of K. Pattabhi Jois, which closes on new and full moon days. Teachers offer traditional explanations linked to the moon's energy; these have not been studied scientifically. In practice the custom gives students two regular rest days a month.

Is the moon day the day of the exact phase or the day before?

This calendar uses the calendar day on which the exact phase falls in the time zone you choose. Some shalas publish their own lists that can differ by a day, so follow your teacher's list if you have one.

Do I rest on both the new moon and the full moon?

Yes. In the Ashtanga tradition both the new moon and the full moon are rest days, which usually means two moon days a month, roughly two weeks apart.

How accurate are the dates?

The calculation follows Jean Meeus' Astronomical Algorithms and matches the U.S. Naval Observatory's published phase times to within a minute. Dates only differ from other lists when a phase falls close to midnight or when a school follows its own calendar.

Sources

1. Astronomical Algorithms, Jean Meeus (chapter 49, Phases of the Moon), Willmann-Bell / Internet Archive (accessed October 6, 2026)
2. Dates of Primary Phases of the Moon, U.S. Naval Observatory (accessed October 6, 2026)
3. Moon Phases, NASA Science (accessed October 6, 2026)
4. Holidays (moon days and Sundays), Sharath Yoga Centre, Mysuru (accessed October 6, 2026)
5. Sharath Jois, Sharath Yoga Centre, Mysuru (accessed October 6, 2026)

Facts checked on October 6, 2026