All about the Moon: Your Lunar Year 2022 with Candrakala
An Interview with Nina Steinert
Nina Steinert
GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND YOGINI WITH BODY AND SOUL
What do you do if you have a precise idea of your perfect yoga calendar, but it simply doesn't exist yet? Faced with this question, graphic designer Nina Steinert without further ado decided to produce her dream calendar herself. The result is the first calendar book that combines moon phases and yoga practices: Candrakala. With this unique product, Nina wants to support her readers in using the power of the moon for body and mind and to lead a life in balance. We wanted to know more about this and met up with the designer and founder for an interview.
Dear Nina, how did the idea to create a lunar calendar come about, and what does the word Candrakala mean?
Nina: I had the idea for Candrakala in 2020 when I was looking in vain for a beautiful moon calendar book. My key event was an Ashtanga class where my yoga teacher mentioned that you don't really practise physical exercises on a full moon – he was making an exception. The connection between the moon and yoga, Hinduism and the way of life of the people in India, which is predominantly aligned with the lunar calendar, fascinated me just as much as the recurring full moon in the night sky. The deeper I immersed in the subject, the clearer it became: I was in love with the moon and yoga. And the lunar calendar I was looking for, one that also incorporates the yoga tradition, I had to create myself. The name "Candrakala" comes from Sanskrit, the language of all ancient Indian texts and yoga. Translated, it means "the 16th part (Kala) of the disc of the moon (Chandra)" and refers to the crescent moon on the day before or after the new moon. Kala also means "time" and so "Candrakala" becomes "moon time" – and a calendar.
What influence do the phases of the moon have on us, what is their connection to yoga practice and how can they help us achieve more balance between body and mind?
Nina: The moon passes through all twelve zodiac signs as it moves from full moon to new moon and back. It stays in each sign for two to three days, and each of these constellations influences us and our environment in a special way. For yoga practice it is significant that each of the twelve zodiac signs in astrology stands for a certain region of the body and an organ area. The cycle begins with the constellation Aries, to which the body zone of the head and the organs of perception are assigned, and ends with Pisces, which stands for the area of the feet including reflex zones. When the moon passes through a particular constellation, the assigned organs and body regions are addressed more intensively. That is why the weekly yoga recommendations in the calendar book are based on the moon's position in the corresponding constellation.
Where does your extensive knowledge of the moon come from?
Nina: Much, much research work.
How do you integrate the appropriate yoga practice for the respective moon phase into your everyday life?
Nina: In everyday life with my two-year-old daughter, I unfortunately don't always have time for extensive practice. Nevertheless, I always try to pay a lot of attention to the part of the body that is being addressed by the current phase of the moon. I recommend the same for yoga practice. Build in a few postures that address the corresponding body region and pay conscious attention to your body.
How was the calendar made, did you pay attention to sustainable raw materials and processes?
Nina: Sustainability was very important to me throughout the entire process of creating the Moon Yoga Calendar Book. That's why it was printed climate neutrally, regionally and with ecological inks on 100% recycled paper. All CO2 emissions that arose during the implementation of this project were recorded and offset by a recognised climate protection project of natureOffice GmbH.
Who is the calendar book for?
Nina: To everyone
• who likes to watch out for the moon.
• who is looking for inspiration in their yoga practice.
• who feels the need for a mindful lifestyle in harmony with nature.
• who is looking for spirituality in everyday life.
• who does not want to miss the beauty of handwriting and appreciate beautiful design.
• who attaches great importance to quality and sustainability.
Thank you very much for your time and the beautiful interview.
CANDRAKALA
Lunar Calendar 2022
29,95 €
With yoga, astrology and lunar cycles through the year 2022: The Candrakala Lunar Calendar is your pocket-sized mini-retreat with a calendar for each week, daily moon phase in the corresponding zodiac sign, matching yoga practices to the moon phase, extra journal pages, space for reflection and many other impulses.
