Guest Post by Lydia Jarjoura.
I often get asked what a woman’s menstrual cycle has to do with the Moon. So I start by explaining the message of the Lunar Rhythms. This celestial body holds the most sacred cycle within; a cycle that is not unlike a woman’s internal rhythm. Many of us have noticed the pull of a bright, Full Moon during a cloudless night. We have all seen her morph into a silver crescent of light as the month goes on. But what most of us aren’t taught, is that these distinct phases of the Moon’s cycle greatly affect our own psyches, our energy, even our dreams.
Civilization’s way of tracking time was born out of the lunar rhythms that have always taken place in the atmosphere above us. The origins of the word, Moon, come from the word month and menses both in Old English and Greek. This is where we get the words month, menstruation, menarch, and many more words with “me”- to measure.
There was a time, before our mothers and our grandmothers and perhaps even their mothers, where all life and time was governed by the Moon cycle. Before artificial light, hormone disrupting diets (ex. processed foods) and the rise of hormonal birth control, most all women would experience their period on the New Moon and would ovulate at the Full Moon. This cycle is our default setting and it’s only been until fairly recently that we have disrupted our own biology.
Because women would bleed together each month on the New Moon, this was considered the beginning of the month, and the beginning of their cycle. The Menstrual phase (New Moon) is the beginning of the 4 week cycle that brings with it distinct energetic and physical changes throughout the month. After the Menstrual/New Moon phase, the light starts to grow fuller as it moves into the Waxing phase. In a woman’s body, this is called the Follicular phase. From here, the Moon grows to its full brightness, in the Full moon or Ovulatory stage. After this peak of energy, it begins to Wane, moving into the Luteal phase.
Each of these phases brings about a specific energetic element and learning to go with the flow of your own cycle allows you to embrace those energies. I always encourage women, before they begin tracking the cycles of the Moon, to track their own cycle. This can be done by keeping a period calendar; begin on the first day of bleeding and write Day 1 on your calendar, on the date that you began bleeding. At the end of each day, jot down any physical or emotional energies you experienced like happy, sad, angry. Or you could do a smiley (or sad) face to notate how you felt overall each day. After a few months of tracking, you’ll notice a rhythm to your moods and your physical changes within. Begin to note what phase the Moon is in when you start bleeding (you can do a quick Google search for the specific day to find out the Moon’s phase). Many women find that they bleed around the New Moon or the Full Moon phase.
It used to be said that a woman who bled around the Full Moon were the wisdom keepers and the leaders of the community. Women who bleed around the New Moon are the Mothers and their body’s act as a mirror to the Earth’s natural fertile cycle. Over the course of a year, your cycle will shift and your bleeding time will move to a different phase. Take note of where your bleeding lands in the cycle and see if that is being reflected in your current life. If your period lands around the Full Moon, are you finding more time to be creative, to start new projects or to tap into some ancient wisdom? When you bleed around the New Moon, are you nurturing yourself and others? Are you giving birth to something new in your life? It’s amazingly empowering to have a full awareness of your body’s changes, both physical and emotional, as you harness the power of your own Moon cycle.
Just remember, many cultures did and still do, regard a woman’s menstrual cycle as the most sacred gift and a way to reach a higher realm of consciousness. Your body is a blessing and by learning to Reclaim our Cycles, we can tap into the gifts that it provides.
Note from Robyn: Lydia has graciously provided me with a special discount for her brilliant ebook, Moon Sessions: Reclaim Your Cycles. A guide for reclaiming your body’s cycles, regaining your health, and renewing your spirit. I’d like to share it with you! Enjoy 10% off the Moon Sessions ebook with coupon code RENEW at checkout. Grab the ebook here.
Lunar Nourishment is a wellness platform rooted in ritual and the rhythms of the Moon. Twin sisters Lydia and Marlena Jarjoura provide education, ritual tools, gemstone jewelry and more to empower women to embrace their natural cycles. Our bodies are a vessel for healing and strength; Lunar Nourishment provides support to help women (and men!) nourish Mind, Body and Spirit in a holistic and healthy way. Are you ready to live authentically and embrace the spirit within? You can connect with Lydia and her sister on her Website, Facebook and Instagram.
Article Image Credit: www.lunarnourishment.com
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