I AM WOMAN: Lunar Flow
Lunar Flow - Where Spirit & Science Merge
What do the moon, your menstrual cycle, and mother nature all have in common?
Cycles.
Rhythm.
Flow.
Why is this important to you? Do you crave better health and harmony in your life? Do you desire to get to know your body on a deeper level?
Did you know this can come simply from tracking your moon (menstruation) and the Earth’s moon cycle?
If you wish to live at a new level of connection then keep on reading with me girl…
MOON TIME - THE PHASES OF OUR MOMMA MOON
“Everything that flows, moves in rhythm with the moon.
She rules the water element on Earth.
She pulls the ocean’s tides, the weather, female reproductive cycles and the life fluids of plants, animals and people. She influences the mood swings of mind, body, behavior and emotion.”
The fact the menstrual cycle correlates closely with the moon's cycle, as well as women living in close proximity cycle together, are some of the more mysterious elements of the menstrual cycle that science and society seem to have little interest in. But once we as women are aware of this phenomenon, we add an extra dimension to the appreciation of the intricate sensitivity of our bodies to the natural world around us.
How remarkable is it that the pull of a distant astronomical body (the moon) has such an impact on our own bodies??
Our connection to the moon might seem at first glance to be a rather esoteric belief, but science now backs it up, finally!
Science has proven that the full moon has a strong negative impact on the quality of sleep, human behavior, chronic illness symptoms, and dreams & intuition. Teachers will tell you that their students are more unruly and ‘wired’ at full moon. Local police forces ensure higher staffing levels on full moons, in anticipation of extra violence. Casualty admissions often spike in hospitals and midwives are aware that the full moon seems to trigger labor in many pregnant women. The influence of the full moon has been observed for centuries and is where we get the word lunatic from—meaning someone who experiences temporary or heightened insanity at full moon time. Current research shows an increase in schizophrenic and epileptic episodes at full moon time. We are not the only species influenced by the moon—coral reefs spawn, wolves howl and turtles lay eggs at the full moon. Ocean tides are higher and crops grow stronger, and certain flowering plants only bloom under the moonlight. Lastly, the Moon affects Earth’s magnetotail, thereby creating oscillating electromagnetic fields on Earth’s surface that can be sensed by animals and intuitives.
So why are we living with no reverence to the moon, like the moon is just made-up witchcraft?!?!
These four phases, in order, are: new Moon, waxing quarter, full moon, and a waning quarter.
This cycle repeats once a month (every 29.5 days). Sounds kind of like what our bodies and the earth do right? The four phases of our menstrual cycle and the four seasons of the earth exactly correspond with the four phases of the moon. Fascinating, huh??
Full moons rise at sunset and set at dawn. They are energizing—sometimes in a good way, at others creating agitation, making sleep and relaxation hard. Full moons are a time to harvest and sow, a time to entertain and celebrate, to work late and create wholeheartedly.
Waning moon means getting smaller. When the moon reaches the halfway point (the last quarter moon, which rises around midnight) there is a sense of balance, tension or transition. It continues getting smaller each night until it is completely dark.
The dark moon or new moon lasts for a couple of days when the moon is almost invisible, it is a time of darkness. The moon is in shadow and rises before dawn and sets with the sun. Many traditions use this as a time of inwardness, reflection, visioning and setting intentions for the month ahead. It is a time of new beginnings, a seeming pause in the darkness before its journey back to fullness again.
Waxing moon is when the moon gets a little bigger and brighter each night, moving through the crescent moon—the moon of story-books, the small sliver which speaks of hope, new life, magic. At halfway (the first quarter) again there is a sense of transition or balance, the moon is visible in the afternoon and sets in the evening. Many cultures run on lunar calendars, but for some (masculine dominant society) our calendar is solar.
To learn more about the moon’s phases, you can get a calendar or diary that includes the lunar cycle. Make a conscious effort to check the sky every day, and mark the days of your cycle onto your calendar along with the seasons of the earth. This practice will take a little patience but your mind will be blown.
FIG. 1 Illuminance and gravimetric cycles that the Moon imposes on Earth.
(A) Schematic of the movements of Moon and Earth around the Sun (sizes of Sun, Earth, and Moon and distances between them are not to scale).
(B) The Sun illuminates the Moon, which causes a 29.53-day cycle (the synodic month) of changing nocturnal illuminance on Earth (full, half, and new moon). The synodic month is ~2.2 days longer than the orbital period of the Moon because Earth has moved in its orbit around the Sun and it takes 2.2 days longer until the Moon is again in its full moon position. The Moon also exerts gravitational effects on Earth that are most evident in the tides. High and low tides occur twice a day with a period of 12.4 hours. Spring tides happen every 14.765 days during full and new moons and neap tides during half-moons.
(C) The Moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted with respect to the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic). When the Moon is high in the northern sky, the difference in the amplitude between the two daily tides is maximal in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth. This happens every 27.32 days, and the corresponding cycle is called tropical month.
(D) The orbit of the Moon around Earth is elliptic with Earth in one of the focal points of the ellipse. Therefore, the Moon-Earth distance varies cyclically: Every 27.55 days, the Moon is close to Earth (in its perigee) and exerts maximal gravitational forces on Earth, resulting in high tidal amplitudes, while it exerts minimal gravitational forces when it is far from Earth (in its apogee). This cycle is called anomalistic month.
While celebrations tied to the moon are often associated with Pagan and Wiccan traditions you might be surprised at how many religions also use the moon to guide their feast days. For Christians, Easter changes each year, according to where the full moon falls. The Jewish calendar is rooted in the cycles of the moon, Rosh Chodesh is marked each new moon and Yom Kippur Katan is celebrated the day before, as a day of fasting and penitence in preparation for the new month ahead.
Using the moon to guide your life can be an incredibly sacred practice if you desire this influence upon your life!
Often we can feel overwhelmed and confused by the seeming turbulence of our bodies and unpredictability of our moods. If this is you, then I highly recommend charting your cycle for a few months, to get a deeper understanding of how your body and moods change throughout your cycle. This will help you to navigate your life from an inner stability, and an awareness of your own unique ebb and flow.
The next step onward from keeping a moon diary, where you chart your symptoms alongside the moon’s phases?? Keep a dream diary and chart how dreams connect to the moon and your menstrual cycle. Let your body prove to you she knows rhythm and is precisely in tune with what she is doing!
An excerpt from Alchemy for Women:
It was a revelation to me that our dreams alter according to our menstrual cycles. Images that might occur at ovulation include: a clear river, babies, small animals, eggs, balls, images of pregnancy or birth, erotic dreams. Whereas dreams that tend to occur approaching menstruation include: blood, red images (red flowers, red clothes), being wounded or bleeding, also dark haunting dreams of death, being pursued by a dark man. The threshold points, when we move from ovulatory to pre-menstrual and premenstrual to bleeding, are often accompanied by particularly powerful and vivid dreams. What is even more fascinating is that our menstrual cycles can affect our partner’s dreams! Charting our dreams—writing down what we remember of them as soon as we awaken—gives us a profound insight into the crossovers between our bodies and minds, and our subconscious world. Often when reflecting on these dreams we can find wisdom for our waking lives.
PRACTICAL TIP: get a day calendar and every day record the moon, the season of earth, the day of your cycle, your moon, your energy, and any dreams you remember. You can look back after 2-3 months and notice a pattern that will tell you about your natural hormonal and energetic rhythm. This will help you to plan when to make a baby, a business proposal, or a beach vacation.
My favorite planner is the DO LESS Planner by Kate Northrup, she has included space for all of this record!
YOUR FOUR SEASONS
Okay, okay, okay, enough about the moon and now let’s talk about YOU!
First, let’s understand the four phases of our infradian rhythm AKA OUR SECONDARY CLOCK, or our female cycle, so we can juxtapose these with the moon and the four seasons of Mother Earth.
The infradian rhythm affects our brain, metabolism, immune system, microbiome, stress response system, and reproductive system. As women, we benefit when we eat, exercise, work, and flow in ways that support the infradian rhythm instead of marching powerfully to the beat of a male organized society’s drum. It’s precisely because so many women try to follow the ‘same-thing-everyday’ plans that work for men that 50% of women are suffering from hormonal imbalances. When we harmonize our awareness with the seasons of our cycle, the moon, and momma Earth we are our healthiest, happiest, and most harmonious selves.
First up is our follicular phase which occurs 7 to 10 days after our period ends. The subtle increase in estrogen has us interested in planning out new things and exploring new ideas during this time. Symbolically, this is a phase of new beginnings. This is the moon's waxing quarter and the earth’s springtime.
Second is our ovulatory phase which occurs 3 to 5 days in the middle of our cycle, right after the follicular phase and just before the luteal phase. The hormone shifts during this phase activate the verbal and social areas of our brains. We are our most social and communicative during this phase, it’s a great time to be visible and connect! Symbolically, this is a phase of expansion. This is the new moon and the earth’s summertime.
Third comes the luteal phase which occurs 10 to 14 days after ovulation and before we bleed. Hormone levels during this phase prime the brain to be good at focusing on details and wrapping up projects. Toward the end of this phase, as hormone levels plummet, we have less energy and feel more inclined to focus inward rather than on socializing. Symbolically, this is a phase of culmination. This is the moon's waning quarter and the earth’s fall season.
Last in line is our menstrual phase which is the 3 to 7 days of our menstrual bleed. Hormone levels during this phase prime the brain so that the left (analytical) and right (feeling) hemispheres communicate the most, which means it’s a great time to integrate how we feel about situations in our life and make decisions about how to proceed. This is an ideal time to reflect and journal. Symbolically, this is a phase of rest and reflection. This is the new moon and the earth’s wintertime.
Want to know the intricacies of hormones during each phase and the testing that can reveal your very own unique patterns?? We will dive deep into our hormones and fertility in an upcoming post in this series SO STAY TUNED!
DO YOU BLEED WITH THE MOON?
Depending on when you ovulate or menstruate can tell you a ton about the energetic season of life you are in. Don’t like what the report says? Well, hallelujah, we can shift our energy! This information may even prompt some deep healing in you! When we bring awareness we bring healing. It’s that simple!
Most commonly, women bleed with the new moon, a time of rest and reflection, and ovulate with the full moon, a time of expansion and visibility. So what happens when your flow doesn’t follow this pattern? Is something wrong with your body? Are you hormonally off-kilter? Most likely, NO! Most likely, your energetic patterns represent an alternative cycle during this season of your life.
(If you are concerned about hormone balance please follow your intuition to get your hormones tested and seek healing guidance. I recommend a DUTCH test and working with a knowledgeable practitioner.)
WHAT MOON ARE YOU?
What the moon can tell you about your energy field…
The most common menstrual pattern is to bleed on the dark moon and to ovulate at full moon, this is known as the White Moon Cycle. Before the advent of electric light in the late nineteenth century, women’s ovulation was primarily activated by the hormonal response to the brightness of the full moon at night. In our modern era however, technology screen lighting, domestic electric lighting, artificial hormones, pollutants and stress have contributed to our womanly cycles being more staggered throughout the month and many others unconnected to the moon’s cycles at all. Women who have charted their cycles and experienced menstruation at dark and full moon report feeling more ‘in flow’ and ‘attuned to themselves’ when they bleed on the dark moon. Women who are the opposite report caring for the women in their life. Women who find themselves in-between are likely to transition in their lives into a leadership role or a more reclusive place in their lives. There is even a cycle for women who find themselves cycling between the white or red moon cycle every few months.
There is a cycle for everything under the moon! Which one are you?
White Moon Cycle
Menstruation occurs on the new moon and ovulation on the full moon. You are in balance with the Earth and Moon’s divine sync. You follow the energetic patterns of the moon, when she is dark you bleed, when she is light you ovulate. This cycle is associated with women who are in the “mothering” phase of life. Energy is lovingly poured into self and family. Since biodynamics have shown that the earth is most fertile during full moons (when you ovulate), this cycle is most traditionally linked to fertility and motherhood. If you are a“White Moon” woman, you’ll likely feel a surge in your intuition during your period, and will feel the urge to withdraw for nourishment and self-renewal. Spend your moon time reflecting, resting, and planting seeds of intention for the month ahead. This is the most common cycle.
Red Moon Cycle
Menstruation occurs on the full moon and ovulation on the new moon. You are in a healer, leader or nurturer role in your life. You are opposite from most women, when they are visible you retreat to bleed, when they bleed and need nurturing you are visible to help heal. These women have not only a link with the internal world and families but a strong desire to teach and lead others. Bleeding with the new moon represents that these women have a deep connection to their darkness and feel comfortable holding space for others to sit there. It is part of their journey to love their shadow side. In ancient times, the Red Moon cycle was associated with shamanism, high priestesses, and healers. Women who tend to menstruate with the full moon are said to focus their “darker” and more creative menstrual energies outward, rather than inward, in order to nourish and teach others from their own experiences. Many times, women with this cycle will be more focused on self-growth, development, mentorship, and creativity. This time is well spent assessing that which is working, and letting go - or shedding - that which is not. This is the second most common cycle.
Pink Moon Cycle
Menstruation occurs with the waxing moon and ovulation on the waning moon. You are in a transitional stage in your life. This cycle is associated with women that are expanding into their power after a time of deep reflection and integration. Women can use the power of this cycle to move in the direction of dreams and strength. Women in this cycle are ready for power.
Purple Moon Cycle
Menstruation occurs with the waning moon and ovulation on the waxing moon. You are in a transitional stage in your life. The waning moon occurs when the moon moves from brightness to darkness. This cycle is a transitional phase where women find themselves doing deep inner reflection and healing. If the body has recently moved into this rhythm, it may be a sign that rest and inner reflection are needed for healing and growth. Give yourself plenty of time and grace for extra yoga, meditation, journaling, energy healing, and prayer in your life.
WISE WOMAN CYCLE
The Wise Woman Cycle—a menstrual pattern that alternates every three months or so between White Moon and Red Moon Cycles. Menstruation at full moon three to four months after the complete opposite pattern can feel like quite a different dynamic, and the full moon energy makes resting harder but acts to strengthen the visioning and creative powers which come to the fore during this part of our cycle.
Other cultures have honored menstrual blood as wise, the moon as a powerful force and the ability to give birth as a miracle, we can too! Though the somewhat constant change may feel disorienting, those on the Wise Woman cycle experience both the naturally introspective and nourishing feelings that come with menstruation on the new moon, as well as the visioning and creative powers experienced through bleeding on the full moon. With tracking comes the ability to find the flow between these two powerful cycles, and to use their power to your benefit. Your body will let you know when it is time to introspectively heal and when it is time to expand and focus on creative power.
Again, if you feel like your hormones are not displaying a congruent pattern to your mood and the moon, it might be time to get your hormones tested and a healing protocol in place. You can reach out to my team at any time to set up a time to deep dive into your hormonal health.
If you are looking to realign your menstrual cycle with the moon’s cycle so that you have a White Moon Cycle, exposure to the full moonlight can have a very powerful effect. Many women who have tried the ‘lunar realignment’ of their cycles have reported great success. Stay tuned during this I AM WOMAN series for more information on your hormonal and reproductive alignment!
Jen’s top three recommendations for hormone imbalance..
Hormonious offers adaptogen support to unwind your body into a state of natural hormone production. The iodine will support robust thyroid hormone as the cocktail nourishes stressed out adrenal glands for optimal function. Together these three heal the broken feedback loop responsible for hormone decline!
REFERENCES
Brighten, J. (2020). Beyond the Pill: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill (Reprint ed.). HarperOne.
Friedmann, E. (1981). Menstrual and lunar cycles. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 140(3), 350. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(81)90294-5
Garrison, C. (2018). The Lunar Gospel: The Complete Guide to Your Astrological Moon. Weiser Books.
Helfrich-Förster, C., Monecke, S., Spiousas, I., Hovestadt, T., Mitesser, O., & Wehr, T. A. (2021). Women temporarily synchronize their menstrual cycles with the luminance and gravimetric cycles of the Moon. Science Advances, 7(5). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe1358
Shuttle, P. P. R. (1995). Alchemy for Women: Personal Transformation Through Dreams and the Female Cycle. Rider Publication.
Vitti, A. (2021). In the FLO: Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life (Reprint ed.). HarperOne.