One With the Flow
Our menstrual cycle and the moon phases— why they are spiritually connected and how to get the most out of the time of the month
Tonight, we welcome the Full Moon in Taurus. Maybe last night you caught a glimpse of the Full Lunar Eclipse that lit up our skies.
Luckily for me, I also welcome the first day of my menstrual cycle.
I started noticing the last few months that my menstrual cycle appears to be synced with the phases of the moon. Every Full Moon, brings my Day 1.
I’ve never had a perfectly accurately timed menstrual cycle, and I was always the friend who thought she was pregnant every month because I never tracked my period or wrote down when I got it last month. Every app suggestion someone gave me I thought that was somehow more work then panic buying a pregnancy test every few months just to make sure.
I also had started hearing the words “moon cycle” a lot to describe our mensutral cycle. Although, it was something that intrigued me, I hadn’t dove into what that means until recently.
I think for most women, our period is just a point in the month that we could all live without, and is typically met with emotions of exhaustion and anguish.
I always had the thought, that something magical was occuring in our bodies during this time despite it’s negative connations. Although we all have a relative understanding of what is going on, (we bleed to get rid of the egg since it wasn’t fertilized so our body can start over again in creating the egg), does any of us women, and men also, truly understand the spiritual nature of that very process?
In a woman, we are literally creating life, existence. Every month, which is marked by days of 30-31, which is calculated from the rising and setting of the Sun—we bleed, and the moon becomes full. There are 4 phases of the Moon, and 4 phases of menstruation.
These striking parallels, inspired me to look further into how us as women, are meant to live by the cycles of the moon, and by doing so, enhance our health, fertility, and spiritual goddess-ness that we all carry innately within each one of us.
You’ve probably noticed that there are periods in the month where you feel more tired, more moody, craving something strange, faster metabolism, more creative, more emotional, and other changes.
Women actually experience an entire hormonal revamp every month. Our hormones do a full cycle, meaning we experience changes fast and intense.
Men, on the other hand, go through hormonal changes over a full year. One of the reasons people claim women can mature quicker than men.
So if we become aware of these changes, what is most appropriate for our bodies during a particular time, and live by the moon cycle, we can balance our hormones! This will reduce the effects of changing hormones including skin problems, bloating, moody-ness, fatigue/ adrenal burnout, and really begin to be more in-tune with who we are and what we want.
Using myself as a quick example, I started paying attention to the cycles of the moon and my menstrual cycle synced, now I feel a constant heightened sense of intuition and a spiritual sense of Self. This has allowed me to live fuller by doing things outside my comfort zone, focusing on projects that matter, feeling a greater sense of time management, focusing on the people I love, and just feeling an overwhelming sense of love, connection, and whole-ness.
So let’s get you there too.
The word menstruation is derived from Greek and Latin words meaning month and moon. Menstruation not only ties us to nature, but it gives us insight into our health and chakra systems.
It is documented that prior to electricity, women ovulated (created the egg/life) when there was the most light in the sky (in the presence of a full moon.) Now, there is so much light pollution and other factors affecting our hormones that we all end up bleeding at different times, and typically not in rhythm with the moon cycles.
Women go through 4 hormonal trends over a 21 to 30 day cycle, similar to the 4 phases of the moon. Ideally, we are supposed to cycle with the moon in 1 of 2 ways, either mentruate on the New Moon or on the Full Moon.
New Moon or White Moon cycle means you bleed on the New Moon. This indicates you want to give more energy to yourself and is your body's way of gently reminding you that you need more TLC. It also means that your manifestation energy is high during this time so stay in tune with it and create your dream life.
However, if you are like me and menstruate on the Full Moon, it actually means something different.
Full Moon or Red Moon cycle is historically said to be for women who were medicine women, midwives, or wisdom keepers in the community. It indicates an energy of self-actualization and an intent to use that self-actualization to empower others in their community.
Menstrual : Rest, reflect and set intentions
Follicular Begin taking action, initiate creative projects
Ovulation Present, be in front of people, collaborate. Shine.
Luteal : Complete tasks, stay focused, finish projects
When I noticed that my mentruation cycle with linked with the Full Moon, it was around the same time that I actually felt incredibly balanced in life. Over the past 6 months, I feel like I have put in a lot of self-work to improve my negative self-talk, to love myself and my body, consistent nourishment of the highest quality, and making the conscious choice to surround myself with only positive and in-tune people. All of these combined, have created an environment of balanced hormones. I believe that is why my “moon cycle” is now in sync, it is reflecting the inner power I now feel, and have created.
I also believe it is because I started really paying attention to the energy of the New Moon and the Full Moon, and what each zodiac season offers. This connection with nature allowed me to experience deep reflection during these times, which is a powerful way you can begin to balance your hormones and sync with the moon.
Here are 4 more tips to sync your menstruation in the New or Full Moons cycles and balance your hormones:
Pay Attention
Start noticing the cycles of the moon and pay attention to how you feel during each cycle. Sometimes just this simple acknowledgement creates a shift and a stronger connection with the moons energy.
2. Stop Sleeping With Your Phone/Computer/iPad
It used to be that humans were only exposed to sunlight during the day and to the moon at night. With the invention of electricity, our exposure to light and dark shifted and now we can be exposed to light 24/7. One of the biggest disrupters are our devices which emit endocrine disrupting blue light.
3. Sleep in the Dark
For us girlies with floor to ceiling windows like myself, this can be difficult. Investing in some good shades or even a face mask can make all the difference in your sleep quality. The darker your room is the more melatonin release will be triggered. This also means having your TV off!
4. Adopt A Moon Ritual
I am a big believer in rituals during the New and Full moons. Typically the New Moon is a time for reflection and intention setting while the Full Moon is a time of gratitude for all that you have created
One of my biggest menstruation tips is to acknowledge your Ovulation and Luteal periods, and drink plenty of ginger tea at that time. I promise you, if you commit to ginger tea everyday for this time period and during your menstruation cycle, you will NOT cramp. I had mind-numbingly painful cramps for years, once I commited to this, I had extremely mild cramping, and then non-existent. Throw away your gut-killing Advil and switch it for a good ginger tea.
Also eat as much chocolate as you want. The magnesium from dark chocolate is good for you during this time and plus it makes you feeel good. I was snacking on these while writing this and they are literally my favorite thing ever.
Let’s change the perspective of our periods and make it a time to unleash our inner creativity, embrace our connection to nature, and bask in the essence of being the creators of life.