MOON TIME ALCHEMY

Cyclical Living has been one of the most eye-opening of teachings on my healing journey, weaving together the threads of physiology, spirituality, and the power of being a woman. It is now a foundational practice of mine. More than just merely marking our menstruation dates into our diaries, or following a digital app, it enables us to really get to know and tune into our bodies daily, helping us to live in alignment with our needs and the natural world. I also believe it is extremely ground-breaking for all women’s wellbeing, yet it isn’t until we look to heal our menstrual issues or try to conceive that we find out about how invaluable it is.

Cyclical Living has ancient roots, born from a time where it was a necessity for people to live in harmony with the land, working with the moon and seasons for a bountiful harvest. It was during this era, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, where women would celebrate their menstrual cycles by sitting in Red Tents, in fact menstrual time was one of the very first indicators of calendar time. Today, in our patriarchal era, life looks a lot different. While there are a number of advantages to modern society, there is no denying that the way we live today lacks flow and connection with both nature and our bodies.

Despite the better living conditions, easier access to healthcare, as two generalist examples, the way we live today has been equally harmful to women’s health. As cyclical beings women follow both a Circadian Rhythm (24-hour cycle) and Infradian Rhythm (monthly cycle), yet the patriarchal structure only follows a linear Circadian Rhythm. In this instance, as our Infradian Rhythm is not accommodated for, modern life can put extreme pressure on our hormone systems and menstrual cycles. Furthermore, there is a lack of education around the menstrual cycle (a lot of what I know now is from personal study), there is a huge taboo around talking about menstruation, and women are often filled with embarrassment and shame when bleeding. Where women were once revered during their bleed, today we must hide and ignore it and perform at the same level everyday. Interestingly the word 'hysterectomy' also stems from the word 'hysteria', which again highlights the negative connotations surrounding menstruation.

To take back the power of menstruation is to learn how to live in harmony with its cyclical wheel of birth, death, and rebirth. Each stage of our menstrual cycle is reflected in nature with a specific moon phase, season, and element. Each stage contains its own poignant medicine we can harness, learn, and grow with for a balanced life. It teaches us when to take time to rest, when to plan, and when the best time to celebrate is. By embracing our true cyclical nature we can use its powerful medicine for ourselves and the wider collective. We are built with all the resources we ever need, we have just forgotten how to use them.

It is important to note that even if you suffer with irregular cycles, have had a hysterectomy, are pregnant, nursing, on contraception, or reached menopause, then you can still use the moon phases alone as a guide. Additionally, the below guide is a top-line structure, every woman’s cycle is different so not all may apply, it is always imperative to listen to your own body and work on your own womb time.

Just before I get into the guide, here is one of my favourite quotes for you to ponder from Wild Power by Red School founders Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer:

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“The menstrual cycle is not the problem – rather, it’s a culture that says women should be a certain way and not another.”

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Dark To New Moon

Menstruation: If no egg is fertilised during our cycle, the corpus luteum dissolves and our uterine lining sheds. During menstruation all of our hormones are at their lowest, our immune system is equally low to accommodate this phase, and our womb swells with blood to approximately twice its normal size (so yes bloating is normal). This is a key time to surrender and honour the 'death' process within our bodies. I often find if I don’t rest during my Dark Moon, I struggle quite a bit for the remainder of that particular cycle – a bit of a conflicting difficulty in our contemporary culture – but even just going to bed earlier, being more mindful with your body, and reducing vigorous workouts (unless you find them helpful) are all simple starting points. When sitting in stillness during this phase (if we can) we open ourselves up to true presence and for intuition to flow. Increasing our intake of key nutrients like magnesium and iron at this time also help to top-up what is lost through bleeding.

Cervix: Soft and high

Fluid: Blood

Season: Winter

Element: Water

Archetypes: Wise Woman and Midwife

Ruling Goddess/Rose Lineage Guides: Hecate/Mother Anna (Wise Woman) or Mary Magdalene (keeper of the feminine mysteries)

Tarot Card: Death

Energy: Yin (inward)

Key Themes: Retreat, rest, receptivity, surrender, nourishment, dreaming, and incubation

Journal Prompt: What am I ready to let go of? What can I release from the last cycle that does not serve me in the future? What are my deepest, darkest desires?

New to Waxing Moon

Follicular (Pre-Ovulation): Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) stimulates the development of immature follicles on the ovaries, these developing follicles then cause Estrogen to rise. Just as a New Moon calls for new beginnings, and a Waxing Moon inspires, we often arrive in this next phase feeling refreshed, energised and playful. It is however important to be mindful to pace ourselves so we don’t burn out too quickly, we may have left the cave of menstruation but our bodies may still be feeling sensitive.

Cervix: Firm and low

Fluid: Predominantly baseline/none, or start of fertile fluid

Season: Spring

Element: Earth

Archetypes: Maiden

Ruling Goddess/Rose Lineage Guide: Brigid/Sar'h Tamar

Tarot Card: The Fool

Energy: Yang (outward)

Key Themes: Rising energy, potential, inspiration, planning, activating, experimentation, and play

Journal Prompt: What dreams and aspirations do I possess that I can start planting seeds for? Are my actions aligned to my purpose? Am I ready to try something new, if so what?

Full Moon

Ovulation: Once Estrogen peaks, the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surges to propel an egg out of its follicular sac ready for potential fertilisation. Traditionally, before the use of electricity and mobile phones, women always ovulated on the Full Moon, the increase in light in the night sky caused an activating hormonal response in their bodies. Today, while ovulation is still associated with a Full Moon, not everyone will still naturally ovulate on it. Ovulation is often the time in our cycle where we feel the sexiest, are keen to socialise, and possess the most confidence. Equally, with the dominating Estrogen, the Full Moon ovulatory phase may be challenging to those with Endometriosis due to the close correlation between high Estrogen levels and Endo deposits. Cramps and bloating maybe prevalent, and despite the outward nature of ovulation, pain may still hold us back. For others who suffer with anxiety, this phase is also likely to easily overwhelm due to the surge in hormones.

Cervix: Soft and high

Fluid: Peak fertile fluid (slippery and can resemble egg white, produced by cervical crypts to house and keep sperm alive)

Season: Summer

Element: Fire

Archetypes: Lover and Mother

Ruling Goddess/Rose Lineage Guides: Aphrodite/Mary Magdalene (Lover)/Mother Mary (Mother)

Tarot Card: The Empress

Energy: Yang (outward)

Key Themes: Celebration, gratitude, fulfilment, sensuality, pleasure, confidence, and self-expression

Journal Prompt: What can I celebrate and what am I grateful for? What makes me blossom and glow? Am I comfortable in expressing my true self, if not what blocks may I need to work through?

*For those tracking their Basal Body Temperature, this should increase post ovulation.

Waning Moon

Luteal and Ischemic (Pre-Menstrual): Once the egg is released, the sac containing the mature egg (the corpus luteum) begins to produce Progesterone, which builds the uterine lining ready for possible fertilisation and pregnancy. Plus, our immune system suppresses itself so the body doesn’t reject the egg implantation. This Waning Moon, Progesterone-dominant phase often brings a number of far-ranging pre-menstrual symptoms that we are often quickly placed on contraception to 'control', yet these are usually our body’s way of highlighting hormonal imbalances and often hormonal replacement masks rather than cures. A key example would be low Progesterone in relation to Estrogen, even without something like Endometriosis, if you experience high Estrogen it is likely you may have low Progesterone in relation to it. During this phase you may also feel as though a veil has been lifted, possess a short fuse, get easily agitated, or feel more called to speak your truth. Again, while we often put this down to 'PMS', it is usually our body’s way of telling us what isn’t working in our lives.

Cervix: Firm and low

Fluid: Baseline/none, potentially also some luteal fluid (luteal fluid plug created by cervical crypts to stop sperm and pathogens from entering uterus, and protect a potential pregnancy whether fertilisation has occurred or not)

Season: Autumn

Element: Air

Archetypes: Witch and Priestess

Ruling Goddess/Rose Lineage Guide: Cerridwen/Mary Magdalene

Tarot Card: The High Priestess

Energy: Yin (inward)

Key Themes: Awakening, integration, boundaries, truth, clarity, alchemy, and transformation

Journal Prompt: What is simmering up to the surface for me to take note of? What is ready to be alchemised and transformed? How have I been using my energy and setting boundaries in my life?

*For those tracking their Basal Body Temperature, this should drop as menstruation begins the cycle again.

Photo credit: Monika Kozub on Unsplash.