About 2 months ago I finally got a diagnosis for my daily struggle with pelvic pain: I have Endometriosis.
From this moment, I started to take a much closer look over the different fluctuating states my body and mind were going through each month. Learning about the menstrual cycle led me to find out the magic synchrony between our period and the moon, a few weeks back.
Men’s hormonal cycle is based on a 24 hours window, also called the circadian rhythm. We, women have our hormonal cycle based on a monthly window, the infradian rhythm, lasting for about 28-29 days. That’s why it’s often said that men are in sync with the sun cycle, and women are in sync with the moon cycle.
The biological menstrual cycle
The feminine cycle is fascinating and beautiful. Over the course of a month, a women goes through 4 different phases. Those phases highly influence her energy levels, but also her social needs, and her spiritual growth.
The first phase is the FOLLICULAR PHASE, the brain’s pituitary gland releases a hormone stimulating the follicle, which is holding an immature egg.
The second phase is the OVULATORY PHASE. This phase is considered the second half of a cycle and occurs about 13-15 days before the start of the next period. An egg is released from the ovaries into the fallopian tube. At this point, progesterone (hormone that prepares the body for pregnancy, its role is to create the ideal environment for a fertilised egg) levels are going through fluctuations as oestrogen (the powerhouse hormone of women, this hormone regulates baby making, bone health, mood, boobs, heart…) levels are rising up.
Then the third phase is the LUTEAL PHASE, testosterone (hormone increasing sex drive, influencing energy and muscle building) as well as progesterone, and oestrogen are at their peak levels. They are working together to rebuild the uterine lining. Ostrogen thickens the uterine lining, and progesterone keeps the uterine lining in place.
Last phase is the MENSTRUAL PHASE. It begins at the first day of your cycle. It is in this phase that the body sheds the uterine lining. Of course, everyone experiences their flow differently.
The relation between your period and the moon
The moon also goes through 4 different cycles over the course of a month:
• Waxing moon
• Full moon
• Waning moon
• New moon
Each phase of your menstrual cycle can be associated with the energy of the moon. Your hormonal cycle is always syncing with the moon. When you start to analyse it through a lunar perspective, you can learn A LOT about your inner self. What is so interesting is that, since each women is different, and has her cycle starting at a different time of the month compared to others, it also means that each women’s hormonal phase is corresponding to a different phase of the moon.
In other words, some women will be ovulating during the full moon and others during the new moon or the waning moon. And this, is saying a lot about you.
Getting to know what is YOUR moon cycle, will teach you about your personality and where you’re currently at in life. Without further ado, let’s dive into the most exciting part: discovering what is your moon cycle and how it influences both your biology, and your mental state.
Discovering what is your moon cycle
DISCLAIMER: The following analysis isn’t valid for women under birth control.
There are 2 main “moon menstrual” cycles : the white moon and the red moon. But some women don’t align with any of these two, that’s why there are also those two other cycles: the pink moon and the purple moon.
Whether you use a journal or an app to track your menstruations, it’s time to have a look at your period tracking calendar. I personally use the AWESOME app called “Stardust” to do that. To me, the best lunar period tracking app out there.
You’ll also need to have a look at this kind of moon calendar ➪ https://www.calendar-12.com/moon_calendar/2021/july
If you follow the White moon cycle, you ovulate with the full moon and bleed with the new moon.
When following the Red moon cycle, you bleed with the full moon and ovulate with the new moon.
If your cycle is the Purple moon cycle, you bleed with the waning moon.
The Pink moon cycle means that you bleed with the waxing moon.
• WHITE MOON CYCLE (bleeding on new moon): the New Moon is viewed as a time of reflection and introspection. Women who have their periods around the new moon, have historically been linked to having strong intuition. They also have the urge to withdraw from the world in order to recharge their energies during their period. At this point, it’s really important for them to focus on themselves and their needs.
If this is your cycle, you follow the natural cycles of the earth. Your body and spirit withdraw into rest and inward focus when the moon goes dark, and when the moon is full and bright, so are you. The white moon cycle is ancestrally linked with fertility and motherhood. It is associated with women who are in the “mothering phase” of life.
• RED MOON CYCLE (bleeding on full moon): The Full Moon is viewed as a time of outgoing, vibrant and creative energies. In ancient times, women who had their period around the full moon, were associated with shamanism and healers. This is often referred as the “wise women’s cycle”. A woman synced to this cycle is admittedly highly connected to her inner world, but she also has a strong desire to lead and teach others.
Bleeding with the full moon means these women have a deep connection to their darker side and they feel comfortable holding space for others to sit there. It is part of their journey to embrace their shadow side.
• PURPLE MOON CYCLE (bleeding on waning moon). The Waning Moon occurs when the moon moves from brightness to darkness. If this is you, you might not be in a place where you feel ready to come out and show yourself. This cycle is a transitional phase where women find themselves doing deep inner reflection and focus their energy on healing. They have a heightened intuition and their psychic abilities allow them to know in what direction they should put their energy.
If you recently shifted to this cycle, it probably means that rest is needed. Allow yourself to slow down.
• PINK MOON CYCLE (bleeding on waxing moon). The waxing moon occurs when the moon moves from darkness to light. This cycle is associated with women who are expanding their power after a time of deep reflection and integration. If this is you, you are moving toward wholeness and strength.
You have grown so much from slowing down, use this cycle to move yourself in the direction of your dreams. This is a sign that you are ready.
Tuning in with the moon is very powerful
Over centuries women have been looking at that little disc in the sky to grow a real symbolism around it.
The buddha had his most important enlightenments on the day of the full moon. Saint Augustine wrote that “The moon is born every month, increases, is perfected, diminishes, is consumed, is renewed.”
Doesn’t it sound like us, powerful women?
Of course, using the moon to deeply understand our body and spirit takes time. But you’ll learn so, so much along the way. If you’re just starting out, allow about 2 months of moon tracking to see alignement within your hormonal cycle.
I highly recommend using the Stardust app. Nope, no sponsor here. But I fell in love with the accuracy and creativity of the insights it gives me everyday.
And you, what is YOUR current moon cycle?
♥