Dancing With The Moon

Are your moods predictable?

How about your sleepless nights? Fearless moments? Bashful bouts? “I don’t know what came over me!” we often exclaim, and usually we really don’t have a clue.

Enters the Moon…

Waxing and waning, the moon’s absolute predictable rhythm is change: two weeks of waxing followed by two weeks of waning, and round again… the moon’s movement is constant. Imperceptible at times, the moon’s expansion or contraction takes place continually, moment to moment.

Like the oceans, we are susceptible to the ebbs and flows of the moon, being physically comprised of 75% water, and having a menstrual cycle identical in length to the moon’s cycle around the Earth (both average 29.5 days).

We can live our lives oblivious to the tag of the moon, or in harmony with it. Given the predominant collective feeling of lack of order in an unpredictable world, what would it mean to live in harmony with the moon?

Start by observing.

Watch the sky tonight and see where the moon is. If you can cup it with your right hand it is waxing. With your left – waning. Start observing your mood today; Your ability to sleep; Your level of energy; Your needs; The phase of your menstrual cycle (premenstrual, menstruation, post menstruation, ovulation). You may want to keep a journal in which you track your observations over a few full moon-cycles. Pay attention and journal about the varying impressions, dreams, tempers, and frames of mind, as you and the moon cycle around. Don’t try to interpret anything yet. Rather, observe the phases of your inner landscape, those of the moon, and the correlation between them.

You are ready to play detective when you have observed yourself for a few cycles! Read your notes and start putting your inner jigsaw puzzle together: Do you see a pattern emerging? What were your moods, dreams, and needs during the expansion of the moon? Around the full moon? Through the waning phase? During the dark of the moon? What menstrual phase corresponded to each? I generally find that I am much more inclined to hibernate during the waning phase (typically before and during my menstrual flow) and feel expansive and social during the waxing one (typically post menstrual and ovulation phases).

Having mapped out the terrain – you can start dancing with it! Take into account the phases of the moon, and of your menstrual cycle, when you plan your activities. Where would you put your stuff meetings? Your vacation? A party? A meeting with your boss? An intimate conversation with your mate about where your relationship is heading? A retreat? Creative time? There are endless possibilities of weaving your activities to match your moods and needs during different phases of your cycle. You can take this a step further and match the color and feel of clothing or jewelery with your moods and needs in each of your cyclical phases.

Plan as you may, the unpredictability of life tend to pop up, regardless… There is no need to panic. If life throws you a curve ball, start by breathing, grounding, and asking yourself which phase are you and the moon going through right now? I find that an unpleasant surprise throws me into a downward spiral if I am in an inward phase (waning moon or menstruation) whereas I can easily take the same incident with a sense of humor and poise if I’m in an expanding time of my cycle.

Though life’s curved balls are unpredictable, it helps to know why we are reacting the way we do. We can give ourselves some slack, and be more compassionate with ourselves and others, when we have a deeper understanding of our inner workings as cyclical beings.

When you know yourself deeply, and honor your undulating monthly needs, you start dancing your own rhythms to your own drum!

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© 2012 DeAnna L’am, All Rights Reserved