The oldest calendar is a moon calendar – a 28 day cycle carved on to a bone believed to be 20,000 years old and was discovered in the democratic Republic of Congo. What else has a 28 day cycle? A woman’s monthly ovulation and bleed cycle. This demonstrates how our oldest cultures honoured the moon and the female cycle and the the foundation of understanding time was female.
Tracking your cycle and tracking the moon is one of the easiest ways to sync with your own body-nature, and the wisdom of Nature in the earth, moon and sun. It can be a reclamation of the power of your nature, the wisdom of the womb and the beauty of the body.
Like the moon our cycle has two halves. The growing half (waxing) and the shedding half (waning). From first blood to ovulation the energy of the womb is expansive and outward, from ovulation to bleed the energy is inward and releasing.
The moon has a waxing phase where it goes from the dark moon here we cannot see her to the full moon where we see her most fully. She then begins her journey of releasing where her light outward energy begins to come into darkness until she is in her complete inward expression of the new moon.
One of the biggest myths of the patriarchy is that women can operate like men and that we should be productive to the same level each day of the month. This is hugely destructive to women’s health. I believe this great disconnect from women’s health and wellbeing is mirrored in the way we as people have extreme imbalance with our relationship with the earth and nature. Polluted air, deforestation, desertification, water ways full of plastic. There is a total lack of understanding that we are all part of the same existence.
One huge sacred act of liberation is to incrementally take back your power by resting in the days that precede your bleed and your first two days of your bleed. To honour your capacity and need for rest removes you from the paradigm of over productivity.
The postpartum period is a 40 day rest period that has been honoured by all cultures around the world, the whole notion of bouncing back after giving birth does a monumental disservice to humanity.
In many ancient cultures around the world, women were/are given permission to rest during their bleed and do not need to participate in the usual work duties or go to temple. The bleed time is naturally a purification, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When this is honoured with reverence allows a woman to go into deeper states of inner connection and intuition and deep guidance.
The red tent comes from a time for women to rest and journey inward to connect to the wisdom of her womb, for intention setting for the next creative cycle. This is a practice for the woman, her family and for the community.
However in the growing phase of the month, follicular phase there is increased energy, peaking at ovulation. Equally being conscious of the summer of your cycle when your energy is most in its outward expression, is a great time to socialise more, to do presentations, push through at the gym or put yourself ‘out there’ whatever that means for you.
MOON Cycles and Seasons – Divine Feminine
Being conscious of your relationship to the moon, and your relationship to your body and the womb is a beautiful way to bring the sacred into everyday life as a mother/parent. Simple practices for honouring the moon (it doesn’t need to be a big pooja) can be a beautiful thing to do with your child or children.
IDEAS
- Light a red candle on the new moon and set intentions for the month (for extra deliciousness you can look at the astro sign of the moon and your astro-house that corresponds to that sign for each new moon so you know what kind of intentions are going to be optimal to manifest – this idea comes from Yasmin Bolland astrologer behind moonology, check her out.)
This meditation by my teacher Shakti Durga is great for manifesting and intention setting at the new moon
- Light a white candle and think about what you need to forgive yourself for, or who you need to forgive this month.
This song is a beautiful song to set yourself free at the full moon
- Resolving Conflict meditation by shakti durga can be used at the full moon (or any time when experiencing conflict) https://open.spotify.com/track/2lvyHVy2yQapc1dTaaALIU?si=393be9878aa54de1
- Tell your child or children (and anyone else you live or work with) when you have your bleed time, and speak into reality your need for more rest.
- Wear a belt or scarf around your waist for your bleed time to give extra support to your body during this time.
- Every full moon I host a fire ceremony in Brighton check out my events page for more details of the next one.