Modern Moon Cycles
There is nothing about our modern, Western, late-capitalist society that supports women (peoples with uteruses) during their bleeding time. Or any other time, really.
That’s it. That’s the whole blog.
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(Maybe there’s a bit more I want to say.)
For well over a decade I’ve taught a course called “Moon Rhythms”. It’s a beginner-friendly, foundational class that comprehensively explains why understanding nature’s rhythms, your body’s rhythms, and manmade/ artificial rhythms is paramount if you want to have any semblance of a meaningful or fruitful spiritual practice.
For well over a decade I’ve heeded my own teachings and honored my own cycles, specifically, resting when I was menstruating—until two years ago, when I took on a “part”-time job that quickly devoured the majority of my time, and bullied me into ignoring my personal rhythms. Deadlines, schedules, and upper-management expectations took precedence over my own needs. Sound familiar? It didn’t matter how well I ate, how hydrated I was, how frequently I moved my body, how often I sat at my altar, or how early I went to bed: I was exhausted, depleted, disconnected, and lacking.
Miraculously(?) I was fired this past September.
I vowed to myself that I would slow down, listen to my body, and rediscover my rhythm. The first day I bled after no longer being outwardly employed, I took the day off. And the day after that. And the day after that. I slept in, waking with the sunshine when my body told me it had had its fill of slumber. I prepared nourishing broths for myself, and I rested. Deeply. I walked my Woods. I turned inward, honoring the intense energetic, spiritual, emotional, psychological, and (of course) physical work that my body was doing. That first cycle was more gentle and milder than any the past two years.
And I thought, “Eh. Maybe it’s a fluke”. (I knew it wasn’t.)
November rolled in, blustery and brazen, in all its chartreuse glory, and so did my next cycle—not blustery or brazenly, though… it was quiet as a lamb: gentle, mild, kind. This time, in anticipation, I’d blocked my schedule off for its first three days. December has further proven that this is no mere coincidence. It’s confirmed what I’ve known all along: that what I’ve been teaching WITH MY WHOLE CHEST is indeed rooted in deep, measurable wisdom: Women are meant to honor their bodies and their rhythms.
I recognize my privilege. I own my small business, I work from home, and have an exceedingly flexible schedule. I can carve out time to rest far, far more easily than the majority of western women are able to do. I know this, and I am grateful every day that I have been able to create this for myself; however, I’m not “more deserving” of this perceived luxury than others: you deserve this way of living, too. It’s possible, to varying degrees—and I teach “how” in the Moon Rhythms course.
Our patriarchal society and our hustle-culture are neither aligned with, nor supportive of, women’s bodies. It is achingly unfortunate—and absolutely intentional. Women who are well rested, nurtured and nourished, are powerful beyond measure. Women who are pushed beyond their means, (stretched too) thin, and deprived of comfort and care, are… not powerful. Not powerful women are easier to “manage”. They’re easier to manipulate. Easier to exploit. Regaining your power starts with remembering and honoring who you innately are. Realigning with your cycle and rhythms takes intentionality, and mindfulness, and a lot of trust.
As I rebuild my business, rooting down to further stabilize it, while simultaneously reaching for the stars, I have to trust that taking multiple “work days” off every month isn’t going to be detrimental to my growth—AND that it doesn’t mean I have to play catch-up the moment the bleeding stops, rushing back into the hustle. This type of trust is about alignment, not algorithms. Grace, not grinding. It’s about alignment, not hustling. If ever there were a “perfect” time to start to listen to your body more closely, it’s now. In these dark months, we’re already craving rest, and quiet, and introspection. What would happen if you surrendered to these dark tides, and allowed the cadence of their ebb and flow to wash over you, stirring your own rhythms to course through, making their presence known?
Winter corresponds with midnight, and specifically the Dark Moon.
This lunar phase lasts a singular night—the eve of the New Moon, (when a new lunar cycle begins). For those who menstruate: the first day of your cycle aligns with the New Moon, it is a Beginning. For most, the night/day beforehand is energetically “heavy” and introspective—just like the Dark Moon. Just like Winter. Our emotions are heightened, we are brimful with life-blood, anticipating the next day’s releasing flow. The Dark Moon is the only lunar phase where Moon isn’t reflecting Sun. She is solely herself. She is POWERFUL. As we approach the Winter Solstice, I invite you to ruminate on that Power. The Power of being wholly, and solely yourself. Autonomous. Un-beholden. Heavy with magic and energy. Vibrantly aware of the life-blood that ebbs and flows in your womb, in your Cauldron… and think long and hard about what you’d be capable of if you fully reclaimed, and honored that ancient power.
