Our female bodies mirror the cycles of the natural world.
Like the moon, women have distinct phases.
We wax and wane from light to darkness, from the fullness and fertility of the follicular phase to the withdrawn interiority of the luteal phase.
Respecting and flowing with the movements of our own menstrual-moon cycles aligns us with the natural wisdom inherent in our bodies.
Regardless of how your menstrual cycle aligns with the moon in the sky—whether you bleed with the new moon, the full moon, or somewhere in between—you can use the symbol of the moon to help you understand your own emotional, physical, and spiritual ebbs and flows.
I’ve created a series of meditations for each phase of the menstrual-moon cycle that will help you connect the moon with your own cycle.
Working with the New Moon:
The Wise Woman
The dark of the new moon symbolizes the quiet, internal menstruation phase of your cycle, the phase of the wise woman.
The energy of our bleeding time is intuitive and deeply spiritual. During this phase our awareness is heightened. We’re more attuned to the spiritual than the physical realm, so time spent in retreat from the demands of everyday life can provide transformational wisdom
Practice extreme graciousness with your body and your heart during menstruation. Carve out time to be still, listen, realign your perspective, and receive guidance for the month ahead. It can be challenging to make space for this kind of stillness—most of us are overrun with obligations that don’t have a pause button—but even half an hour of conscious connection with your inner self during during your period can open you to deep emotional release and spiritual renewal.
The New Moon meditation will help you:
- Connect with your Wise Woman self
- Facilitate introspection
- Allow you to trust any spiritual insights you receive during this time
- Feel safe when moving through any emotional release that will help you in your next phase
- Understand how you can make rest a priority – finding the time for prayer, meditation, or day-dreaming
Working with The Crescent Moon:
The Maiden
The crescent moon symbolizes the energy of the Maiden, the pre-ovulation phase that brings you new enthusiasm, mental clarity and physical vigor.
The Maiden brings out your get-up-and-go energy, and you’ll find yourself ready to take on new ventures, outline goals, and develop new ideas. The energy right after we bleed is all about rebirth, new enthusiasm, mental clarity and physical vitality. It’s an ideal time to repeat positive affirmations and plan for the future you desire. In the Maiden phase, anything is possible!
The Crescent Moon Meditation will help you:
- Connect to your Maiden Self
- Tap into your enthusiasm and help you to focus on executing your goals
- Clear out old beliefs that aren’t serving you so you can take your best step forward
- Tackle your organization and to-do list – and have FUN doing it
- Give yourself permission to go after something you’ve always wanted to try
Working with the Full Moon:
The Mother
Ovulation ushers in the nurturing and supportive energy of the mother, bright and fertile as the full moon.
The hormones that peak in the body at ovulation create the perfect environment not only for the support of a fertilized egg but for the nourishment of our dreams, ideas and goals, our “creative children.”
This is a time of full creative expression, when we’re most capable of nurturing ourselves, our loved ones, and our deepest desires.
Our energy has shifted from a mental focus to a strong emotional focus. This is the time to reach out, to bond, to discuss problems, to nurture your relationships, and to reconnect on the deepest emotional levels.
The Full Moon Meditation Will Help You:
- Connect with the energy of the Mother who is ripe with fertility for babies OR new ideas
- Identify what YOU need during this time to really nurture yourself and feel fulfilled
- Know how to reach out in those relationships where you desire more connection
- Discover what activities best fuel connection for you – planning a date night, hosting a dinner party, or simply reaching out and expressing love
Working with the Waning Moon:
The Enchantress
Once the crescendo of the full moon is reached, its appearance and its energy begin to withdraw. Farmers and gardeners consider this period the ideal time to weed, prune, and harvest.
For us as women, our personal waning moon after ovulation provides a natural time to turn within and take stock of how you’ve grown during the past cycle— to sift through your experiences, to journal, to discard what no longer serves you. It is said that right before menstruation the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is thinnest.
This pre-menstrual enchantress energy can be emotional, wild, unpredictable, and powerful. As hormones shift in the body with the completion of ovulation and preparation for menstruation, we become more introspective and reflective.
Allow yourself to feel, without judgment, the pain that stays buried the rest of the month. It’s important not to ignore our powerful feelings at this time because they can give insight into the truths we’re unconscious of in the more outward phases of the cycle.
The Waning Moon Meditation will help you
- Connect with your Enchantress self
- Feel more stable and calm during what can often feel like an ungrounding time of your cycle
- Understand how to use intense emotions as indicators for what you need in your life
- Focus on what is truly important to you – giving yourself permission to put your needs first to greater serve others
“Zahra, they are absolutely divine! Thank you for sharing your creations with the world xoxo.”
– Alice
Each meditation is designed to be listened to at each phase of your menstrual cycle—your personal new moon, crescent moon, full moon, and waning moon phase—regardless of what the moon in the sky is doing.