I’ve been thinking a lot about this question lately: When women menstruate with the full moon are their bodies out of rhythm with the natural cycles? This question surfaced for me after reading Pink Elephant’s interview with fellow moon-lover Sherry Rothwell, co-founder of Domestic Divas.
I love everything about what Sherry shares about how we can use the moon phases as a profoundly feminine blueprint for time-management. It’s a piece of wisdom I love to teach too and she frames it in a truly compelling way. I encourage you to read the interview to see what I mean.
In Moon Goddess I call this embodied time-management tool moon cycle charting and I’ve been sharing it with women for a decade. And for a decade I have disagreed with Sherry on one essential point: That women who get their period with the full moon are out of sync with the lunar energies.
Part of the reason I say this is because I know many, many women who start their periods with the full moon rather than the new moon, including me. But the answer that I really love to share with my Moon Goddess students when this question comes up is: There are two traditional patterns women’s cycles can follow – the Red Moon cycle or the White moon cycle.
Download our free at-a-glance PDF to see the Red Moon vs. White Moon cycle.
You won’t find a lot of literature about women who cycle with the Red Moon. My guess is that’s because of what menstruating with the full moon represented in the past. According to Miranda Gray, this cycle was linked to the archetype of the seductress, the enchantress and the woman who knew how to wield healing power and magic. This was the kind of woman whose sexuality was applied to something ‘other than’ the formation of the next generation. She was considered by our patriarchal ancestors to be the ‘evil woman.’
In truth, the Red Moon cycle belonged to the medicine women, to the midwives, the magic-makers and the wisdom keepers of the community. These women were not focusing their feminine energies to give birth to children. Rather their energy was used to empower other women and their communities. 
The first time I read Miranda’s book Red Moon this idea really resonated with me. I saw myself as the healer-woman. The woman who dives deep into her depths to develop her self-awareness and then turns her energy out to help the world. I remembered my Great-Grandmother who was a medicine woman and a midwife. And I had a profound aha-moment. That’s why all my Dad’s brothers and sisters called me dadi-ma growing up! They saw me as their grandmother in more ways than they realized. Now I see too, because the Red Moon cycle is also known as the ‘Wise woman’s cycle.’ When a woman ovulates with the full moon her body is following the White Moon cycle. Her body acts as a perfect mirror for the fertility of the earth since the earth herself is most fertile under the light of the full moon. We know this because of bio-dynamic farming practices, which show us that when seeds are planted by the full moon, harvests are most abundant. The White Moon cycle represents the fertile power of women and was considered the cycle of the ‘good mother.’ These women were the ones who were celebrated in patriarchal times under the full moon fires with ceremony and fertility rites.
For me it’s very important to emphasize, whether you tend to menstruate with the full moon or new moon, that both cycles are expressions of the feminine energies and neither is more powerful or more “right” than the other. Instead, they each have their unique role to play in your life as a woman. If your body follows the White Moon cycle you might ask yourself – Are you desiring children? Do you spend a lot of time ‘mothering?’ If you said yes, that’s lovely. Your body is in harmonious balance with the natural fertility of the earth.
If you’re experiencing the opposite cycle where you ovulate at the dark moon and menstruate at the full moon I wonder – Do you desire self- exploration and self-expression? Has your role of mothering children completed? Or is it a role you’re postponing for the future or not planning on at all?
Miranda Gray says, “A woman with the White Moon cycle, bleeding with the dark (new) Moon, becomes linked to the deepest levels of her awareness, reminding her that there exists more than just the world she sees, because she is the carrier of the seed of life. A woman with a Red Moon cycle, bleeding with the full moon, brings the energies and mysteries of her inner darkness out into the world around her as a gift and an offering of the depths of her learning.” Just beautiful isn’t it?
I’d also love you to know that our cycle has a tendency to change along with our life circumstances, emotions, ambitions and goals. I imagine that when I get married and start to plan for a family, my cycle will shift orientation to reflect the change of focus in my life. I don’t believe I’ll need to ‘do’ anything differently to make it happen.
What about you? Do you follow the Red Moon or the White Moon cycle? Do you feel a connection with the woman who is using her body’s gifts to serve the world or her family? Tell us your thoughts below…we’d be so happy to know!
==>>If you’re trying to conceive on the Red Moon Cycle, make sure to read: How to get pregnant when your period lands on the full moon instead of the new moon.
I truly loved this article. My cycle is on the Red Moon, it’s switched over the years. I understand that this is a time of my life where I am in healer woman.. I agree with you Zahra, this will change once I want to start a family with the right lover. Thank you for this, I think it has clarified many points for women not only in canada, but also.. here in Peru. I keep getting questions about it on my inbox 🙂 How lovely! I will link them to you 🙂
So lovely Alex! Those women in Peru they are lucky to have you amongst them and yes link away. I love building bridges across countries, cultures and continents 🙂
Wow, I’m blown away! I’ve long bled under the full moon…then, three years ago as I prepared to try to get pregnant, my cycle slowly flipped and I began bleeding with the new moon. Now my daughter is 22 months old and when my bleeding returned at six months postpartum, I resumed my old cycle of full moon bleeding. I have wanted to research this…thank you for such a rich article. You make me feel even more attuned to my magic self!
Heather I am wowed by your response! How miraculous to know that your body so beautifully changed course for your baby to come into the world and then changed back to the Red Moon cycle as a reflection of your inner goddess self. I’m curious if you resonate with the “healer woman” archetype that Alex named in her response? I’m seeing a pattern here!
I have also had a Red Moon cycle. Two months before a got pregnant it shifted, 6 months post partum it came back still white. When I got over my post partum depression the red cycle came back. When I got a baby cat the cycle shifted again, when my grandmother died I got to be white again. So I thibk it is related to the caregiver in me. As the red cycle is manifested the rest of the time. It’s amassing !
Dear Zahra,
The Mooncharting class I took with you here in Dubai earlier this year truly awakened my awareness and understanding about the power available to me during each phase of the menstrual cycle.
Your comments on the Red Moon provide even deeper understanding on the intrinsic wisdom of our bodies. For several months, I have been on the Red Moon cycle and wondering the very same thing. With the phase of my life as a healing facilitator coming into full bloom, I now understand even better why my body has moved into Red Moon and can tap into that wisdom even more.
Thank you for the knowledge and understanding that you share with your community of women. We hope to see you in Dubai soon!
Beautiful Aspen! Wow, wow, wow. I am so happy to know that you’re blossoming as a Gong Facilitator and that your cycle is reflecting this change in your consciousness right back to you. I’ll never forget the gong healing I received at your Gong House. I felt so loved, supported, cared for and met. You are a gift. I think about coming back to Dubai often to be with you and your wonderful community of friends and healers. Can’t wait for it to manifest. Love to you dear goddess!
Zahra, yes! I deeply identify with healer/medicine woman archetype.
Dear Zahra,
I’m sitting this morning in a café in Warsaw, and I finally got to reading your article (clearly written for women!) about periods being aligned with full or new moon cycles. And I must say that even though it obviously isn’t directly relevant to me at all, I really like your writing — the way you present the material, the arguments you use, etc. With girlfriends I’ve had in the past I myself have often noticed the relationship of their periods to the moon phase — often when they themselves have not even really noticed the synchronization. But I’ve used the connection only as my own way of reminding myself where they were in their cycle, and didn’t think about attributing more significance to what phase they were aligned with. So I have to say now that I find even the content fascinating. (Even as a man of course I have my own sense of connection with the moon, as well as with the sun).
love, Arnold
I loved your article. It makes so much sense. I used to be on the white moon cycle when i was 20 year old, i was a young-in love woman. I had a serious relationship and wanted to have my baby and family. Then time changed my situation and desires changed over series of events. I am 27 years old now and I see my life in a very harmonous supporting “wise woman” role. This is what people see out standing in me. I always wondered this last year how my body knows the full moon! I have a nice red moon cycle that some times even surperises me. Your article deeply connects to me and reads to my life Thank you!
Incredible ! You just put into words what I feel everyday – to be a woman not in the “classical” sense, an outsider who doesn’t work as a “normal” and “acceptable” woman would do…
I’m Red Moon cycle, I’ve always been, and I’m clearly one who works in herself and then turns to the outside. And I’m not really considering children and giving birth^^ I deeply respect this image of the woman, but it’s absolutely not me…
Thanks for this enlightment !
This is wonderful! It truly resonates with what’s happening for me and my menstrual cycles. I very much adore and I’m into the moon energy and do try follow what’s in it and how it affects our life on Earth.
At present I started bleeding yesterday and today is the real full blown out first day, and full moon starts tomorrow even though we know energies affect a few days before.
In addition for your research purposes, I identify myself at present with the Red Moon’s lifestyle of bringing higher consciousness into the world. I’m sure in the future I’ll find a way to blend the white and red moon. Perhaps it may be purple moon for me 😉
Blessings, love and light to you all!
thank you so much for sharing this! my entire adult life i have 30 day-ish cycles, and bleed right around the full moon… in this time my focus has been on being a healer, teacher and musician. then a few months ago i became very clear that i was ready to be a mother… my next three cycles were 60 days, 60 days, 45 days and this last period came a few days before and ended today – on the new moon. love having such a beautiful clear context for what i was trusting anyway. keep up the inspiring writing!
What time of full moon plz tell me I am trying to get pregnant from 4 yrs but still not convinced plz help me
For many many years I have noticed my periods always came on a full moon. I had difficulty getting pregnant with my partner and wondered if it was because of this fact. I thought my cycle was all wrong having read that I should be ovulating on a full moon. I gave birth to twins with IVF a few years ago and as soon as my periods returned it once again on a full moon. I have never managed to ovulate on a full moon despite my desire for children. The archetype of the red moon woman does fit me perfectly. My children coming onto my life has made me a stronger red moon woman than ever although I am devoted to caring for them on a full time basis . Thank you for your article it was insightful!
wow, this has blown me away. I have had some odd experiences lately and have noticed that the first day of my period for around 3 months now has been on the day of a full moon, the latest just yesterday came so sudden and without the usual warning signs, it was so powerful (not to mention extremely painful) although strangely enough I have through my own meditations and rituals been trying to bring about positive changes in my own life recently so perhaps this means that things may be starting to come to fruition?
Oh yes Rachel sounds like a powerful shift in your life is taking root and being reflected back to you through your body and your menstrual rhythm with the full moon – how beautiful! I got mine yesterday too and I really felt the intensity of starting my period in sync with the full moon because I’ve been menstruating with the new moon for the last few months it felt significantly more intense both physically and emotionally.
This article was most informative. I started my period for the first time this year the very moment that I woke up on January 1, 2013. It also happened to be just coming out of the full moon. This month it was the same. The reasoning behind bleeding on the Red Moon cycle makes so much sense in my particular life phase, it is just amazing. I am just so pleased that women have this ability. Our connection to the moon is endlessly fascinating.
Thank you for posting this , I have been learning about the different energies and moon phases and felt that because I always bled at full moon that I was in direct opposition to the natural energies, however now hearing about the red moon, it all makes sense. It makes sense with the control cycle of five elements too, the bleeding stage is water/ wisdom, where as the ovulation is fire, insight communion, therefore by bleeding at full moon or ovulating at new moon you are joining the two, or harmonising water and fire.
This is so interesting to me. Last year my periods usually came around the full moon time (and they have done so for most of the time I’ve been menstruating) and it makes sense to me-I’ve long been considered to be the ‘witch’ or the ‘other’ by both friends and family. It’s something that I’ve wanted and embraced, and last year I spent quite some time working on my inner self, working with magick, studying magick, looking for answers in the dark and now reading this I see that it was likely projected through my cycles. Now in 2013, I’ve been noticing that I’m starting to bleed a day or so before the New Moon, and it doesn’t surprise me as much as it should because I’ve been making major changes in my life. I’m trying to move out of my family home and become independent, and I’ve been observing my cousins with their babies and holding and playing with them. Thoughts of ‘settling’ have been much on my mind. It’s a joyful thing, but I am by no means ready to be a mother-and I’m not sure that I ever will be. I think that my cycle is changing because my outlook is shifting towards exterior things, and I’m not as focused on my inner-self. My ‘witchy’ and ‘wise-woman’ self has also taken a backseat due to my life changes. I think this is why my cycle is re-adjusting, but I hope that once I’m moved into my own home and have more privacy to continue my studies and magickal workings in peace, my usual ‘Red Moon’ cycle will return. I sincerely hope it does. I’ve also noticed that in the three months my cycle has switched over to the ‘White Moon’, my periods have been much more painful and heavier than they usually are.
This is interesting stuff! Great article!
This is so crazy!!….In a good way of course 😀
I recently noticed that my cycle shifted from the full moon the new moon and was wondering why? Low and behold it lead me here. Being the skeptic that I am, I pulled up the lunar chart from July 2010 when I conceived my daugter and BOOM….everything was accurate. I had my cycle on the new moon and got pregnant hours before the full moon. It is amazing how many things we just don’t know. Thanks for blowing my mind! 😀
I had a question about my moon cycle and thought “it use to flow on the new moon but now it is the full.” I am glad to hear it more about the inner journey and tapping into my healing gift. Thank you!
Thanks so much for this article! I’ve been wondering about the difference for a while and at times felt like I needed to introspect to see why I was ‘out of sync with nature’ since I’ve been getting my period on the Red Moon cycle. I fluctuate however, I guess based on what emotional phase I’m at. What I’m curious about though is how can I further use my period to cultivate, manifest and deepen my awareness of the healer, self-expressive side of my femininity? I see my 5 days each month as a chance to bring attention to myself and tune in…I’d love to know if there are particular ways during this time to tap into and express my healer/magical/seductress side/
http://aspergersgirls.wordpress.com/
I asked Spirit today to explain why I bleed on the full moon. And here I am! Splendid. Makes complete sense to me. Love your energy and your sharing of your truth. Many blessings. xo
Glad to see this out there. My cycle switched years ago and my naturopath called it the crone or wise woman change… Thank you for explaining it further and so beautifully
I loved reading this!
It has only further reaffirmed my own beliefs in the way our cycles react to our own connections with ourselves – as well as our connection to the Earth.
I myself have been recently experiencing dual cycles off and on over the past year, and this I attributed to the fact that I was torn on a number of issues (mostly falling into the self expression, and the desire to start a family) However, as I came to terms with my own desires, my body balanced itself out once more. During times of prolonged crossroads situations where I am unable to decide on one “true” direction, my body shifts again – though really paying attention to such shifts have allowed me to learn a lot about what my body, and what I in turn need.
It’s all connected in a wonderful way – so long as we listen to our bodies we can never truly be lost to our purpose in life. <3
You got it goddess Jesse!
beautiful article! I have been reading up on moon cycles, and tuning in to moon energy on a daily basis, thinking, it would be nice if my cycle would adjust to the new moon. . . what I’ve found is that it has adjusted to the full moon. hmm! makes alot of sense as I am finished having children (though still very much mothering my young son), and have begun a new career as an energy healer. ready to welcome this wise woman phase!
Love it! Thank you for sharing Erin!
Wow! That is really interesting and makes a lot of sense to me. Today happens to be the full moon (thursday) and since I got my period late on Monday night, I was thinking about this subject. I was kind of “patting myself on the back” thinking, ok, I’m getting in tune here. My periods have often been irregular but I’m making some changes and so I felt like it was related to that.
Now I’m thinking (as I too am a sort of “medicine woman”) learning and practicing herbalism, learning and teaching about natural health, natural childbirth etc.; that WOW – I think it has more to do with my inner state at this time. Which is VERY Red Moon! I have no desire right now to have children although I love them and working with them warms up my heart like no other.
I also find a lot of joy in teaching others to be healthier which is a mothering instinct but at the same time I don’t really want kids (right now) or maybe ever.
this article really made me feel better about what my body is telling me both with my menstrual cycle and with my body’s inner knowing and intuition. I’ll continue to follow it. I’ll check out the interview also! Thanks!
Love learning about the power of the moon and this site is great and makes me happy to be a girl!
I’m trying to land my cycle on the new moon but I’m not sure if my cycle should start right on the new moon or just before is fine too?
keep up the powerful work!
Anytime around the new moon is perfect Sashkia!
Thank you for this article. It is very interesting for me to read this. I have been contemplating the idea of having children this year and am regularly unsure. I see now that my red moon cycle is influencing me or I am influencing it! The traits that you talk about are so ingrained in me that I wonder if my purpose is to stay red moon! or is it to discover a new way of being that welcomes the white moon cycle.
Good questions goddess LC! Now that you’re contemplating motherhood, discovering a new way of being that welcomes the white moon cycle is a potent question to ponder!
I have been wondering about this!! Thank you for the article . I was in white moon cycle the. A of
A sudden I was “out of whack” to find myself syncing with the red moon cycle. I would say i like your explanation — quite insightful!
I started mine yesterday ( new moon and new years day) also I'm a Capricorn 🙂 so wonder what that means x
I am a 44 year old mother of 3 grown sons. I have began bleeding with the full moon. So the answer to your questions, "Do you desire self- exploration and self-expression? Has your role of mothering children completed? Or is it a role you’re postponing for the future or not planning on at all?" can somewhat be answered. I am single and I live alone ( I prefer it that way), I am finally pursuing my Bachelor's Degree (this is definitely a form a self-expression) , and yes my role of mothering children is completed (except for grandmothering in the future). I think you have answered a few of my questions with the questions you have presented. I have always been in tune with the Earth and its balance. When the Earth has changed its axis, I can feel it. My life seems more mystical and a little off kilt. I am aware that there is more to life than what I can see from a worldly, earthly perspective. I hope that this admission brings forth some insight to your inquiries.
Interesting. I have two grown sons and I am 52 and am also in sync, bleeding with the full moon.
I quite enjoyed this article. I actually fluctuate through the moons but I have noticed that when I menstruate with the full moon I feel a significant increase in one-ness with the powers that be. So much so that I strive to stay on the full moon, but always gradually drift back to the new moon again. I'm not on any birth control, this is just how my body is. This is actually the first I've come across with positive things to say about new moon menstruations so I'm glad to have a new perspective!
Very interesting and insightful. I’m wondering if there is any correlation between severity of symptoms under New versus Full moon bleeders.
Hi Emma, some way bleeding is made more intense under the full moon. Have you noticed that with your cycle?
Yes, I have been off birth control for about a year and my past 4 periods have started on the full moon. The symptoms of these last 4 periods have been extremely painful to the point where all I want to do is lay in bed. Before I never expereinced cramps likie this.
Emma, many of my Moon Goddess yoga students have reported lighter, less painful periods that align with the new moon and about 50% of them go on to conceive. Have you checked out our fertility yoga program? I recommend you give it a try to alleviate your cramps and help balance out your cycle. Especially since coming off the pill requires your body to adjust to producing your own hormones and ovulating again, since on the pill, your ovulation was suppressed.
I have been trying to get pregnant for a year and bleed with the full moon…does this mean I am destined to be the wise woman and bever a mother? Say it’s not so ????
Of course not Shannon, many women conceive on the new moon – check out my related post on the topic: http://yogagoddess.ca/how-to-conceive-when-your-period-lands-on-the-full-moon-instead-of-the-new-moon/
my period consistently falls around the half moon. i guess i’m just stuck in some sort of feminine-neutral :
Could be you’re more impacted by artificial light Shakari. Try black-out curtains so when you sleep your room is in complete darkness. And during the day, make sure you get at least 30 minutes of direct sunlight, without wearing glasses or contact lenses. Don’t look directly into the sun (that’s not the point), but simply be out without eye wear, so the sunlight has a chance to hit your retina.
You might be very affected by artificial lights Shaktari. I recommend you use blackout curtains and sleep in total darkness. See if your cycle shifts after 3 months.
Thank you for sharing this information, it makes so much sense 🙂 We are Red Moon Cycle women and our energies want to help heal the earth and connect to it however we can 😛
Beautiful! I’m right there with you goddesses 😉
I’ve been noticing a fluctuation lately and have mapped out that my cycles are slowly moving from period on the New moon & ovulating at the Full moon to the opposite. Perhaps your description does not suit everyone as i did a bit of searching and to my surprise found i conceived both my children at the New moon precisely. Is it possible to be in equal balance with both White and Red?
Hi Patricia, absolutely these cycles are just guidelines! Keep in mind the traditional Red and White Moon cycles were based on our only seeing the light of day from the sun and only seeing moonlight at night. Now that we have artificial sources of light all day and night, so not every woman will follow the traditional pattern of cycling.
This was a very interesting article, I have never heard this knowledge about the red moon cycle, very facinating. I have a bit of a question. I started my period last night (today is a tuesday) on my period and the full moon was this past sunday. I am on birth control, been struggling for monthes trying to weigh out if I can actually stop the pills and when to do it. I really want to link up with the moon and ofcourse and most importantly just be regular and balanced after coming off the pill. I calculated out that the next time I would be having my period during the new moon wouldn’t be til this december (it is august now). After reading this article about how some people cycle with the full moon, I just don’t know what to do, I think I am just going to stop taking my pills, and just do all I can to try to balance my hormones to see where I stand after that…I have a couple good books I am going to get and I know the supplement “maca” is suposed to be great for hormone balancing…Just wanted to ask if you have any other advice about going off the pill in relation to balancing and the moon phases. The pill has been good for me ( been on for 5years, no trouble, and I had no problems with my cycle before going on the pill) I jsut want to not supplement synthetic hormones anymore and be more in tune with myself and my own cycle + the earth. Please send me any advice possible if you have it. Thank you for the article. <3 my email: julieannwald@gmail.com
Hi Julie! I know exactly the thing you need. Check out http://www.redtentsisters.com and get the Ditch the Pill report. You would also really benefit from the hormone balancing and fertility enhancing yoga & meditation practice Moon Goddess – http://www.yogagoddess.ca/moongoddess – enjoy!
Hi!
Thank you for your response, and the good info…I have heard one other recoomendation for the redtentsisters…I wil definitely have to check them out now. I have decided to stop the pill now rather than waiting. I am very excited, I jsut recieved the “taking charge of your fertility” book this weekend and I am still wiating for the maca to come in. Thank you again for your help and reccomendations, and thank you for all the good work you do.
Namaste,
Julie
I seriously have chills right now! I have been a longtime Full Moon menstruater and the words about Red Moon really hit home for me. Just amazing!!
Yay Gina! I love it when my fellow Red Moon menstruators realize their connection to the Full Moon and the Wise Woman healer archetype!
Two months ago I was on the Red Moon cycle and I read this article which really opened my eyes about cycles. I have been trying to conceive now with my SO for a few months now and have been having trouble getting pregnant which led me to this article. After reading this though I was hoping my cycle would transition to the White Moon cycle so I would be more in tune to the earth and fertility and sure enough naturally on it’s own my body made the switch and I began my menstrual cycle today with the New Moon! I am hoping I ovulate close to if not during the Full Moon this month so I can fully experience the cycle. I had this sense of calm and happiness melt over me today when I realized my body did this on it’s own and it gave me a little glimmer of hope that my SO and I will have an opportunity to have a child sometime in the future. I appreciate so much this article and how naturally amazing women’s bodies are!
While I loved reading this article, I found it didn’t really address the title of the article.. What about the women who are in between Full/New moon cycles? What does that mean for them? How long would you suggest following your cycle with the moon before determining what cycle you are on? I finished my last period on the 6th Sept & then it started again on the 30th of Sept. Neither times were full/new moons ?? :/
I was very curious about this because my cycle was delayed by 16 days in order to cycle with this blood moon! My cycle is usually an average of 26 days, this time it was 43 days! I took a pregnancy test because of the irregularity. This pretty much puts it into perspective. Thanks!
You’re so welcome! I love when our bodies naturally gravitate the lunar rhythms – did you feel an intensity with your period this month too? I’ve found when I bleed with the full moon, it’s more intense.
I am going through the same type of thing. This is amazing. I’ve flip-flopped with bleeding on the full/new moon in the past, but my cycle is always consistent. I am 17 days late for menstruation (it was expected around the full moon) – all pregnancy tests have shown up negative, including blood tests. It has been very concerning. I’ve begun to wonder if I will menstruate again during the upcoming Black Moon this February 18, 2015. In the past my cycle has always gradually and slowly adjusted to the moon phases, but for the first time in my life I am finally comfortable with the idea of having a child. It is encouraging to hear your experience. We shall see what happens.
As long as I’ve had a period (since I was 9) and whenever I haven’t been on chemical BC (like currently), I’ve always bled on the full moon. I can count on it. Very interesting!
This is gorgeous and I’ve never heard this before! I’m curious… I’ve flip flopped when my cycle is oriented a few times in the past few years. I’m very regular. My period pretty much always lands on either the new moon or the full moon. I was on the full moon for a long time, then I switched to the new moon while I had my two children, I’ve just recently flipped back to bleeding on the full moon… my children are 1 and 3. And I’ve actually been really trying to focus on bringing a new career into creation and being over the past couple months, It’s all so interesting when I read your article! My cycle two or three months ago, switched like… well.. like a switch. I actually had two periods in the same month. Two weeks apart, as I switched to the full moon.
I know I’m rambling a bit… but I think a little fear is peeking, not just because of your article, likely… you mention the mothering instinct being aligned with the White Moon cycle. I guess I have a fear that the power that lies in the Red Moon cycle might draw competency and focus away from the mothering/nurturing capacities.
I’m curious on your thoughts.
Elaine thank you for sharing your concern. Our female power is powerful, enough for you to embody both the wisdom and nurture of motherhood and the energy to succeed in your career. The trick is to honour both sides of yourself – the dark and the light. By following your menstrual-moon cycles by flowing into action with your high energy times and letting yourself rest and renew during your lower energy times you will be poised to get the most out of your feminine power and capacity.
Hey…beautiful post. I always bled with the new moon and ovulated with the full moon and now that my child is 2 years old, that I am single and embracing the next empowering phase of my life and development, I bleed at the full moon and ovulate with the new moon to my suprise. Somehow I was thinking it wasnt so great but couldnt interpret why.
What you write resonates. I am a midwife as well and truely inspired by my path and role, especially now that it is about to take new creative expressions and dimensions…
So as you say everything is always changing….including our moon cycles….Thank you.
Thank you for your beautiful share Fanita!!!
Thank you for posting this! The other week I read that bleeding on the Full Moon was “bad” because it meant that those who do so aren’t nourishing themselves enough. I much prefer this perspective, as it resonates with me on many different levels. I was born on a full moon, have always had my period on the full moon, and feel out of sync on the rare occasion that my cycle aligns with the new moon. It’s no wonder!!!
This was fascinating. I have two sons and desperately want to try one more time for a daughter. But I ovulate the the day of the new moon and bleed with the full. I wonder if this means I should just give up and that I need to shift priorities?
Hi Pamela if you want a daughter you should read the article I just wrote about cycling with the Red Moon! http://yogagoddess.ca/how-to-conceive-when-your-period-lands-on-the-full-moon-instead-of-the-new-moon/
Thank you for the article. I was looking up menstruating with the full moon, Because the night prior to the full moon (it was actually after when I started..so Id consider it the same day as Full moon)..that I started, It was very heavy…The night of the full moon, it slowly stopped and then completely stopped, and it was only a full 24 hours after I started. So, now, Its slowly coming back….Any feed back is much appreciated. Thank you..Just wondering if this also happens to others.Thank you
Very interesting….mine always started at the first of the month, I am 40, I have two daughters, 13 and 9, and a son who turns one next month. I just thought it was interesting that after my last delivery (where we both almost died) when I started my period again it was at the first of the month and over the past year has migrated to the 15th.
This is so crazy! I never even thought about this…I just realized that my cycle has switched to a new moon cycle, for the past few months I got a little freaked out because I thought I was really late but no my body just switched on me!
Before my son, I use to always get my period during a full moon as well….I am embarrassed that as a woman I as well know so little about it.
We are so amazing!!!!
Wow! I have exactly the same story! Just wow!!!
I used to bleed with the full moon cycle until a couple of months ago when it slowly began to change and have now started to bleed on the new moon cycle. I resonate with the full moon cycle as I am a Reiki Master and energy worker.
I’m 48 and my children are grown up so the whole theory of the white moon cycle doesn’t really resonate. However, my 26 year old daughter is pregnant and will be moving home a month before she is due to deliver. Could this be why my cycle has changed? Because there will be a new baby in my home?
I’m curious about this…
I have long bled under the full moon – despite attempts to “reset” sleeping under the light of the moon when she is full.
Yet, I am a curious blend of the two moons you mention. I have the incredible fertility and nurturing instincts of the White Moon type, but also the healing, wise, medicine woman of the Red Moon type…
Hi, for the last year I have been bleeding with the new moon until about 4 months ago it changed to the full moon. My last period was on the 31st July, the full moon and was due my next one on the full moon of the 29th but it never happened, so when I done a pregnancy test it came back positive, this seems to be the opposite of what most people have described….what does this mean? Xx
It only means what you want it to. Women who bleed with the Full moon conceive all the time. I have 2 kids and always bleed with the full moon.
This is really fascinating im 23 and have a family friend who is considered a “white witch”, she always warned me from when i was young that i was very fertile and that i dont yet understand what my inner power is and why i struggle with my emotions. My period was very hard to track because it was never really consistant always moving from the very begining to the very end of the month, Until i got into Wicca and atrology and started keeping track of the moons and noticed i got it with every full moon but then every couple of months it would change. Its just crazy to see the purpose to it all .
Hello, i was just wondering if anyone could tell me what it means to get first day of period with the blood moon super moon and a lunar eclipse?? Lol i was 10 days late last month and i cant help but feel there is something more to this, thank you ?
I was two days late and came here looking for the same answer! Very curious.
There’s definitely something in the air! Lol xx
haha we have all wondered the same thing apparently! I’m at least 10 days early and woke up to my period after falling asleep gazing at the super blood moon eclipse last night! and last year i bled an extra 4 days until the blood moon on october 8th(that one freaked me out a bit) the archetype of the red moon cycle resonates with me as well…i found this article very informative (: thank you
Me too!! almost a week late last month
So weird, I came here looking for a link between the blood moon last night and menstration too. I was 4 days late starting my period and finally started it last night during the blood moon. I dont remember ever being more than 2 days late for my periods in the past, except when pregnant. So i took 2 pregnancy tests in the last 2 days and when they cane up negative i started worrying something was wrong with me. Then when i started menstrating during the eclipse it made me wonder if that had anything to do with it. Seems like its more than just coincidence being that its happened to all of you also. Im gonna keep looking into this
Im feeling very crappy tonight! I usually feel alright once my period starts but im feeling very glum 🙁
Yup! Me too! I was 3 days late and literally started as the moon was rising. That is also why I came to this website. SO fascinating! I also work as a healer and have had a greater than usual number of clients mention the intensity of my healing energy within the past week. The elements of the universe affect us in miraculous ways that most of us are in the very early stages of being able to comprehend. Life is beautiful. Bleed well my fellow goddesses <3
I am a red moon menstruater and wow did this hit home for me! I also feel like the wounded healer, healing myself and in turn I feel called to be a medicine woman and help heal others. I also have endometriosis, which makes me infertile….until I heal my body hopefully. Maybe my moon phases will switch when I am healed. 😉
Goddess K yes you can certainly heal yourself and you can certainly harness the power of the moon to help in recovering your body’s natural fertility. Have you considered my Moon Goddess yoga and meditation program? It sounds like exactly what you need to heal your relationship with your female body!
That’s funny because my cycle has shifted back and forth from new to full perhaps related to my life’s circumstances. This last red moon eclipse was quite powerful over my mood, sleep and energy levels and brought out my wild side before letting me flow into a more emotional, sensitive and solace seeking mood. Almost like a post party flow. I wanna say more painful now that I’m on the full moon, “dark” cycle.
Oh my goodness,
Goddesses this is something else!! I went to observe the Lunar Eclipse/Harvest Moon/Blood Moon and felt incredible energies around me. My emotions were off the charts, as well I had very strange sleep and meaningful dreams.That night I started spotting. My period in fact ended over a week ago and I thought there’s not way that is a coincidence. To the woman who bled with the moon has inspired me and I resonate deeply with bleeding with the dark moon. How delightful it was finding this and all of you!
I also was always on a red moon cycle until we started talking about getting pregnant. I read about ovulating with the full moon could be beneficial. I literally made sure I would look up at the moon and pay attention to it and 2 months of unusually short cycles later my cycle shifted to the white moon and has been in sync since. I’m now pregnant and want to know if my due date will likely be also on the full moon.
this info is great and surprisingly accurate have been on the red moon cycle most of my life but have recently change direction in life become more settled and have decided I want a child, within 2 months of making the changes to my life my body has switched me onto the white moon cycle. 🙂
Has anyone seen Ginger Snaps? I rest my case…
i can’t help feeling that this article reads as quite discouraging to red moon cyclers trying to get pregnant.
Wow this resonates with me on such a deep level. Thank you so much for writing this. These past two years I have been in sync with the red moon cycle, and after reading your article it all makes so much sense. My career focuses on being a healing presence for others. It so interesting to see this pattern in so many of you beautiful women. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this!
I’m glad I stumbled upon this article. I’m a young woman in her 20’s. Off and on since I’ve started menstruating, I’ve experienced irregular bleeding. Earlier this year, I started becoming more aware of my fertility and cycle and started tracking down my cycles. It appears as I’ve been in the Red Moon cycle with my cycle being anywhere from 29-34 days apart. The person who had posted above me, Elle, made a comment I was quietly thinking in my head. “Is this article discouraging me from getting pregnant and having children because I’m not on the ‘right’ lunar cycle?”. I’m sure hoping it wasn’t. Although I do see myself as “wise-woman” who has healing qualities, I have plans for the future to have a child or children and I dream of becoming a mother one day. I’m a mothering and nurturing person, I don’t have kids yet but I have animals I care for and I feel a sincere maternal instinct with them. I’m in a committed relationship, I want to start trying to get pregnant sooner but my S.O does not think he is ready at all and wants to wait years before trying. He thinks I will be a great mother but his internal clock hasn’t started ticking yet and he’s just not ready. This is my soulmate and I will be patient and understanding but it does not get rid of my desire to become a mother. I want to do more reading on moon cycles and menstrual cycles. It would be reassuring to know I am fertile and able to conceive on a red moon cycle, but if it’s more common to conceive on a white moon cycle I would love to know if there are ways to help change your cycle over time or if it will it be something that happens on it’s own time when it’s the “right moment” like some moon magic that senses when S.O and I are ready to get pregnant?
Zahra,
Thank you so much for this article and sharing your knowledge! It has clarified and shed so much light and understanding! My cycle has recently changed this year in June 2016. For almost 1year 1/2 I have bleed religiously with the Full Moon. I feel like a different woman than before. While bleeding with the full moon (Red Moon Woman) I felt powerful, like a healer, and at times a seductress. I was also more selfish and focused on my needs, desires, and wants! I can also agree with your article in saying that a woman in her birthing years bleeding with the full moon is at a different stage in her life and of self realization. Our awareness changes as we grow. I also realized my magic and how powerful I am as a woman during that stage (Red Moon) in my life. Example last year in the summer month of July I believe it was when North America experienced 2 Full Moons. I was so in sync that my period came twice that month because of the Full moons. Beautiful time! I love my period! Just recently in June 2016?my menstral cycle has completely flipped. Switching to the new moon, White Moon Woman. I have met the man I want to share a future with and I would most definitely say since early April of this year I have been strongly desiring to become a mother and have a child with my partner. Subconsciously our bodies align and flow with the conscious movement of our being. When we change so do our cycles! You put that straight into perspective! Thank you for everything!
Thank you Yayi for this beautiful insight into your experience! We would love to spotlight your words with your permission and if you have a photo we can share that would be wonderful. Please let us know!
Hi, I realize this post was written long ago, but I had a realization that i believe is worth sharing.
While i do agree that Red Moon bleeding is a sign of outward externalization of your power, and White Moon bleeding a sign of an internalization of your power, I have come to realize that looking at our creative power and its relationship to our moons as solely composed of ‘traditional fertility’ i.e. ‘birthing a child’ is a gross miscalculation of our creative natures and of the power of our moon cycle.
Menstruating on a the new moon is an indication that your creative powers are turned inwardly, but not only your powers to birth a being, but rather your powers to birth Anything, including your powers to re- create yourself, and to create in a private intuition behind closed doors. Any transformational creation that happens within a woman (within her being) will be favored and indicated by a White Moon cycle.
The Red Moon cycle we are taught to think represents the sorceress, midwife, and in general a woman independent of the baby birthing cycle, but what it seems to me it is also representing is that our creative power is turned outward because we either have something to contribute to society, i.e. our powers are turned to ‘the other’, or it shifts towards a Red Moon cycle because that which we have birthed on the inside and worked on during a White Moon phase is ready to be shared and expressed as an outward impression of our creative power in the world.
It’s not just baby-making vs womb-independence that is expressed in our moons, but Every Kind of creative power we have that is either turned inward because we need to conceive it and nurture its creation in the womb of our being or it is turned outward because its expression belongs in the society we form a part of.
I realized this as my moons have changed from Red Moon to White Moon, for over a year now. I am 28 and have absolutely no interest in having any more children (I have 2), however I have become exceedingly interested in re-fashioning myself in a very private way. There is so much of my energy that is being expended behind closed doors. I don’t know if my moons changed and therefore my focus changed (i’m a very outwardly-driven person, I’m a fashion designer, I’m a business woman, I am a homeopathic healer, all these Red Moon traits), or if my needs changed and therefore my moons changed to support that inner rebirthing cycle I intuitively need to go into. Having my moons change in such a manner caused to realize that i must honor this me-oriented, behind closed doors, very private creative attitude that has flourished in the past year and that requires and feeds off of this private White Moon Energy.
As an aside, I would urge us consider also whether menstruating on a White Moon (the inward creativity cycle) could also be linked to an intuitive need to rely on another for the evolution of this creative impetus, and whether menstruating on a Red Moon (the outward creativity cycle) could be linked to an independence of another in the expression of the creative impetus, so that society or ‘the other’ is the receiver of this energy and not the co-creator.
The reason I posit this as a thought is that conception (the baby kind) can only happen with the help of another, it is a co-creation, while the midwife sorceress seductress is acting upon ‘the other’. I came upon this thought because as a regular Red Moon bleeder I have been historically a completely independent person for my creativity, but now that I have been bleeding with the New Moon I am surprised at how avidly I am seeking a private mentor and co-creation with others that will create and birth a ‘new me’. So, anyway, I thought some of you could find these thoughts useful or at least interesting to think about.
I would invite us as women to take the time to analyze your cycle vis a vis ALL your creative power and all your creative impetus, I would urge you to analyze what the wisdom of your body is telling you about where you need to put your creative attention and how much of yourself you are to being called to share with others, and whether you are in a creative-collaborative stage (which can include baby-making) or in a creative-independent stage.
Happy Healthy Moons to all! And thank-you Zahra for this very interesting article that has us all thinking and analyzing, and has us returning to the wisdom of our moons and to the power of our creativity which, which of any kind is a blessing to the world.
Hi!
I love this article, thank you for writing it.
Every month my closet friend and I do our full moon rituals, and every month we start our cyle together and on the full moon. To feel that connection with mother earth is amazing!
Hi very interesting topic! I did i little googling and found a woman saying that in the hospital where she workes there are more children getting born on the full moons even if they were expected dates earlier or later.
It got me curious to find out what day in the mooncircle i was born at and it turns out i was born 2 days before the new moon and i have my period in sync with the red moon and i think rarely on the new moon.
I incourage you to find out the moontype it was on your birthdays! would be interesting to see if there is any pattern 🙂
<3
I was born two days, or a day after, the full moon. I’ve been keeping track of my cycles most all of the years I’ve been menstuating, and even went back to look if I was a red moon or white moon woman and found mostly I was a red moon woman, but that there were times when it would switch to white moon. not always this or that too…sometimes starting on days in between those two modes of the moon.
Don’t know if that helped, but just wanted to chime in. Hopefully more women will…it’s a curious question.
My cycle skipped through July and returned August 3rd, five days before a full moon. It has never completely skipped a month, but it could menopause. However, I’ve seen this before, where my period would be late in what it seemed, so it could line up with the full moon on any one of the days of my flow. Well, now it skipped all through July, except on spot on one day, then I went through ovulation as usual, and now my flow a week early for August????
I am a full moon cycler I guess: Either new moon or Full moon.
How fascinating
I had been cycling on the white moon, but ever since I had an astrological full moon conjunction my natal sun, (an astrological personal new moon during a full moon) my period came early and I am cycling on full moon now! Wondered if this happened to anyone else? If they noticed? I know not everyone follows closely the stars and their possible effects, but I am really amazed by this…it was like my body was confused, thought it was a new moon, the time I typically cycle, and started the menstuation early.
Check your astrological charts!
Just wanting to thank you so much for your article. I have come back to it time and time again. It has helped me have many epiphanies and insights to myself.
It is the eve of a full moon, and I feel my body getting ready to bleed. I have not done so for a couple of months, and this is definitely highly symbolic/reflective of things going on in my life. The red moon cycle is something I am very familiar with in myself. And I definitely resonate deeply with the archetypes of the healer and the seductress.
Anyway, I love the way you articulated your article, and thank you again for its impact.
Thank you Steppi for coming back time and again and I’m so happy to hear you continue to receive insights and wisdom from this post. I hope you’ll join us in our full moon meditations if you haven’t been already! Just find the Yoga Goddess Support Circle on Facebook – we hold full moon meditations each month and would love to have you! <3
My body shifts between the Red Moon and White Moon although at times I menstruate with the quarter moon. As far as the significance of quarter moons, does this mean that you have a perfect balance of the energies of both the Red and White Moons?
Hi JR, great question! The quarter moons each have an energy uniquely their own. You can learn more about them here: http://yogagoddess.ca/decode-your-cycle/
My period has been almost exactly on the full moon within hours of the time that it peaks for the last five years at least. I don’t bother charting it and sometimes it’s a day before or after, or three days if I have been traveling a lot. I have maybe skipped on period in the last five years but it is very regular. When I go to see shamans they have told me that I am meant to be a healer. But my dilemma is that I was born on Mother’s Day, I just turned 36 and although I never wanted children my whole life and true to Miranda’s theory about women who have periods on a full moon, I am extremely creative, my name means “wisdom”. My real name is Sophia, which means “wisdom” but dispute being born on Mother’s Day, I am not a mother and I have a very bad relationship with my mother, who is extremely Christian and views the shamanic, Wiccan world as witchcraft. My own mother threw me out of her house when I was a teeenager and I can’t hardly have a real conversation with her about anything other than religion as she still tries to convert me back to her faith whenever I spend time with her. More than anything want to get married and have children to give people a chance at life without religion being forced on them but I am hurt still over my own upbringing. I am not sure how long my period has been on a full moon since I rarely charted it or gave it attention until I started noticing it was always synced with the full moon for years, and therefore I don’t need to chart it, I just look up a calendar of the full moons in the years past.
Can women conceive if they are reversed like me, and
Ovulate on the new moon instead of the full moon? When I started to meditate on having children, my period started moving up 3-4 days in the past six months but when I stopped, it started syncing up almost perfectly with the full moon. I am grateful to have a regular period cycle but I would really like to have children in the near future.
My heart goes out to you, goddess Spohia. Mother’s Day can be very challenging when there is disharmony within our relationships with our own mothers. May you come to a place of peace by following your wisdom. 😉 As far as conceiving, you can get pregnant on any moon cycle. In fact, here is an article of mine that may help you. It’s about conceiving as a Red Moon Woman: http://yogagoddess.ca/how-to-conceive-when-your-period-lands-on-the-full-moon-instead-of-the-new-moon/