Moon Cycles

Moon cycles have an undeniable impact on our emotional and mental wellbeing. For more peace and happiness, we need to learn how to harmonise ourselves with the cycles of the moon.

The Lunar Principle

The lunar archetype is feminine and receptive, as opposed to the symbolically masculine and active energy of the sun.

Since the Moon has no light of her own, she is dark and mysterious - and within the feeling realm of the lunar archetype lie your vulnerable past experiences.

In myth, the Moon is the archetypal Ceres, the mother goddess. The moon also symbolises Gaia, the earth mother, who has dominion over the cycles of nature, the elements and fertility. Known as the container of form and the Divine Mother, she rules the collective unconscious waters of our emotional depths.

Image of the Moon

Tune in to the Cycles of the Moon

In many cultures it has always been tradition to plot the moon's cycles and time activities accordingly. In medieval times for instance, illustrated moon calendars were widely used and understood. Farmers used to be well aware of the moon's influence on animals and plants, and managed their land according to the natural seasons and moon cycles.

Photo Credit: Mia Rose

Throughout the seasons and our bodies there's a constant interplay of movements. According to ancient Chinese medicine the doctrines of heaven regulated these movements. Everything rises in order to fall, and falls in order to rise. The heavenly influx divides into two aspects, which is called yin and yang. These are classified as male and female, wet and dry, cold and hot - but they exist only in relation to each other. What creates this movement is the divine distribution of life called the Tao by the Chinese, and by the ancients in the West, love.

In the last century however, western society has become increasingly disconnected from nature. The impact of the industrial and technological revolutions make the use of preservatives, refrigeration, transport and even genetically modified food technology seem natural. In the process, modern lifestyles cost us not only the earth, but our health too! Allergies and asthma are on the rise, as are other ailments that were considered rare only a few decades ago.l

This is a call to return to tuning in to the cycles of the moon. Instead of fighting nature, we could once again flow with and support her natural rhythms, acknowledging changes in seasons, and thereby also reduce our ecological footprint.

How does it Work?

’A three day old foetus is 97 per cent water; by eight months this falls to 81 per cent and stabilises at around 65 to 70 per cent in adults.’

Water is an essential building block of life and deeply linked to the moon. It covers about 75% of the earth. In fact, it's estimated that the earth's surface is now bathed in over 1337 million cubic kilometres (320 million cubic miles) of water in all its forms - liquid, vaour and frozen. There's also sufficient subterranean water to cover the whole surface of the earth to a depth of 305 metres (1000 feet).

Water rises and falls with the gravitational pull of the moon. it is always responding to every change in its surroundings... it constantly expands and contracts, rhythmically forming, reforming and vibrating in sympathetic resonance with all that it meets. Sap levels in plants, as well as blood and lymph in animals and humans also react to the moon’s gravitational pull.

* Waxing Moon: As the moon becomes fuller over two weeks, cells absorb moisture, nutrients and energy to enhance repair and growth.

* Full Moon: When the moon is full, cells have aborbed and retained fluid for half a month and the internal pressure has come to a peak. Herbs, fruits and flowers harvested at full moon are juicy, full of nutrients and wonderfully potent.

* Waning Moon: As the moon starts to wane, animal and plant cells release energy, water, toxins - and in the case of humans, emotions. This is a good time for detoxing and 'letting go'.

* New Moon: The new moon is an optimal time for rest and rejuvenation. Mentally and emotionally, it's a favorable time to reflect on your life and relationships, to let go of old habits and create new beginnings.