moon cycles: Reclaiming the Feminine
The healing of the world starts with the healing of the womb.
It is time for us, modern women, to reclaim forgotten knowledge and empower ourselves to reconnect with our inner fire.
A process of remembering and self-discovery. a path to uncover your feminine cyclical power.
Unlock the magic of your Moon Cycle
Isn't it fascinating to start recognising your cyclicality and realising that you're not emotionally unstable but rather cyclical? Have you ever heard about methods of tracking your menstrual cycle? Do you want to learn how to use the lunar diagram, learn the history behind, ancient wisdom and more?
Since ancient times, our ancestors collected information about ovulation and menstruation to track their cycles in tune with the moon, using stone calendars as a visual and circular diary, thus honoring our cyclical nature. We can reclaim that memory and reconnect with this wisdom, and for that, the main element is self-listening, and another indispensable requirement is to obtain your lunar diagram.
Instead of judging or fighting against the ups and downs of energy we experience with each menstrual cycle, we recognise and understand the different qualities of its hormonal phases: the pre-ovulatory stage with its dynamic aspect of the 'Maiden', the days around ovulation with the radiant manifestation of the 'Mother', the premenstrual phase with the power of the 'Enchantress/Wild Woman', and the experience of menstruation with the retreat of the 'Wise Woman/Crone'.
Since ancient times, the lunar cycle offers us a powerful connection with cyclical forces: the waxing moon associated with the energy of initiation and strengthening, the full moon as a time of maximum expansion and externalisation, the waning moon with a time of greater internalisation and letting go, and finally the new moon that invites receptivity, purification, and internal vision.
How do I fill out the Lunar Calendar?
Dates. The number in the box refers to the day of your menstrual cycle you're on. Day 1 is the first day of bleeding in the menstrual phase, and from there, it counts. If you start menstruating on April 8th, that would be the date next to box 1, and so on until the last day of the cycle, which is the day before the next menstruation.
The moon. What if I don't menstruate on the new moon as the diagram says? The first day of bleeding is considered the start of your menstrual cycle, hence its analogy to the New Moon phase but that doesn't mean you're wrong if you don't menstruate in that phase of the moon in the sky, it's simply an analogy, and this criterion applies to the rest of the phases of the cycle.
In the diagram, if your cycle doesn't coincide with the new moon phase, it's okay; just draw a circle around the lunar phase when you started menstruating to keep track of it regardless of the order in the diagram.
Blank space. In this box, which is the longest one, you will write key words of the changes you are feeling daily to become aware of your cyclical pattern.
For this, we recommend that you pay attention to these aspects of yourself:
• Body: Sleep, sexual desire, appetite, pain or discomfort in any area, sensation in the breasts and more
• Mind: What kind of thoughts appear, desire to socialize, creativity, level of optimism, stress, ability to concentrate and more
• Emotions: Ask yourself how you feel emotionally, your level of sensitivity, mood, dreams, intuition and more
These three elements will be our guide to becoming aware of the different ways of feeling and experiencing ourselves throughout the menstrual cycle.
Keeping track of your menstrual cycle with the lunar diagram is a habit and is practiced on a day-to-day basis.
I recommend that you release self-demand as it is likely that sometimes you forget to write on the diagram or find it difficult to find the moment to fill it out. It is completely normal, and the important thing is that you internalise this self-observation and become aware of the changes during the cycle.
Some women have concerns because they feel their menstrual cycle is "out of sync" with the moon; doubts about whether to focus on the hormonal or lunar cycle, and a desire to understand the meaning of having their period in a certain phase of the lunar cycle or another…
Let go of the idea of a "correct" or “perfect” cycle.
A first step is to let go of fixed or external ideas of what is "normal" in relation to our bodies and their cycles. For example, the statistic that the average duration of the menstrual cycle is 28 days has made many women feel that it's "abnormal" to have a longer or shorter menstrual cycle. But in reality, a healthy cycle can vary perfectly between 22 and 40 days and reflects each individual's pattern. Another idea fueling the feeling of "anomaly" is the presumption that to be truly in tune with the moon, one would have to ovulate with the full moon and menstruate on the new moon.
Around the world, women menstruate and ovulate in all phases of the moon, and the grace lies in discovering what this means for each one of us, from our internal and subjective experience. To delve deeper into this path, I invite you to…
Observe
Turn your gaze inward and listen more attentively to what you feel
Feel and
What your body wants and needs, what flows easily at any given moment and what doesn't
Record… lovingly!
Begin to intimately recognise that cyclical wave that runs through you, both in relation to the dance of your hormones, and in relation to the lunar cycle.
Keep in mind!
☽ For each person, even with each cycle, it will be different.
☽ In addition to the influence of estrogen, progesterone, and the moon, we can add the influence of the seasons and the weather, depending on where each person lives. For example: What is the difference between the experience of ovulating in the heat of summer, in the tropics, or in Antarctica? Or how do we experience this dance when we are traveling, become a mother, when we live alone, when we are in a relationship, when we are stressed, when we start the path to menopause... in our work? Everything affects your cyclic body.
☽ If you haven't tried filling out a lunar calendar exercise yet and feel like starting, with this diagram you can begin to explore the history of womb wisdom and your own unique and wonderful cycle.
Simply download the 'Moon cycles: Reclaiming the Feminine' Ebook and start learning and recording your observations + experiences with each lunar phase.
your guide & mentor
Vanessa Del Castillo
Vanessa is an Energy and Shamanic Womb Healing Facilitator, Mindfulness Coach, Access Consciousness® practitioner, Earth-keeper and Munay-Ki Shamanic Initiate and carrier. Her journey of self-investigation and healing began through her womb, serving as a portal to higher consciousness. Today, she holds space in Women's Circles, shares her expertise and offers support to women of diverse backgrounds and age groups.
Do you still have questions? Book a free consultation here.