MOONWATCHING part
2
Reclaiming Your Feminine Power
by Michelle Royce
continued from part1
Knowing when you are more likely to be feeling tired, miserable
or weepy, or conversely, energetic, focused and creative
allows for emotional understanding. Instead of feeling frustrated
and angry because you are unable to concentrate on an important
assignment or situation (how many times have you said or
heard another woman say, frazzled and almost in tears “
I don’t know why I feel like this- everything’s
fine!”) you may be able to try and schedule parts
of your life when you know you will be at your best, and
allow yourself more solitude and nurturing time when you
need it.
Even if this is not possible, understanding the reasons
for seemingly irrational feelings allows room for acceptance
that things will soon change. It has been noted that when
a woman menstruates in relation to what phase the moon is
in at the time can have a profound affect on her energy
levels. By this I mean whether you are menstruating closer
to the full moon or the new moon. A woman’s cycle
usually changes over the years, and I have noticed, in common
with other women who work and write in this area that when
I bleed at the full moon I feel full of creative energy,
and am inspired to create ritual, write, work in the garden,
cook and ‘make things’ for my home, whereas
when bleeding at the new moon I am much more introspective,
needing time alone to be in my inner world.
In ‘The Wise Wound’* Penelope Shuttle and Peter
Redgrove suggest that menstruation at the new moon is more
connected to a biological creative cycle and at the full
moon to a creative cycle which manifests as something other
than childbirth. Understanding that both these cycles are
likely to present themselves in our lives at different times
allows room for acceptance and the knowledge that everything
has a time and place, and keeping track gives more idea
of which cycle we are in at any given time.
At about this point in discussions with women on this topic
I’m usually asked “Well that sounds all well
and good, but how do I do it?” There are many ways
to keep track of your cycle. At this moment in time, thankfully,
there are even specific products designed to allow for quick
and easy notation.
To follow your cycle you must do just that. At least for
a few months, preferably a whole year or even for many years,
once it becomes a habit. My book, "Moon Rites"
for example, was designed to allow a woman the space to
make notes each month for 12 months over a year, with a
thirteenth lunar month added to note conclusions, or just
more observations.
I
designed it this way, in conjuction with monthly health
information, Goddess lore and ideas for rituals so that
for one whole lunar year any woman who reads "Moon
Rites" has the opportunity to track not only her physical
cycle but also her dreams, emotions and inner journey.
It's even better if you can do it with a group, use the
book as a workbook and get together once a month to compare
your insights with each other. Note such things as when
you start to bleed each month, how you feel, what you dream,
what you feel like eating, what phase the moon is in at
the time when you dream certain things or feel a certain
way, physical, emotional or spiritual, anything you like.
Or use a normal calendar with the phases of the moon marked
on it.
Susun Weed gave me a great suggestion when I spoke to her
regarding this subject. She suggested placing a different
coloured sticker to indicate different feelings on each
day onto the calendar. This is a great ‘visual’
way to track your cycle, showing at a glance patterns that
are not always obvious. Susun used it in conjuction with
tracking her menopausal transition which raisies another
little known and understood aspect of our cyclic nature-
it doesn't end with menopause! We are subject to hormonal
cycles throughout our whole lives, and learning to ride
them well with wisdom and understanding and support our
bodies minds and spirits throughout is the birthright of
every woman.
“Moon Dials’* Or ‘Menstrual Mandalas’*
are yet another way to make notes on your cycle. They are
basically a circular diagram divided into sections corresponding
to the lunar phases (dark moon, new moon, waxing, full and
waning moon). You may like to divide it further into days
of the month or leave it less complicated at first. Once
the diagram is prepared you then note your emotions, dreams
and physical feelings in the appropriate spot.
My own personal favourite way of keeping track these days
(for the reasons that one- I’m really busy and have
had the experience of using the aforementioned methods over
the years, and two- I really like them and it gives me pleasure
to own beautiful things created by ‘moonstruck women’
for other ‘moonstruck women’!) is to purchase
one or another of the lovely lunar calendars that come out
each year.
The ‘Moon Diary’ and ‘Moon Cycle Calendar’
created by Shekhinah Morgan and illustrated by Jude Baderle
are my current preferred option as they are lovely to look
at, contain masses of information apart from dates and lunar
phases, and both of them allow for the colour coding method
of noting your cycle.
I use mine as a combination work diary, garden planner
(planting by the moon) and dream journal as well as a menstrual
tracker, so the possibilities are endless! There are many
styles and types of lunar calendars and diaries available
these days according to your need, so there is plenty of
choice. This way most of the work is done for you- all you
have to do is pay attention!
So as you can see, keeping track is not as difficult as
it may sound. Although it may at first seem a bit time consuming,
the longer you do it the easier it becomes, and the treasure
we discover along the way makes it all worthwhile- Our Feminine
Personal Power, the Moon Goddess within.
Michelle Royce is the author of Moon
Rites - a feminine path to personal power
Moon
Rites a feminine path to personal power is designed
to be used as a tool to enhance your self-knowledge, acceptance,
and personal power. It is divided into three sections. The
following is a rundown on what's in it and how you can use
it.
With Moon
Rites you will:
Rediscover connections between your body & soul
Unleash your inner power, intuitive ability, creative drive
Reclaim the wisdom and magic of the lunar cycle
Renew your female body, mind and spirit
Empower yourself to make positive life choices.
Learn
more about Moon Rites by Michelle Royce
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
by Susun S. Weed. Simple, safe remedies for pregnancy, childbirth,
lactation, and newborns. Includes herbs for fertility and
birth control. Foreword by Jeannine Parvati Baker. 196 pages,
index, illustrations.
What a unique treasure this book is! I used this during
my entire "childbearing year" and am so glad that
it is still available so I can give it to my best friend's
daughter as she prepares for her first child. I still use
the Herbal Pharmacy section quite frequently so this book
has a permanent place on my bookshelf.
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