I've been tracking my monthly cycles for a long time now, and I've noticed that it is exactly like the lunar cycle in many ways, even matching the average number of days in the cycle.
The first two weeks of the cycle are the "waxing" phase, with increasing energy, motivation, confidence, and a strong sense of well-being. It's a time of increase and attraction, just like the waxing phase of the moon. Ovulation would be the "full moon", and then during the waning phase the energy fades and we need to retreat, rest, and discard things that no longer serve us. The days just prior to menstruation are the dark moon, a time that can give us little choice but to stop and focus on rest and self care, and with menstruation we begin the cycle again.
Isn't it interesting how they line up?
The reason I bring this up is that I was considering joining the PMM course, which is designed with the attracting/releasing energies of the lunar cycle in mind. Unfortunately this month my personal cycle is the opposite of the moon, so I'm currently in the waning phase as the moon is waxing. I feel the need to rest and release, not attract and increase.
I've never really paid attention to what kind of effects the lunar cycle might have or what happens when the two cycles are either synchronized or conflicting.
So how does this work when it comes to magic? The way I feel this week directly conflicts with the type of magical work that should be done at this time, according to the lunar cycle.
For those of us who menstruate and have this distinct pattern, wouldn't we be more effective by following our "personal lunar cycle" rather than the moon phases? I'm very interested to hear about how others experience this and how you make it work when the cycles are so far out of sync.
Would you avoid doing any significant magical work at a time like this and wait until they are more aligned again? That could mean putting things off for months, but it might also mean the work is much more effective.
I'm very interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this, whether or not you menstruate or have a predictable cycle like this :)
I just came across this interesting article describing two types of cycles, a "red moon cycle" and a "white moon cycle" depending on which way your cycle syncs with the moon (you can also switch back and forth). Mine switch, and while I would say I generally relate much more to the red moon cycle overall, I recall ovulating during the full moon a while ago, and during those months I was definitely thinking a lot about motherhood. A lot! At the moment that is the farthest thing from my mind and I relate much more to the things described for the red moon cycle. Interesting stuff :) https://www.trinekristiansen.no/lognew-blog/2018/9/4/moon-cycle
Yeah, sometimes I sync up with the moon, and sometimes not. I'm nearly right in sync at the moment. I suppose the moon guides many witches, and so going with that cycle is powerful in terms of the collective will and the nature of the magic being worked by many others at the same time. And you're working your magic with the effects of the moon on the water, the planet, people etc. In my mind this is more of a universal collective cycle which might be powerful to work with for that reason. I'm thinking that if your menstrual cycle syncs up, you just get EXTRA POWER hahah! So maybe save the biggest magic for that time, keeping an eye on where your cycle is shifting each month. That way you could still follow the moon, but also low-key follow your own cycle. So maybe if you want to be super charged for PPM...wait till you sync up! Just some thoughts! I'd never really thought about this so thanks for sharing yours!
I love your comment so much! I have noticed something very similar with myself. I'm not avoiding doing PMM this time because of my cycle but I think that how I approach it might be different (TMI: I just started yesterday) but I can tailor my approach to the magic in more of a reflective, restful, inward perspective if that makes sense. I will be noting it down in my journal and experiment to see if there is a difference. So looking forward to hearing what everyone has to to say on this topic!