Moontime Magic: Holistic Menstrual Wisdom for the Modern Feminine

The Kogi people of Colombia believe that the blood flowing from the Divine Mother, creator of the Earth, became the threads of gold that run through the Earth. They also believed the 28-day synchronicity with the Lunar Cycle connects us to the Cosmos.

Indeed, the similarities between Feminine bodily wisdom and the cycles of nature are astounding! The waxing and waning of the moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, and the flux and fall of the seasons are all mirrored on a much smaller scale by our follicular fluctuations.

Our moods and emotions sync with this cycle as well. In the Full Moon-Ovulation phase, we’re full of energy and ripe like the Summer. In the New Moon-menstruation phase, we enter a darker “Winter” of emotion when everything slows down and we go inward.

Track your cycle with the Moon using our Moon Mapping Journal! You might even notice that your cycle can actually sync with the Moon’s position over time:

The tides of the Moon embody the waters of our emotions.

So why resist it? Why not instead embrace this transfiguration with Sacred Ritual?

***If you no longer have a uterus or you never did, you’re still connected to these natural cycles. Simply apply these rituals to your energetic Sacral Chakra.

Sacred Ritual

The menstrual cycle is a ritual in and of itself. These ritual practices strengthen its potential for deeper connection. Sacred Ritual is one step beyond self-care…it is self-healing.

Self-care is an act of maintenance. Self-healing is an act of awakening. It means creating the space for a Sacred Pause, a conscious intention, and full presence in these acts of self-care.

This has the potential to rewire our brains and bodies into next-level self-love. 

Here are a few of our favourite rituals here at Botanical Trader:

Honoring Emotions – Tides of a Woman

The radical act of self-love starts with accepting where you’re at. 5000 years of menstrual shame don’t vanish overnight. This takes time and patience. After years of a conscious relationship with my cycle, I’m still discovering new layers of healing.

Language is a powerful tool of acceptance. Why do we call it a period (which implies a full-stop)? We might refer to it as our moontime to honor our inherent connection to nature. Ever since I’ve started saying this, it’s caught on among most of the women in my life! If that’s a bit too woo-woo for you, my cycle gets the same message across. Try on different titles and see what feels right!

Let’s do some reframing!

• Ugh, my period sucks! → I invite in Love for myself and my cycle.
• I get really cranky during PMS → I’m highly intuitive and ultra-aware of my emotions.
• I’m so exhausted and crampy when I bleed → I listen to my body’s need for rest.
• I’m an irrational tear-jerker → I surrender to this natural grieving process.
• Nobody talk to me! → Yeah, actually, nobody talk to me.

All of these emotional tides are just the body’s divine moon mimicry. Listen to them!

Rest, cry, and rage when you need to. Cancel those plans, take the time to be fully present with your emotional flow. And remember, “No.” can be a complete sentence.

Be gentle. Warm thoughts send a direct signal to release resistance and embrace our nature.

A Warm Womb

A warm touch also goes a long way. Like the dark side of the Moon, a woman’s moontime follows the Yin principle, which tends toward cold stiffness. But, in order for blood to flow, we want to keep the womb warm and moving. 

Any of these warming practices can be transformed into a Sacred Ritual. Light some candles, set a loving intention, and breath deeply as you:

• Prepare an Epsom salt bath with your favorite sacral Chakra essential oils (more on this soon!)
• Lovingly massage your womb, hands, and feet with your favourite massage oil or Organic Body Lotion
• Apply a hot water bottle to your belly as you sip your favorite moontime tea…

Moontime Tea and Herbs 

What better way to connect to Nature’s cycle than through the power of plants? Plants carry the Earth’s wisdom in each cell.

Drinking tea adds warmth and hydration. Whether you use herbs as tea, capsules, in your bath, or aromatherapy, here is some of their wisdom:

• Rose ~ the highest vibration of self-love and Femininity; eases menstrual pain
• Rosemary ~ relieves cramps, reduces menstrual bleeding, grounding effect, promotes unconditional Love
• Peppermint ~ menthol alleviates muscle spasms, clears mental fog
• Ginger ~ warming effect, reduces inflammation, aids digestion
• Ylang ylang ~ opens the heart, soothes the nervous system, relieves anxiety
• Cinnamon, clove, chamomile, and lavender also aid in menstrual relief.

These are all empirical findings that could benefit from more scientific studies. However, we believe that the simple act of asking a plant for guidance fosters a profound connection.

For more debilitating dysmenorrhea, Chinese Medicine recommends Shi Xiao San (Sudden Smile). The Ayurvedic formulation Hinguwashtak Churna (a powder blend of 8 herbs) also works wonders. I’ve personally found both to be quite effective.

My acupuncturist also told me that “when the pain becomes more toxic than the painkiller, there’s no shame in going for an Ibuprofen.”  

Union Through Yoga

Yogic tradition discourages a full asana practice on the New and Full Moons. This honors the deficient and overcharged energies of each event. The same goes for peak menstruation and ovulation.

Without the intense vinyasas or Sun Salutations, a light practice of a few gentle poses really helps the womb do her thing.

We recommend Yin Yoga. As the name suggests, it's designed to honor the Feminine in stillness. Check out Your Essential Evening for more about Yin Yoga.

Though, if you are just to do one or two stretches, these are the quintessential menstrual poses: