Lunar Wisdom

 

The sun and the moon are our most influential heavenly bodies and all life on earth is reliant on the sun and moon for our basis of life. The suns light gives life and influences our biorhythms of wakefulness and activity, and the reflected light of the sun from the moon governs our rest and dreaming states. 

The rhythm of day and night, of light and dark, regulates our metabolism and balances our biorhythms. The reflected light of the moon cycling from new moon to full moon to dark moon, regulates our hormonal cycles and the rhythms of fertility and creativity, and the Dreaming states of our subconscious throughout the monthly cycle. The lunar cycle obviously connects more fully with the feminine as the feminine body literally flows with the moon. Our monthly ovulation and menses is directly influenced by the lunar cycle.  The masculine body is more influenced with the solar pulsing of activity and rest. The masculine and the feminine hold different rhythms and way of being and engaging with our environment.

The rhythms of light and dark determine our wakefulness and sleep. Before electricity we literally arose with the sun and bedded down at sunset. Full moon promoted more community activity, and dark moon is when the women gathered to bleed and honour their Woman’s Dreaming. The amount of light received by the body determines our basic biological rhythms. The Shadow and the Light of our emotional fields are influenced by this Lunar force.

The Seasonal amount of light influences the rhythms and cycles of the Seasons and our biological seasonal rhythms over a three lunar cycle or three monthly cycle.

SOLAR TIME AND THE SEASONS

The axial tilt of the earth in relation to the sun creates our seasons. When the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun we experience more sunlight as the angle of the sun in the sky is higher, and this time is known as Summer. When the sun is at its highest/lowest point we have the Solstices of Summer/Winter and these mark the midpoints of the solar cycles just before the axial tilt back.  As the northern hemisphere tilts away from the sun, less sunlight is experienced, and it is lower in the sky, and this is understood as Winter in the north. When the earth is between seasons, with the sun focussed on the equator, this is known as the equinoxes of Autumn and Spring. In summer there are longer days and shorter nights, stronger sunlight and more heat in the air.

Sunlight inspires and invites growth. In Winter there are shorter days and longer nights, less sunlight and less heat in the air. Life withdraws and becomes dormant. Life on the planet lives and dies by the seasons. If Summer is the time of growth and Winter the time of death, Spring becomes the time of rebirth and Autumn the time of harvest. So the cycles of the seasons follows the path of the sun.

Spring aligns with the sunrise in the East…new light, rebirth, inspiration, detachment, new breath, fresh air.

Summer aligns with the midday sun in the North (southern hemisphere) strong growth, devotion, steady focus, full practice. 

Autumn aligns with the setting sun in the West…harvest of fruits grown, discipline, celebration, nourishment, sharing. 

Winter with the dark of night in the South…going within, transforming, Dreaming, restoring, strengthening, discernment, letting go.

Each of the seasons follow the life-cycle of birth, growth, harvest, and death, and aligns with the honouring of the masculine and feminine role. Certain virtues align with these essences and are remembered each season within the Wisdom way. These virtues support our mental, emotional, physical, and Spiritual wellbeing.

Spring- Father-detachment

Summer-Mother-devotion

Autumn-Grandmother-discipline

Winter-Grandfather-discernment

When we acknowledge and pay respect to our rhythm within life, we can honour our location, our place, our seasonal and elemental aspects, our elder essences and our virtues gifted. The map below aligns with the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere follow the East-South-West-North Pathway with the sun.

EAST- Spring-AIR-Father-child-detachment

NORTH-Summer-WATER-mother-devotion

WEST- Autumn-EARTH-Grandmother-discipline

SOUTH-Winter-FIRE-Grandfather-discernment

This honouring helps us remember the inevitable changes of life, the different seasons of life, the very rhythms and movement of the story of life.

LUNAR TIME AND THE CYCLES OF THE MONTH

The influence of the moon on planet earth is direct and cyclical. The gravitational pull of the moon on the earth affects the waterways. Because we are made up of water, the pull of the moon affects our body’s energy. This is felt through our emotions. It influences the womb cycles and the blood cycles through our heart. The moon governs our heart space and our emotional body. The feminine body cycles with the moon, which determines our fertility and creativity, our inspiration and our letting go. All the fluid bodies cycle with the moon. This is why the lunar aspect governs the feminine principle, which is a fluid body.

The electrical light bulb has fundamentally disconnected ‘civilised' women from our natural lunar cycling. (note: the dominance of solar power over lunar power) Because we do not see and connect with the light of the moon as often as we use to, our biorhythms have been disconnected and plugged into a system of artificial light and extended daylight. Before electricity, we were in communion with the moon, and the moon governed fertility rites as well as the health and wellbeing of our pituitary and pineal gland. Our Dreaming and insight is connected to the 6^th Chakra and is directly nurtured by the moon. One way to disconnect the feminine from her insight and knowing is to disconnect her from the Moon. The disconnection form our lunar aspect has caused a disconnection from our natural rites of body wisdom. Our sexuality, creativity, fertility, general health and wellbeing have been influenced through this. We no longer connect to our intuitive rhythmic way.

There are 10 lunar phases to the lunar cycle and these influence our personal rhythms directly and our very embodiment of the sacred feminine. Reclaiming the lunar wisdom allows us to reclaim our health and wellbeing as connected women. Each phase has a pulse and responsibility to which we can attune. When we practice connection, we become connected. There are the Waxing (rising) moon phase and the Waning (setting) moon phase. The Waxing moon rises from New moon to Full moon, and the Waning moon sets from Full moon to Dark moon. The New moon, First quarter moon, the Full moon and the Last quarter moon mark the quadrants of the lunar cycle.

New Moon - the new moon is celebrated over 3 days. Dark Moon (day before the new moon)- death, New Moon- conception, Crescent new moon (day after the new moon)- rebirth. 

Waxing Crescent Moon - This is the place of inspiration and new beginnings. This is the time to dream anew, to vision and plan for the month ahead. The Crescent New Moon is playful and childlike. This is a great time to honour your inner child and play.

Waxing First Quarter Moon - This is the place of nurturance and balance. This is the time to heal and replenish. The First Quarter Moon celebrates the Virgin phase and welcomes in a true nurturing and honouring of heartfulness. This is a perfect time for self love as you reveal more independence in the world.

Waxing Gibbous Moon - This is the time of creativity and flow. There is momentum and expression, and a heartful celebration. This is a sexual moon celebrating pleasure and adventure. The Waxing Gibbous Moon is the Lover moon of Union.

Full Moon - This is a time of Ritual and Gratitude. This Full Moon celebrates home, family and belonging. Many Shadows are revealed during the Full Moon, clarifying and shedding that which no longer serves. This is celebration of Mother and Father Essence. 

Waning Disseminating Moon - This aspect of the Lunar Cycle celebrates Spiritual Awakening, Sacred Practice and Personal Discipline. The embodiment of self supports a maturing of truth and connection. This is the phase of manifestation and the celebration of the Diviner Essence. A sense of freedom reveals.

Waning Last Quarter Moon - This aspect honours Sovereignty by establishing boundaries and celebrating power. A new balance emerges. This is a time to celebrate the magnificence of being alive and well. This is a social moon and honours an empowered state of Being. This phase celebrates the Sovereign, the Empress and the Emperor. A new state of Governance.

Waning Balsamic Moon - This is the final quarter of the moon and time for going within. This is a time of reviewing, reflecting, resting and clearing out. The Balsamic Moon is the aspect of the Underworld where depths and Mysteries are revealed. This phase of the moon honours the Elder, Teacher and Wisdom keeper. Tap into your Wisdom Way.

Dark Moon - This is the Death phase of the lunar cycle and a time of letting go. The Spirit is big and the body is small. This is a time of Dreaming and honouring the Ancestors. Deep rest is supportive of the Bone Mother and Ancestor phase of surrender into Higher Realms.

Honouring the cyclical nature of Lunar Wisdom allows us to connect into a truer flow of cycles and rhythms that support a more balanced way of Being. Every three days a new face of the moon is revealed with an Elemental reflection which calls a new face of the feminine to be revealed. We are changeable by nature and can celebrate this fluid state of being in tune with the cycles of the Divine Feminine and the moon.

Enjoy the ebb and flow, the Shadow and Light, the masculine and Feminine, the Yin and the Yang of your cyclical nature. 

Lunar Wisdom is a Seasonal Program that Luna Wood offers.