Inspired Bleeding: Honoring Your Moon time- any ladies follow?

[HuntressMother]

So, ever since my sons birth, i have been very intrested to the 'spiritual' side of my menstrual cycle. I began feeling this way long before i knew very much about 'moon lodges' and 'moon time'.

The more i researched, the more i wanted to know.

I recently purchased this awesome book from ebay:  ' Red Moon' by Miranda Gray.  I fell in love with this book and have sugested it to many of my friends. I plan to share it with my daughter when she comes of age as well. It is very beautifully written and filled with little 'projects' and tons of information about your menstrual cycle. And i dont mean the medical side of your cycle, i mean the 'spiritual' element that is there. I know some of you will read this and think that I am silly, but this idea ( along with this book) has really changed my life & my views of myself and other women. Its beautiful!

 The front of the book says : ' Understanding and using the creative, sexual & spiritual gifts of the menstural cycle'.

The back of the book reads:  " Ancient menstrual wisdom for modern women: For our ancestors the menstrual cycle was a source of wonderful creative, spiritual, sexual, emotional, mental & physical energies. It was a gift that empowered women to renew themselves each month, to manifest and create the world around them, to connect deeply with the land and their family, and to express deep wisdom and inspiration. This ancent female teaching is still available to us in our mythology and nursery tales.

Miranda Greay introduces modern women to their unique cyclic nature and guides them in accepting and expressing a passionate and creative cycle-empowered life. She explores the women's wisdom contained in western mythology and traditional stroies and offers practical exercises and methods ( including the 'Moon Dial') to explore the depths a Cyclic Woman.

Red Moon will transform the way you think about yourself, your cycle, and your life!

Red Moon helps you to:

* accept you cyclic self and connect with each of the different powerful energies of the four phases of your menstural cycle.

* enjoy and apply these energies creatively, sexually and spiritually to everyday life.

* re-awaken the cyclic myths for yourself as a personal journey.

* Create rites of passage to bring emotional acceptance and transformation "

I was wondering if any other ladies here at MDC ( besides myself) honors her Moon Time and if so, how do you choose to do so?

I myself, keep a Moon Journal that helps me keep up with the phase of my cycle. I also include the moon phase, my feelings, any dreams and how im doing health wise. I also keep a ' Moon Dial' which is mentioned in the book.

I save my blood ( i use a moon cup) and give it to my plants ever ymonth- they grow tall and healthy.

I allow my self time to go 'inside of myself' during my moon time with reading, meditation, long baths and spending time outdoors as well as soaking up as much moon light as i can. I listen to my body, dreams and initution.

Thats is only a few of the things that i do to honor my moon time and my cycle. I have noticed an increase in the clarity of my dreams and that my sexuality, creativity and many other emotions flow corosponding to which of the 4 phases I am in at the time. Its very intresting.

So, if any of ladies honor your cycle, please do share! I would love to hear your stories as well as your veiws of moon time or menstruation.

Thanks in advance for your replys!

[LCBMAX]

My relationship with my cycle is pretty complicated right now. I think I don't even want to write about it. But, I thought you'd like to know about Mayan Abdominal Massage, which is deeply supportive to the cycle. You might also be interested in a book called Luna Yoga, and some of Susun Weed's work too. For fun, also read The Red Tent, fiction, fascinating, inspiring.

[HuntressMother]

Thank you for your reply. I will look into those.

[Momma Moo Martin]

Great thread, HuntressMother!  I have recently been very interested in honoring my moon time as well.  My desire to do so actually came about after suffering through more than a year of dark depression/grief/postpartumy-PMS.  I started reading "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Dr. Christiane Northrup back in February and there was a part in the book that said that you should consider how you wish your menarche would have been celebrated and then recreate that experience to the best of your ability during your next moon time.  So I did.  I wrote out the story of how my menarche happened (which was a very sad story indeed) and then wrote out how I wish that important time in my life would have been celebrated.  

During my March moon time, I reclaimed my menarche and lived out my bleeding time the way it should have happened years before.  I bought myself a card and a new moonstone and a set of lovely cloth pads.  My husband gave me a gorgeous moonstone necklace, flowers, and a card.  We celebrated by having "Mooncakes and bloodberries" (pancakes and strawberry syrup) for dinner the day I started bleeding.  I took time to rest and relax. 

Early the next morning while the moon was still out, I slipped outside to the backyard and performed my own Menarche Ceremony.  I burned a childhood drawing to represent leaving my childhood behind and becoming a woman.  I anointed myself with Germanium Oil and prayed to the Goddess.  I lit a red candle and journaled about my femininity and my moon time.  I even asked MDC members to post messages to me about menarche/moon time and had them printed out so that the first time I would read them was during the ceremony.  I received one message and it was lovely.  <3  I am still working out how to celebrate my moon time on a monthly basis but I'm doing a lot better since reclaiming my menarche.  <3

I have a daughter and I look forward to celebrating her menarche when the time comes.  Since my menarche ceremony, I have finally addressed her placenta that sat in my freezer for 2.5 years after her birth.  I thawed it out and did a placenta print which is gorgeous.  Then, we buried all of her placenta (except for a small piece of the cord) and planted a tree over it.  I dehydrated the remaining cord with Germanium oil and placed it in a tiny red satchel with a moonstone and a ladybug for luck.  When she comes of age, the idea is to burn the remainder of the cord to symbolize her becoming a woman and stepping away from her childhood.  

I think I will look into the book you mentioned - it sounds very interesting!  I also really like the idea of a moon journal and now I'm interested in learning about a moon dial. :D

[marimara]

Omg, these ideas are so sweet, I just shed a tear.  I have recently started fertilizing my garden with my moon blood.  If I am out and have to empty my diva cup I actually feel bad about pouring it down the toilet.  During my moon time I do take it easy and don't force myself to do things I don't want to do.  It doesn't help that I have massive cramps and have no choice but nonetheless.  

[wondermama]

Oh, this is a topic so close to my heart!!  I love Red Moon...I have recently become inspired to teach a class/lead a Circle with mamas and girls to impart this information.  It is so powerful, and I agree, it completely changes the way you feel about your cycle, being a woman, etc. 

You may have already come across some of this, but if not, here are some additional resources (some from Miranda Gray, all free):

http://redmoonthebook.com/miranda-gray-red-moon-articles.html

http://www.deannalam.com/

http://www.moonsong.com.au/home.html

I am passionate about every woman (and soon-to-be woman) receiving this information.  Thanks for bringing it to MDC!

[HuntressMother]

That is so beautiful!! Thank you for sharing that with me- it means so much. Im very happy for you, that you have reclaimed your moon time 

and made it your own in a beautiful way. Congrats on begining that journey!

I too have a daughter and I look forward to teaching her about the sacredness that is herself, and her body. I look foward to giving her a first

moon time clelebration, just between the two of us so that we may celebrate being a woman together & so that as she grows she will be fully

aware of the power that she holds and how sacred she is & how much she, and other women, deserve honor.

I really loved the symbolic ritual that you did for yourself to makeup for your first moon time- that is amazing!

Thanks again for sharing your story with me and If you would ever like to share or exchage stories rf information, I am here. My moontime

is actually due tonight & i feel it coming. I plan on spending some time out in the moon and recharging myself. My body is really wanting me to

SLOW DOWN- and thats just what i will do.

[HuntressMother]

Thank you for posting those wonderful links!

Wow- what an amazing woman you are for teaching those classes. That is simply amazing! We need more women like you out there to teach our little girls about this, as well as other woman. I have so much love and respect in my heart for you!

and youre very welcome! I hope that this post and posts like this become more popular here. Im very intested in hearing others stories about their moontime rituals and expeirences. Its very amazing and quite nourishing & healing.