Article Tags: seasonal health | healing | integrative medicine | Evolutionary Healing
Tuning in to the Lunation Cycle
As many of you know, I have long been interested in the seasons of the year and their relation to our health. This was the subject of my first book, Staying Healthy with the Seasons. I am also fascinated by other cycles in Nature and in our bodies. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the life force, known as Chi, flows through the entire body and focuses throughout the day in 12 channels, or meridians. Each meridian is associated with an organ that has a period of strength and weakness during the day-night. For example, the lungs have peak energy from 3:00-5:00 am and a low energy phase from 3:00-5:00 pm. If you are aware of these rhythms, it can be interesting to tune into each organ at its specific time of day. Also, the imbalances within the system may cause certain symptoms or issues to occur at certain times of the day.
One of the most visible and influential of Nature’s cycles is the waxing and waning of the moon during the lunar month. The daily expansions and contractions of the oceans seen in the tides are primarily ruled by lunar movement and gravitational pull and are like the breathing cycle of the Earth. Many traditional cultures, especially in Asia, still use the lunar as well as the solar calendar. I have been a moon watcher for many years and usually stay aware of the phases. I am writing this now on this new moon day of July 5, 2024.
In TCM, the moon is yin, the receptive, feminine, dark principle, relating to the subconscious—the hidden, the emotions. Water in turn has these same characteristics. The state of water in our body may reflect the state of our emotions; we might have inner droughts and floods, stagnant pools and fresh flowing streams.
In each lunar cycle, the sun (the male, active, light principle) and the moon go through many relationships, like a dance. We experience this cyclical change internally as well as in our life activities and events.
- During the time of the darker nights of New Moon (when the Sun and Moon are in the sky at the same degree relative to Earth), our experience is most yin, concerned with inner needs, creativity, and looking forward into the next cycle. The sun and moon are aligned and this is a good time to set our goals for the coming cycle. What do you wish to create or accomplish?
- At Full Moon, when the moon reflects sunlight at night (the Sun and Moon are 180 degrees apart in the sky relative to Earth), our experience is most yang, often with bright and active nights, more social activity, and feelings may be less prominent. We may be “illuminated” with what we are creating.
Many years ago, I studied Dane Rudhyar’s book, The Lunation Cycle, which breaks down the Lunar cycle very clearly and talks about it in more detail.
- The waxing or growing moon is the time for outreach and activities related to accomplishing the goals or visions we set forth at New Moon.
- The first quarter moon, 7 days after the New Moon, he refers to as “crisis in action” related to struggles that occur when we are not progressing in this creative cycle.
- At the three-quarter Moon time, a week after the illuminating Full Moon, we bring how we are progressing into our awareness. The cosmic-astrologer Rudhyar calls this “crisis in consciousness,” the crisis being in our awareness and understanding. Ideally, in the last week of each cycle, we incorporate our evolutionary steps into our being and prepare for the next lunar month’s plan.
Here’s an example of my current Lunar Creative Cycle
Beginning with the new moon (August 4th) I plan to eat light and meditate on what I wish to accomplish for the next 28 days.
- I want to finish my edit on Hyperimmune States: Allergies and Autoimmune Issuesfor my NEW Medicine Solutions series and work with my colleague, Efrem Korngold, LAc. to enhance the Eastern Medicine part of the chapter.
- I want to focus on extra patient care especially since my Nurse Practitioner, Judy Lane, is out of the clinic temporarily recovering from a hip fracture. So, in the first week following the new moon I would schedule additional time for my patients.
- For fun I am planning a weekend trip to Santa Cruz to spend time with my daughter and her husband and daughter, so I would also book a nice room at nearby motel and discuss my travel plans with my daughter.
- Around the full moon, I will tune into what I have learned and feel the rewards or good work with patients and writing/teaching—my main life activities. As I get to the next new moon, I incorporate what I recently accomplished and continue another layer or add one or two new activities or goals to accomplish.
It can be very helpful and instructive to observe and track your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life in light of these cycles. Don’t forget about your dreams!
Have you ever thought about keeping a lunar journal?
You might be surprised by what you’ll learn about yourself.
Stay Healthy and aware of your life on Earth. Make it an amazing journey!