Harmonizing Your Moon Cycle Phases, Part 2.

In my previous article about harmonizing your moon phases, I shared knowledge based on ancient Vedic and Ayurvedic wisdom about our moon (menstruation) time. We talked about phases of our cycle, how they are different from each other, and went over recommendations for each phase slightly.

In today’s article, I will share specific recommendations for each cycle phase in activities, food, and exercises as well as reasons for various cycle ailments from the perspective of Ayurveda.

This sacred knowledge is so important for every woman to stay healthy, so please don’t forget to share it with women in your life!

Now, let’s start with ailments.

Pain

The most popular one is the painful period. Usually, that signifies some unresolved issues on the subtle plane (the one we cannot see or touch), and usually, it has something to do with this life, and not any other past lives. For the most part, these are fears that need to be worked through and released. There is usually a pattern that you can monitor: pain – spasm – tension – anger. These always come together. And if a woman is soft and delicate in her nature, a period will not be painful.

Here I would like to emphasize something. I consider myself soft and delicate too however once in a while I would have painful periods myself. How is that possible? In this case, we need to really look deeper and see what’s there. There is most likely suppressed anger of some sort hiding under hurt, resistance, and deception. It may be connected to a situation from the past that still affects us now, or to a person that did something that was hurtful to us. Take time and try to dig it out. Usually, this kind of hurt accumulates during the previous month and manifests as a painful period the next month. But it could be something much deeper, going from month to month for years. Explore.

Besides that, a period can be painful if a woman is neglecting her environment and is not clean enough, if she doesn’t clean her space or if her speech is not clean (with cuss words).

The way to manage pain is for about a week before your period is due, put some iodine on the bottom part of your palms and your heels. You can also consume some additional iodine too as a supplement and see if it makes a difference. Additionally, it is good to drink sage tea, and carrot juice, and eat fermented dairy products like kefir or yogurt. During lunchtime make sure to include wheat sprouts (about 2 teaspoons). During this time of the cycle, our blood sugar naturally becomes low, so we all crave sweets. Try to substitute regular conventional sweets with natural ones – dates, dry figs, honey, bananas.

Inflammation

Inflammations and processes of decay happen if a woman did not work through her female karma and karmic tasks, in other words, if her state of mind is not that of a female. This means things need to shift inside of her so that realizes she is a woman with a female body, and following female rhythms is the most natural and healthy living. My whole entire blog is about that.

Tissue Growth

Tissue growth like myomas and fibroids appear if a woman did not fulfill the mission of having children, or if she has an external or internal strong contempt toward’s female nature. Again, these are signs from your body to pay attention to and definitely not ignore. I have touched upon these diseases and some other ones in my other article.

Headache

Headaches during the period usually represent some harshness in her character. She may be rude or inconsiderate to something or someone.

Abortions

Additionally, I would like to talk about the topic of abortions. Although not a disease, from the perspective of Vedas and Vedic astrology, such a thing as abortion is incredibly detrimental and strongly affects her life. In fact, if a woman did one abortion, it dramatically affects her astrological chart and it won’t be reflecting what is actually happening in her life. That means her action seriously changed her life, and not to the best. The topic of abortion in Vedas is very serious and equals the murder of a life that was supposed to come to Earth. But I won’t go deeper into this here.

Contraception

If a woman uses spiral birth control like an IUD, that puts her in the position where she basically has multiple abortions throughout her life, depending on how long she uses this method of contraception. With each unprotected sexual intercourse, there is almost always a new life starts and ends right away without the ability to grow. That is considered an abortion. From the perspective of energetic healing, it can be seen in her aura as multiple souls that get stuck near her without the ability to be incarnated and born. Of course, they would also affect her and her life, and her future children should she decide to have them. Vedic knowledge advises us to perform serious ceremonies and rituals in order to ask for forgiveness and to release them all. This is an entire topic of discussion on its own as well.

Now, let’s move on to the specific recommendations for each phase of the cycle.

The Ultimate Guide To Cycle Syncing

(In fact, I will make it a separate article too.)

Menstrual phase – Days 1-4

Cyclical “winter”

Uterine lining sheds

Overall feeling: lethargic, low, in pain

Archetype: Wise Woman

Nutrition

Make sure to include food full of iron in your diet. Meat if you consume it, as well as asparagus, spinach, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, and citrus. High fiber carbs. For pain and inflammation use the things I mentioned earlier, and also add oily fish, turmeric, ginger, curries, and berries. Warm foods: hot cereal, porridge, kitchari, tea infusions. Vitamin C, magnesium. Good time for soups and stews.

Productivity

Reflective phase. Time for analytical tasks, solo projects, proofreading, reviewing data, making assessments, and goal setting. Evaluate projects. Make course corrections. Listen to intuition. Rest and relax.

Movement

Avoid any during the first two days of your cycle and rest. Then, try very gentle slow yoga, walking, and stretching. This will help soothe the pain, boost your mood, and help you concentrate. Qigong, restorative yoga, Yin yoga, meditation.

Free time

Limit social engagements, rest, and reflect.

Self-care

Stay in and rest, journal, read, meditate, use heat packs, do self-acupressure ( or get acupuncture treatment), and make sure you flow freely (less tampons and more free flow, pads). Grounding practices. Write out a daily affirmation to repeat throughout the day (you may use the mantra of this phase).

Skincare

Skin is dull during this cycle phase because all hormones drop. Focus on reducing inflammation and cell turnover. Nutrients for skin – charcoal, salicylic acid, witch hazel, apple cider vinegar, resurfacing acids. Avoid exfoliating and waxing. Focus on hydration. Use an anti-inflammatory raw honey mask to hydrate and calm any existing breakouts.

Essential oils

Spray yourself with lavender, rosemary, marjoram, Roman chamomile, grapefruit, bergamot, and juniper.

Herbs

Hawthorne Berry Tea, rose petals, chamomile (helps stress and anxiety), nettle (iron to support blood loss), red raspberry leaf (relieves cramping), lemon balm, skullcap, motherwort, turmeric (anti-inflammatory).

Sleep

Your sleep can be disrupted due to hormonal changes, pain, and increased body temperature. Make sure to keep your bedroom cool and ventilated, and go to bed early.

Mantra

I release what no longer serves me.

Follicular phase – Days 5 – 11

Uterine lining thickens

Cyclical “Spring”

Feeling: happy, energetic, driven

Archetype: Maiden, Goddess

Nutrition

Support hormone production and upcoming ovulation with foods like avocado, wild salmon, walnuts, seeds (flax seeds and pumpkin seeds), coconut oil, Greek yogurt, hummus, almonds, spinach and broccoli, and parsley. Fermented foods. Cool foods. Antioxidants, zinc, phytoestrogens. Good time for sauteing and steaming.

Productivity

You have more energy and motivation here. So do focused work, creative projects, or learning. A great time for research, online courses, or writing. Set intentions. Prepare and plan. Brainstorm. Start new projects.

Movement

Your estrogen rises now during this cycle phase, which means you have a lot more energy. You can exercise more now but make sure to stretch and do warms up before that to avoid injuries. High-impact cardio, flow yoga.

Free time

socialize, watch your impulses, and learn a new skill.

Self-care

Work with future self. Write a letter to your future self or what you hope to be, do or achieve.

Skincare

Estrogen rises – skin is starting to glow. Focus on nourishment and treatments. Skin nutrients – fatty acids and nourishing oils, resurfacing acids, vitamin C, zinc oxide. Now is the time to try new products since your skin is at its best. Exfoliate with lactic acid and fruit enzymes to keep pores free from build-up.

Essential oils

Burn a candle with amber, sandalwood, or patchouli.

Herbs

Nettle (iron to support blood loss), Holy Basil (blood sugar and immunity support), Schisandra (lifts energy and reduces stress), Spearmint (balances androgens and boosts LH).

Sleep

Your body temperature and hormones normalize a little now and sleep should be better for a few days.

Mantra

I set my intentions and practice aligned action.

Ovulatory phase – Days 12 – 19

Ovaries produce and release an egg

Cyclical “Summer”

Feeling: desire for pleasure, balanced, confident, capable

Archetype: Empress, Nurturer

Nutrition

Right when the ovulation happens, at around day 14, your estrogen is plummeting, so make sure to balance it with estrogen-rich foods like dried fruits, flaxseed again, chickpeas and beans. Take magnesium. Cool foods. Choline (eggs), aged cheese, oysters, fresh fruits, and veggies. Great time for salads, juices, and raw foods.

Productivity

You are very social and confident during this phase. Engage in group work, attend conferences or networking events, do interviews, have hard conversations. Connect and communicate. Sell and negotiate. Collaborate. Create content.

Movement

This is the highest energy peak so you feel like you can do anything. Exercise can help your mood and focus. However, changes in your hormones can make you feel wonky so be gentle with yourself. Fun cardio is great.

Free time

Meet new people, find resolutions, and make life-changing decisions.

Self-care

Practice gratitude. Each day meditate on or write down 3 things you’re grateful for.

Skincare

Estrogen peaks – skin is glowing. Focus on nourishment and treatments. Skin nutrients – fatty acids and nourishing oils, resurfacing acids, vitamin C, zinc oxide. Book a facial to deep clean pores before oil increases during the luteal phase. Exfoliate with lactic acid and fruit enzymes to keep pores free from build-up.

Essential oils

Moisturize yourself with lavender, frankincense, and vetiver.

Herbs

Red clover (promotes lubrication), Shatavari (boosts LH production), Dandelion Root (cleanses liver), Milk thistle (detoxes unwanted hormones).

Sleep

Around ovulation and right after that you will feel like you need naps during the day. This happens due to an estrogen dip and a surge in progesterone right after. So take naps if you need them.

Mantra

I confidently express and honor my needs.

Luteal Phase – Days 20 – 27

Uterine lining continues to thicken before shedding

Cyclical “Autumn”

Feeling: moody, tired, in pain

Archetype: Wise Woman, Wild Woman

Nutrition

With hormones dramatically changing you will crave energy-rich foods. So get some extra calories from healthy fats like avocado, nuts, fish, and lean proteins. Take mood-boosting supplements. Warm foods. Magnesium, slow-burning carbs, carrot salad, calcium, eat every 3-4 hours. Good time for roasting and baking.

Productivity

If pregnancy did not happen, falling progesterone during this cycle phase will make you sluggish and possibly depressed. So, avoid new projects or big launches. Focus on mundane or repetitive tasks like organizing files or updating reports. Wrap up projects. Get organized. Do administrative tasks. Edit content. Review documents.

Movement

You have a high body temperature, which can make it hard to work out for long periods of time. So instead, try short bursts of intense exercise, since you will have the energy for that. Also, relaxing yoga is good.

Free time

Sleep, create, comfort, and introspect.

Self-care

Practice release. Make a list of all the things that are no longer serving you and that you wish to release.

Skincare

Progesterone rises – increased sebum and sweat. Focus on reducing oil and gently clearing out pores. Skin nutrients – salicylic acid, squalene, phytic acid, charcoal, corn starch (for the body). Cleanse with a gentle foaming cleanser or oil cleanser. Use anti-inflammatory spot treatments like black cumin seed oil. Use niacinamide serum to balance oil production and reduce inflammation. Calm skin and breakouts with cooling clay masks.

Essential oils

Add lotus, geranium, and rose to your bath.

Herbs

Ginger (helps bloating, supports digestion), Burdock root (removes excess hormones), Holy basil (lifts mood), Milk thistle (detoxes unwanted hormones).

Sleep

After ovulation, your progesterone rises a lot, which makes you extra sleepy (and increases your REM cycles). In the three days before menstruation, hormones can disrupt your sleep.

Mantra

I take charge of my life fiercely and fearlessly.

Three Months Period of Syncing

Take at least three months, or more, and try to sync your life with your moon cycle. I guarantee you, that there will a significant shift in your overall well-being and how you feel, emotionally and physically. Notice the difference in your health and your mood at the beginning of this experiment and then at the end. Every woman has this ever-changing cyclical nature that we need to be aware of and honor.  If every single woman knew and remembered that, there would be less issues in health and happiness of the female part of the world.