On the eve of the full moon when my body is already asking for rest, to recover from whatever death-mutant-influenza is living in me, I’m called into rest and stillness even further by the first few drops of blood I notice on the toilet paper. And I’m so proud in this moment because since my short stint with hormonal contraception I’ve worked hard at getting my natural rhythm back. At syncing my cycle with the cycle of the moon. I’ve used seeds, herbs, flowers, cacao, massage, ritual, noticing and tracking the moon’s phases, noticing which energies are present and when. And mostly, I’ve been deeply listening to my body. I’m almost certain that at some point my cycle will fall out of sync again, as all things in life have a tendency to do. But the point of it all is to surrender anyway and rather than try to force the current, I am a third-party observer… watching my own ebb and flow, supporting my body and trusting it’s innate ability to self-regulate and heal. 

So, um, why do I want my menstrual cycle to be in sync with the moon and what does it have to do with Witchcraft and Yoga?

Both witches and yogis alike honour the cyclicality of nature and considering we are a part of nature; we honour the cyclicality of ourselves. When practicing Ayurveda (the sister-science of yoga), we honour the seasons by eating seasonal foods, we honour the rhythm of the day by rising with the sun and resting with the setting of the sun. Anyone in-tune with nature can see the endless rhythms and cycles that interplay with one another. Moon phases and menstruation is one example of this.

According to Ayurveda, menstruation should occur with the dark moon. At this time our energy is at it’s lowest and we go inwards. We crave stillness, warmth, darkness, solitude; our inner Winter. Respectively, ovulation should occur with the full moon. At this time our energy is at it’s highest and we’re more inclined to feel social, to wear brighter colours, to be seen and heard. We crave excitement and activity; our inner Summer.

While Ayurveda says that ideally, a healthy period occurs at the time of the dark moon, personally I think that ovulating with the dark moon and bleeding with the full moon is also a harmonious cycle. These cycles hold different energies but they are both occurring in synchronicity with the moon. I read once that those who cycle with the dark moon are embodying archetypal energy of The Mother, and those who cycle with the full moon are embodying archetypal energy of The Healer. I’ve cycled with both during different phases of my life.

Yoga invites us to connect with ourselves. Our breath, our body and our soul/spirit/Atma, whatever you choose to call it. Essentially, it asks us to connect with our magick. When we bleed, the veil between worlds becomes thinner, our intuition is heightened and we can more easily connect to Spirit. Pay attention to your dreams during menstruation, write them down, reflect upon how they made you feel or any themes or messages that might come up. Listen. It’s the perfect time to go deep within and tend to the roots, as well as plant new seeds. And by ‘planting seeds’ I don’t mean starting new projects or taking action on any new goals, but rather sitting in that space of stillness and merely contemplating what the next steps might be. As a natural dreamer and thinker, I find a lot of comforts as well as inspiration during the days of my bleed, spending my time in the dream realm, conceptualizing and journaling. Any sort of witchcraft used for envisioning, manifesting, healing and intuiting is perfect during this time. Get comfortable with rest. In a very Yang world, it’s hard to make time for the Yin. But do so and you’ll feel the difference. And of course, move and connect with your body! Practicing gentle yoga, meditation, and breathwork during this time can also intensify your magick and heighten your intuition even further.

It’s important to note that not all witches experience menstruation and it is by no means the only source of potent energy within the human body. I do believe however that is it an unlimited, and deep well of personal power for any witch that has the ability and desire to tap into it. 

Below is a list of herbs and practices I like to use leading up to and during menstruation (from my inner Autumn to Winter) for you to use as a guide and inspiration but it’s incredibly important to pay attention to what YOUR body is calling for, and which practices resonate with you.

• Maca root and cacao!!! I cannot get enough of these.
• Rose everything.
• My own moon tea blend, including rose petals, lavender, raspberry leaf, and sage.
• Staying out of the wind and staying extra warm.
• Following threads of inspiration and writing it all down. I generally try to get to bed early when I’m bleeding but my last few cycles have given me explosions of inspiration and insight late into the night, go figure, so I roll with it and sleep only when I’m tired.
• Yin and gentle yoga asana, lots of supine (reclined) pose and movement around my hips.
• Clary sage essential oil. Diffused, used as a perfume, massaged under my breasts.
• Sex. Period sex isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I find it to be an entirely different (and other-worldly) experience in itself and sometimes gain a lot of insight from it.
• Womb-heart breathing. (Place one hand over your uterus, the other over your heart, close your eyes and send your breath and loving-intention into each space.
• Moongazing. Spending real time looking at the moon and feeling her energy. 
• Feeding my plants with my menstrual blood. I use a menstrual cup so this allows me to mix it with water and give to my plants. It has SO many nutrients and minerals, it’s the best fertilizer. This act also allows me to honour the life force in my blood, practicing gratitude and respect for it.

I hope that helps you to connect with your cycle and love it for the magickal ally it can be. If you’re looking for a moon-time yoga practice or specific poses to use during menstruation, I’d love to chat! Find me @rhizome.yoga on Instagram!

Love, Ash

This article and ritual guide was graciously written by guest author Ashleigh Hull of Rhizome Yoga