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Balance
I had been working with the lunar cycles for several months when I saw the theme for October’s New Moon: Balance and Harmony with Polarity. This theme was about balancing masculine and feminine. My current state felt as if the masculine was so prevalent that I wanted to do the opposite of balancing – I wanted to squash it. I witnessed my resistance to this theme and took this to mean that I had some work to do in this area. I didn’t commit to earth-shattering change during this cycle. I made the minimal commitment to “Look and Listen” as these themes presented themselves over the month.
Who decided to call them “deadlines” anyway?
I knew I would be facing some critical challenges at work. I had my biggest deadline of the year at the end of this cycle. I knew meeting this deadline would require long hours and weekend work. What I hadn’t planned for was that the awareness of the “Balancing” theme would lead me to better prioritize my time. I balanced a few hours at work on a Saturday with time with friends and a manicure. I reframed the Saturday work as self-care. Working those few hours on the weekend allowed my weekday self to leave work on time another day for some events that are important to me. The understanding that the masculine (yang) was going to require more of my energy prompted me to “pre-charge” and recharge with feminine (yin) activities – or lack of activities as I devoted my Sunday to self-care. Simply knowing the theme for this cycle allowed me to grant myself permission to approach things differently.
I also noticed frustrations arising from the limited time to complete the work tasks. The feminine side of me wanted more time and resources to iterate through the process a few times and provide a better result. I was able to appreciate that desire as one of the ways that my feminine presence shows up at work. That part needed to feel acknowledged, and once she did, she was able to step back and let the masculine take charge and get the work done to meet the deadline.
Interactions
I believe this was also evident in my interactions with my coworkers. Every time someone would ask how it was going, I felt like they expected me to give a harried response about how stressed I was. I felt confident saying that the work was proceeding nicely and would be done on time. I also felt assured that missing the deadline would not cause any real consequences. This gave me the ability to focus on the work instead of on the deadline. I feel that letting go of the deadline was a lot of what helped me achieve it.
If I had not been working with the lunar cycles, I would have blindly plodded through the month without this level of awareness. I am sure I would have met the deadline, but I am also sure I would not have taken such good care of myself while doing so. I would have sacrificed some of those things that were important to me, which would have led to resentment. I would have put in the long hours without balancing the time with self-care. This cycle helped me appreciate the masculine and better understand how the feminine is already showing up in my work. I gained perspective on how I can be more successful when I allow the two to integrate by recognizing the value each adds. Even better – this awareness spilled over into my non-work life and allowed me to approach things differently at home as well.
Wait… So… What does working with Lunar Cycles look like?
One thing that I love about this practice is that I can infuse it with as much or as little “woo” as I want to. It does not have to be elaborate, but it can be. To each her own, and in my Moon Sister community, no one passes judgement at either end of the spectrum. The essence of working with the lunar cycles is recognizing that each phase of the moon has different characteristics. They alternate between yin and yang phases, in other words, from masculine to feminine.
Becoming aware of the ebb and flow of these cycles has helped me explain things that were already happening. I just thought I had a weird sort of bipolar condition that caused my mood and energy levels to change every few days. It turns out that is perfectly natural, but more importantly, it can be used to my advantage. It doesn’t mean I have a crystal ball, but it helps me anticipate challenges and plan accordingly, like the pre-charge and recharge example above.
One of the best benefits is simply giving myself permission to feel *whatever* I feel today and to witness the cycles in various areas of my life. Knowing that the next phase of the moon is coming is motivating and reassuring.
Doing the work
The actual “work” of this process starts with listening to people who know more about it than I do. The theme for the month comes from the Global Sisterhood. I try to pay special attention when I find myself resisting it. I read a few perspectives and listen to others, and then I tune in and listen. I listen with my heart and my mind and my gut. Sometimes my legs get restless. Sometimes I get heartburn. I meditate. I journal. And I listen some more. I declare my intention.
For a long time I would forget my intention soon after it was declared. That’s why I love working with other women in the Lunar Lab. It is an experimental place for sharing and working. It reminds me to check in. To listen. To find the sensations in my body that are trying to give me clues. To remind myself that I am the expert. I already have all of the answers. I am not broken. I am whole and complete just the way I am. I just need to remember.
…And if the moon can turn the tides, it can pull the tears and take ’em from our eyes and make ’em into monsoons.
This Jack Johnson song was hugely influential in my recognition of what a powerful force the Moon is. We fully accept that it is responsible for tides. It literally pulls the ocean from one side of Earth to the other. THAT is some powerful stuff. If you don’t believe me, just put this song on repeat for a few days. You can thank me later.
Listen to Jack Johnson’s Monsoon on YouTube now.