As women our menstrual cycles were once aligned with the moon cycles. The gravitational pull which affects the tides affecting our monthly release of blood.
Now with modern hormonal contraception and other factors we are often out of sync with these cycles which we were once aligned with.
The waxing (growing) and waning (reducing) of the moon for me is very symbolic of the phases of spiritual and emotional growth go through.
I love the moon phases the same way I love the seasons. Winter for me is a time of introversion, introspection, the building of something to come, faith in the absence of light and a conservation of energy. The Waning mean for me is also like a movement into this internalised energy.
We are a new moon today, the last of the year. What a beautiful thing. I love this time to think about beginnings and endings, what has been and what may come.
The Islamic calander and Hebrew calander still observe the lunar cycles, but the Gregorian calander does not (this is the one the western world observes generally).
Previously ancient cultures would honour the female period cycles by allowing the women to rest during their bleed, and generally most of the women in the community would menstruate at the same time due to the synchronisation to the natural world.
The Red Tent refers to the biblical Jacob's tribe and its women, who according to ancient law, take refuge during menstruation and births.
Nowadays women's

natural cycles are overlooked and time off work to menstruate would be laughed at by most employers.
We can use tools to be empowered around our emotional, spiritual and physical cycles. We can learn to be present for our own ebbs and flows. The moon cycles can be like a sign post to remind me of my own cycles with letting go of things, of manifestations of my desires, sometimes I feel super in sync, other times I do not, but the macrocosm that is without is often a good anchor to contextualise to what is within.
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