Lunar Wisdom:What the Timing of Your Menstrual Cycle is Telling You
Have you ever noticed that you bleed or ovulate during certain moon phases? Well this isn’t new and syncing with the moon cycle was actually the way that women used to track their cycles. Traditionally, we have actually always looked at nature for guidance and as our teacher and the moon can provide us with so much wisdom. One of the ways is by noticing when you bleed and ovulate and which moon phase is occurring at that time.
The most common menstrual moon cycles are called the white moon cycle and the red moon cycle. But we also recognize that there is also a pink moon cycle and purple moon cycle. The cycle you're in depends on when you're menstruating and when you're ovulating. Some women move between these cycles throughout different seasons of life. For example, when I was working full-time in my acupuncture and holistic medicine clinic, I had a red moon cycle (more on why that was later). When I sold my clinic and began building my online practice, I switched to a white moon cycle. I am constantly amazed by how our cycles connect to nature when we allow them to.
However, today, most of us have lost connection to this beautiful insight that nature teaches us. We have artificial light that pollutes the sky and disconnects us from the moonlight. But reconnecting to the moon’s rhythms is one way back into relationship with your own cycle. Instead of viewing your menstrual cycle as something to endure each month, consider it an invitation to work with your body's rhythms. Let it be a time to reveal what season your mind, heart, and spirit are moving through.
White Moon Cycle
Bleeding with the New Moon, Ovulating with the Full Moon
The white moon cycle is bleeding with the new moon and ovulating with the full moon. Picture a cave, thousands of years ago, long before the glow of screens and streetlights blurred our sense of night. Back then, our nights were guided by the rhythm of the moon. Its light was the rhythm your body connected to. The idea: when the moon shone brightest in the night sky, that light triggered your brain to break down melatonin, waking you up. And when you're awake under a full moon, alert and energized, you're ovulating, fertile= ready to conceive. Many ancient cultures believed the full moon represented a time of abundance, vitality, and conception. This is the white moon cycle.
The new moon bleeding and full moon ovulating is thought to be associated with the wild feminine, intuition, reflection, deep creativity, and fertility. Menstruation naturally asks us to slow down, reflect, and listen. Like the dark sky of the new moon, this is a time for stillness before something new begins. You may feel a pull toward your inner mother, a need to nurture and hold yourself gently. Let the new moon be a time for setting intentions: what beginnings do you want to create?
As your cycle progresses and you approach ovulation around the full moon, your energy naturally rises and your fertility increases. But this doesn’t just relate to biological fertility. This cycle may be inviting you to conceive a new vision for your life, like a business idea, a creative project, a healthier relationship, or a new version of yourself. It's a season of planting seeds and trusting to your desires. This can become a beautiful time to share your gifts, take action on the intentions you planted, connect with others, and let your creativity be seen. The full moon energy is the time to put those new moon intentions into motion.
Questions to reflect on if you are a white moon cycle season:
What am I desiring to create and birth into this world?
Do I have everything I need to complete it?
What would put a smile on the face of your inner child right now?
Red Moon Cycle
Bleeding with the Full Moon, Ovulating with the New Moon
The red moon cycle is bleeding with the full moon and ovulating with the new moon. Traditionally, this cycle has been associated with women whose energy is devoted to the world around them: building careers, raising families, leading communities, or caring for others. They were usually the medicine women, shamans, healers or priestesses. They are the women connected to their greater purpose in life.
The red moon cycle is thought to represent a season of transformation, wisdom, service, and contribution. When you bleed with the full moon, you're releasing at the peak of light and outward energy. As a result, you may feel a pull to bring your period powers outward and into the world around you. Menstruation during the full moon can become an invitation to release more than just your uterine lining. It is a powerful time to let your feminine energy flow freely, gain clarity, and channel your wisdom into the world around you. Let the deep intuition power on your bleed mix with the full moon energy and let your imagination run free.
Questions to reflect on if you are a red moon cycle season:
In what ways do I empower those around me?
How do I connect to my divine feminine energy?
How can I get creative and imaginative? (paint, sing, dance, color)
Pink Moon Cycle
Bleeding with the Waxing Moon, Ovulating with the Waning Moon
Okay, so what if your menstruation falls in between moon phases? These are less common and typically represent a time of transition and transformation in your life. When your bleeding falls between moon phases, your body may be moving through a period of change.
The pink moon cycle is when you bleed with the waxing moon and ovulate with the waning moon. The waxing moon represents the journey from darkness into light (new moon to full moon). Like winter giving way to spring, it's a time of growth, possibility, and new beginnings. There's an energy of curiosity here. An invitation to explore and expand. If this is you, perhaps you're in a season that is asking you to embrace change rather than resist it. You may feel more playful, adventurous, and open to new experiences. This can be a beautiful time to reconnect with your sense of wonder and allow life to unfold without needing every step mapped out.
Spend time outdoors. Wander somewhere you've never been. Try a new hobby. Plant something in your garden. Say yes to experiences that spark joy. Notice what makes you feel most alive. Just as nature doesn't rush from winter into spring, you don't have to rush your own transformation and healing either.
Questions to reflect on if you are a pink moon cycle season:
How can I explore the world around me more?
Is there anything that is getting in the way of my purpose calling? (embarrassment, shame, burdens?)
Are there any loose ends I need to wrap up before embarking on a new journey?
Purple Moon Cycle
Bleeding with the Waning Moon, Ovulating with the Waxing Moon
If your period arrives during the waning moon, the time between the full moon and the new moon, you are in a purple moon cycle. You may find yourself in a season of reflection, refinement, and letting go. It’s a reminder that not every chapter of life is about beginning something new. Your body may be asking you to slow down. Think of this cycle like autumn. It’s a time to gather wisdom from what you have experienced and release what no longer serves you, like the trees release their leaves. Notice any recurring themes, emotions, distress or challenges that continue to surface during this season. They may be inviting you to release.
During this season, you might feel called to declutter your home, set healthier boundaries, complete projects you've left unfinished, or spend more time in quiet reflection. Rather than filling your calendar, consider creating space for rest, for healing, and for clarity in order to prepare for the next chapter in your life. Ask yourself: What lessons have I learned? What truly deserves my energy moving forward?
Just as autumn prepares the earth for the seasons ahead, this cycle is preparing you for what's next.
Questions to reflect on if you are a purple moon cycle season:
What do I enjoy doing and what brings me joy?
Is there something bothering me that is standing in the way of my soul’s purpose?
Are there themes of distress that keep coming up in my relationships, career, or home?
Final Thoughts
Remember, none of these moon cycles are "better" than another. Instead, they're simply another lens through which you can observe your body and the season of life you're in. Our cycles naturally change. Stress, travel, illness, hormonal changes, and the different seasons of our lives can all influence when we menstruate and ovulate. You may find yourself moving between moon cycles over the years, and that's perfectly normal.
Pay attention to when you bleed. Notice how you feel. Spend time outside under the night sky. Journal about the themes that continue to arise month after month. The more you observe your cycle without judgment, the more you begin to understand the language your body. Nature has always been one of our greatest teachers. When we slow down enough to listen, we often discover that our bodies have been reflecting her rhythms all along.
Are you looking to connect to your natural rhythms?
I offer 1:1 coaching that combines traditional and functional medicine to heal hormonal chaos and get you feeling like yourself again.
