Hello Moon
Exploring the ebb and flow of living by the moon
Words by Jane Deane
While the household was quiet and everyone was tucked up asleep in bed I made my way outside on a cold Winters night. I pulled out the deck chair, sat down and stared up at the moon.
Full and vibrant, a glowing ball of wonder illuminated the night sky.
Watching down on me, that moon has been there my whole life. It was there the night I was born. It has watched over me every night of my life as I sleep. It has witnessed my teenage shenanigans in a small town where I stayed out way too late.
It's walked home with me through city streets on the other side of the world.
I gazed at it on a hot afternoon from a rooftop in Spain and we've shared many cups of tea and sleepless nights together while raising babies. The moon has always had a special place in heart.
Many cultures hold reverence for the moon and design their lives around the ebb and flow of the moon's cycles.
One such culture is found among certain indigenous communities in North America, where the moon plays a pivotal role in guiding agricultural practices, ceremonies, and daily life. These cultures often have distinct lunar calendars that help determine planting and harvesting seasons, as well as spiritual events like moonlit dances and rituals to honour the lunar phases. The moon's waxing and waning is symbolic of life's cyclical nature, fostering a deep connection between these communities and the cosmos.
“Many cultures hold reverence for the moon and design their lives around the ebb and flow of the moon's cycles.”
In Asia, particularly in regions like East Asia and Southeast Asia, lunar-influenced cultures are prevalent as well. The Chinese, for instance, have a rich lunar calendar that shapes not only their traditional holidays like the Lunar New Year but also their agricultural practices and folk beliefs. The moon is often associated with concepts of harmony and unity, and its influence is evident in various aspects of daily life, from food offerings made during lunar festivals to the intricate art of moon gazing. In places like Indonesia and Malaysia, the moon's phases are closely linked to Islamic traditions, such as determining the start and end of the holy month of Ramadan based on lunar sightings.
The Moon's Effect on the natural world
The moon's gravitational pull has a profound impact on the world around us. Just consider the ocean tides –the moon's gravitational pull creates a bulge of water on the side of the Earth facing the moon and a corresponding bulge on the opposite side. This leads to the rise and fall of sea levels, causing high tides and low tides. I’ve witnessed this directly at my local beach and the changing landscape.
Trees, too, respond to lunar rhythms. During the waxing moon phase, sap flow increases, promoting healthy growth and development, while the waning moon phase is ideal for pruning, as the reduced sap flow minimizes stress on the tree.
Many species of animals, particularly marine creatures, have evolved to synchronize their activities with the lunar cycle. For example, some species of fish and crustaceans time their reproduction and migration patterns with the tides. Sea turtles, in particular, are known to nest during specific phases of the moon. Additionally, some nocturnal animals are more active during the full moon when there is more light available at night.
Human Behaviour and the Lunar Connection
Beyond the natural world, humans are also influenced by the moon's phases. The full moon, often associated with increased energy and heightened emotions, has been linked to changes in human behaviour and even sleep patterns. Is this really a surprise though? I mean we are made of around 60% water with blood (think tree sap) running through our veins.
This led me to ponder if I was to align my own life and business with the moon phases would I see a change in the way things unfolded?
I began noticing and implementing this experiment just before a new moon. My motivation had been low and I felt as though business had been stagnant. That’s actually what gave rise to me researching if the moon phases may play a part in the ebb and flow of business and life.
The lunar month consists of four main phases: new moon, waxing moon, full moon, and waning moon. Each phase has its own unique energy and qualities, which can guide us in different areas of our life and business.
During the new moon phase, which occurs every 29.5 days, the moon is not visible in the sky and represents a time of new beginnings, intention-setting, and planting seeds for the future. This is a great time to start new projects, set goals, and focus on personal growth and development.
“Work felt fun and exciting again as it transitioned out of a lull and I saw more value in collaborating and putting fresh energy into new things rather than dwelling on the quieter times.”
As the moon begins to wax, or grow, in the sky, we enter the waxing moon phase, which lasts for approximately 14 days. This phase is associated with growth, expansion, and abundance, and is a good time to take action, make decisions, and attract opportunities.
The full moon, which occurs halfway through the lunar month, is a time of heightened energy, creativity, and manifestation. It is a powerful time for releasing what no longer serves us, expressing gratitude, and celebrating our achievements.
Lastly, the waning moon phase, which lasts for approximately 14 days, represents a time of release, letting go, and surrender. This is a good time to reflect on our progress, release any negative thoughts or emotions, and prepare for the next cycle.
After researching the moon phases, I took some time to think about what I wanted to achieve.
I wrote down some targets I wanted to hit and some specific clients I wanted to work with.
When the moon moved out of the new moon phase and into the first quarter I could feel my creativity, energy and inspiration returning and began taking steps to initiate action.
Work felt fun and exciting again as it transitioned out of a lull and I saw more value in collaborating and putting fresh energy into new things rather than dwelling on the quieter times.
New ideas seemed to pop into my head out of no where and I felt like I could hardly keep up with the inspiration!
From this moon cycle I was able to:
Add a spontaneous 6k revenue stream to the business.
Design and begin sourcing a sample for a new product.
Created some fun collaboration opportunities with 2 dream clients.
This cycle plus the next cycle allowed us to achieve our biggest 2 consecutive months of sales to date.
“For me surrender is a gentle invitation to enquire "can I be OK with where I am right now?”
Lessons from a waning moon
One of the things I noticed (even when I wasn't keeping track of the moon phase) was when I started to feel tired and withdrawn. My body felt called to rest more and retreat, taking a little time to myself and reflecting on life. When I looked at the moon phase calendar these times notably coincided with a waning moon. Perhaps the hardest lesson from the waning moon is the lesson of surrender. Surrender doesn't come easy to me. An inward turning, more restful state. For me surrender is a gentle invitation to enquire "can I be OK with where I am right now?" Funnily enough the answer is yes, always. No matter how hard or messy or painful or sad it is. Because where you are right now at this moment is all you have.
When the moon hides and this new moon phase is around the corner I find myself just trying to remember to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes I’ve dreamed so big I can’t even imagine how i’ll bring everything together. Sometimes things start to fall apart at the seams and I've noticed that more challenges appear. I’ve learned it’s about being ok with the things that weren't meant to be, and handling the challenges with grace.
Some lessons I've taken away from the new moon phase;
1. You can't take on everything. With growth and expansion comes so many lessons. Learn to delegate, and also practice saying 'no'.
2. Don't get too attached to the things that didn't come about. "If it comes let it, if it goes let it".
3. Set your fears and your doubts free. Whether it's the fear of what others think, or disappointing someone or fear of loosing a client or money because it just didn't align, let it go. Opportunities are infinite. Trust the process!
Working with the ebb and flow of the moon has been an interesting process and I definitely noticed that my own energy and creativity are of a cyclic nature. And thats probably the biggest lesson of all. This human race seems to want us to go go go all the time and always be achieving and growing. But sometimes growth looks like rest and some quality down time and that my friend is totally okay!