Charting the Feminine Cycle - Part Two

Humans are part of nature, and like everything else in the world we are affected by its cycles. Darkness and light, day and night, the seasons of the year. For us women, the greatest effect is the cycle of the Moon. Both our menstrual cycles and our pregnancies are measured in moon time (months). In part one of this post, I talked about the effect of the moon cycle on the ocean and the animals. Here I would like to discuss the importance of charting the feminine cycle and how it can help us know our bodies better.  

Through recording our monthly cycles, we become aware of our personal tendencies and how life affects our bodies. It makes it easier for us to notice changes and to reflect on the previous weeks and months. This helps us find balance during unstable times and allows us to provide our bodies with the extra care they need.

In our busy lives charting might sound like another chore, and none of us has any extra time to spare for another obligation. However, charting doesn’t have to be this way. There are ways to chart easily that don’t take up too much of your time.

It’s important to decide which way is best for you. It can be as simple as marking the first day of your cycle on your calendar and then adding notes during the month if you like. You can have a notebook or a journal dedicated to charting, if you feel like doing it more “free style”. There are different charting pages you can find online and print like this one, or this one. There’s also this beautiful Menstrual Calendar Journal you can buy on Esty or you can simply download a charting app like this one or this one.

If you choose to use an app, try one that allows you to chart as many details as possible. This is because with time you might find there’s more information you wish to include in your chart, and you want to be able to keep using the same app with all the previous information. Anything regarding your physical state, your emotional state, or your spiritual state is relevant. Noticing the connections between our bodies, our hormonal system, the world around us and our most private inner world will make you appreciate your femininity and the wisdom of your body and the world on a deeper level.  

I encourage every woman to chart, as we are all affected by the Moon, even if we don’t yet menstruate or no longer do. For younger tweens, and post-menopausal women, I recommend charting your personal changes according to the moon cycle. You could use this site to follow the moon phases. If you’re not menstruating, the first day of the month is the new moon. If you are, the first day of the month is the first day of bleeding (not spotting, but bleeding).

Have you ever charted? Are you charting now? If so, what is your preferred way of doing it? Have you had any revelations from charting your cycle? If you haven’t ever charted, have you thought about starting? Or has something stopped you from trying? I’d love to read your stories and learn from your personal experience.