The Power of the Moon

My wise old mum has long held a theory that people’s behaviour is affected by the moon. As a former primary school teacher she claims the children’s behaviour was always worse leading up to a full moon. Where else did the word lunatic come from?

When moaning about my increasingly hideous PMT to my oldest friend, she suggested I may be affected by the moon.

After several months of monitoring I found indeed I was. The pattern is always the same, as the moon is waxing; little or no sleep, increased creativity bordering on manic, erratic and unstable behaviour (especially when alcohol is involved) and an ability to fly wildly off the handle. The day before the full moon a flat depressed mood descends. I want to curl up and hibernate and can burst into tears over a TV advert. The day of the full moon, right on schedule my period arrives followed by a spell of relative tranquillity, that is, until the next waxing moon.

It seems in past times, Native American women were attuned to the moon and menstruated at the time of the full moon. During this time they were excused from every day duties and were encouraged to retreat to moon lodges, to meditate, cleanse and reconnect with the earth. They believed the powerful pull of the moon not only controlled the ebb and flow of the ocean's tides, but also the ebb and flow of the menstrual blood. Women emerged after a few days in the Moon Lodge refreshed and invigorated by the time spent with their blood sisters and the daily needs of their families and the demands of life seemed a little easier.

Moon lodges still exist today, mainly in the US and while we realise we are in danger of sounding a little 'New Age,' wouldn't it be lovely to retreat for a few days every month and emerge with renewed energy and enthusiasm for life

When I mention my moon theory to friends suffering from PMT, some are sceptical and others admit after a few months, that they too have noticed a pattern. I now get texts from friends feeling out of sorts, asking what the moon is up to and my family have installed a moon calendar in the kitchen to keep us all informed.

So here are the full moon dates for 2009, let us know if you are a moon goddess too?

Lunar calender