Moonstruck

I am always mesmerized by the full moon. Its haunting beauty is eternal as the cosmic forces that have profoundly influenced the destinies of man and woman through time.

While the moon’s various phases (new moon, waxing and waning) influence aspects of out lives, it is the full moon that holds the greatest power for our personal consciousness should we choose to work with the energies. Studying the patterns of these full moons made me realize, that indeed, Woman, more than Man, is more susceptible to its cosmic force. Woman, the female energy of this natural world, finds affinity with the moon. In astrology, the moon represents our subconscious, the feminine side of our psyche and soul, and rules our hopes and dreams, fears and confusions that we refuse to face up to, acknowledge or transform.

The moon’s heightened gravitational pull, when it becomes that resplendent shining orb, affects high tides, the rising water levels in our bodies and changes in our moods. Studies have shown that patients in mental hospitals or psychiatric wards become more difficult to control during the full moon; that crime rates increase; that more pregnant women go into labor and that majority are either depressed or feel a heightened awareness of everything during the full moon.

What we must be aware of is that this magnetic gravitational pull of the moon can be used as a healing and creative force.

Because Woman is more in touch with her emotions, it is natural that mood swings are heightened during the full moon. Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) and even hormonal imbalances during this period can make you slide into a "deep blue funk." The processing of these depressions may be traced to root causes of specific fears like that of being alone, alienation, abandonment or grieving. It is during the full moon that one can be fully aware of tracing the fear to its roots. During the full moon, we can endeavor to feel and flow consciously and with mindful awareness. We must try to tell ourselves that "OK, so I am facing myself at my most negative side during the full moon–let’s have it all out with the depressions! I acknowledge its presence and will let it all go." Only when we can see and face our fears and our negative tendencies can we begin to empower ourselves in transforming or healing them. It is at this point that what we call a paradigm shift happens. We begin to change the way we see and face things, throwing away old patterns of behaviors (like giving in to the blues, blaming anyone and everyone else except yourself for how you feel, or wallowing in the victim-martyr complex). Only then can the transformation begin.

The full moon also heightens creativity. We can work with its energy by entering into the higher mind to try to be more creative. We can access our Higher Mind, Angel, Soul-Self when we rise above our petty little mundane human problems and emotions and tap into our dreams, thoughts, visions and ideals. Ask yourself: What is the best ME that I want to become? And how do I express this? You can write poetry or a song, paint or draw, solve that difficult financial problem, write that essay. Or you can just listen to beautiful soothing music, sit with friends or that special someone and talk of your inner selves. Or just sing-a-long. Even better is sitting in meditation and prayer under the moon’s light and allowing the mind to soar and access higher worlds. For the body, it is best to fast during the full moon, precisely because the body absorbs all kinds of substances well (on the other hand, when we become depressed and stuff ourselves with junk food during the full moon, the body is apt to take in more of the artificial additives in such food). All things in this world follow the natural cycles. Understanding yourself deeper during the full moon celebrates your union with this universal cycle.