Botanical Comfort & Support for Female & Moon Cycles

The Connection Between the Female Cycle and Moon Cycles

If you’re a woman, you’ve likely experienced the emotional shifts that occur as our hormones change throughout the month...

It doesn’t just happen during the one week of our period. Our bodies are constantly in flux, undergoing changes that are a part of our womanly cycle. And as much as menstruation can be a difficult monthly experience, there’s power in aligning our spiritual approach to life with these cycles.

Much like our own cycles, the phases of the moon can impact us emotionally and physically, even if they don’t align with one another. Moon cycles can also be powerful allies in our spiritual lives, as we structure our intentions, goal-setting, and manifestations. Read on for rituals to leverage the moon states and our own cycles to move us towards immediate relaxation and grounding, as well as our long-term intentions and dreams.

Pre-Menstruation & Full Moon

According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, women are twice as likely to experience difficulty sleeping before and during their period.

Hormones change throughout a woman’s cycle, including melatonin, the sleep hormone. Changes in hormonal production can cause sleep disruptions, leading to fatigue, irritability, or the need for more rest.

To support restful nights and healthy sleep before your period arrives, try this relaxing, dream-inducing nighttime rituals.

DREAMY BATH BLEND

Add 6 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and 6 drops of Dream Essential Oil Blend to a cup and a half of Epsom salt. Add to your running bath water and enjoy a relaxing soak about two hours before bed. (Two hours is best so your body can feel relaxed at bedtime, yet still have time to return to a lowered temperature.)

THE TOUCH OF DEEP SLEEP

Add several drops of Jatamansi to a tablespoon of Jojoba Carrier Oil. Dab onto your temples and rub the bottoms of your feet right before laying down for bed. Inhale sweet dreams and deep rest.

This ritual can also be used during a full moon, a time when you may experience difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and trouble relaxing.

Menstruation & Waning Moon

During menstruation, women may experience any or all of the following symptoms: cramping, irritability, fatigue, low energy, trouble concentrating, memory issues, bloating, headaches, and even digestive and stomach issues. (That’s so much to deal with!)

Here are a few balancing rituals you can do throughout the day to ease these symptoms, and function as normally as possible.

And we understand that adding another item to your list during your period can be stressful, so we’re keeping it as simple as possible.

THE GIFT OF GRACE

Give yourself grace. You’re dealing with a lot. Go easy on yourself!

BREATHE FOR RELIEF

Deep breaths are great. They are even better when you’re breathing in a relaxing, clarifying botanical. Try any of these calming, grounding essential oils: Clary Sage Essential Oil, Chamomile Essential Oil, Blue, or Palo Santo Essential Oil.

Just add a drop or two to your palms, and inhale deeply. You’ll calm your nerves, restore balance, and give yourself a break, all at once.

PAIN REDUCING OIL

Once again, Lavender Essential Oil is a versatile botanical treasure! Not only can it help you sleep, calm your nerves, and relax your mind, it can dull the pain associated with menstrual cramps, too. Add a few drops to a carrier oil, like Argan Oil, and gently massage it wherever you’re experiencing cramping, such as your stomach, back, or even legs. (It can even relieve bloating!)

ENERGY & FOCUS DIFFUSION BLEND

How frustrating is it when you’re lacking energy and focus, but the work and obligations don’t stop? We feel for you — and have something that may help.

Grab your diffuser, add a blend of these uplifting, clarifying, aromatic delights, and watch your mood, focus, and energy improve — Clary Sage Essential Oil for nerves and clarity; Grapefruit Essential Oil, Red for a citrusy, fruity, uplifting, and energizing mood boost; Focus Essential Oil Blend for concentration, memory, and focus. Try a blend, or just select one!

During our period, we often stand up for ourselves, set boundaries, and voice when things haven’t been working for us — the moon’s waning phase is also a perfect time to assert these boundaries. During this time you likely won’t want to start anything new, but may want to consider what you’d like to let go of.

SHEDDING RITUAL

• Write down the things you no longer want in your life.
• Burn Palo Santo Wood Chips and calm yourself into a meditative state by focusing on the smoke.
• Once you’re in a settled, calm state, read one thing from your list out loud. Envision the smoke purifying and taking that thing away, out of your life.
• Continue through your list, resetting with a short period of smoke gazing when needed.
• Finish your list, and wrap up your ceremony by giving gratitude for the fresh start and new space that has opened up in your life.

Post-Cycle & New Moon

After your period, you likely have more energy and feel refreshed. This part of your period can correspond with the emotional equivalent of a new moon. While the moon appears hidden, it’s a time of dropping the things you no longer need, and opening up space for the things that you want...

You may feel the same after your period — as though you’re ready to get back to the work ahead of you and face the new month with a fresh perspective and new energy.

It is a time to clarify and purify, to create space to welcome in the goodness that the next month has in store.

CREATIVE NEW MOON RITUAL

The new moon and your post cycle are powerful times to practice and enjoy creativity. Try this playful ritual of drawing, painting, or writing while you enjoy powerful, uplifting, botanical aromas. You may do this with a friend, your children, or happily by yourself. Feel free to play inspiring or uplifting music while you create.

• Start with a citrus oil in your diffuser, like Lemon Essential Oil, Grapefruit Essential Oil, Red, or Sweet Orange Essential Oil. Begin to draw, paint, or write what you smell, and whatever the scent brings to mind. Do not restrict yourself out of judgment. It’s a free-flowing creative exercise for the sake of being creative — nothing more.
• After you’ve spent enough time with the citrusy scents, add Bergamot Essential Oil. Continue to depict the scents visually or verbally, noting the differences in smells, how they blend, and if you can pick out each scent individually.
• Finally add an herbal or floral scent on top of the citrusy, sweet bergamot aroma. Try a few drops of Jasmine Absolute Oil, Night Blooming, Vetiver Essential Oil, Rosemary Essential Oil, and Verbenone. Continue to describe, in words or visuals, what comes to mind as you deeply inhale and let your mind wander.
• Now, get out your notebook. The creative juices are flowing, you’ve released yourself from boundaries and limited thinking. Now ask yourself: “What are my dreams? What do I want? What does a magnificent life look like?” Dream big and open, and begin to set intentions for how to move forward toward a wonderful life.

Ovulation/Luteal Phase & Waxing Moon

Luckily, we usually get a 2-week period where we feel pretty good and “back to normal.” We do ovulate in this time period, and it’s the beginning of the Luteal Phase.

We correlate this phase of our own cycle with the waxing moon because of the energy and emotional capacity to start new projects and plan for the future. We have more energy, focus, and health to support us, so it’s a great time to put those physical and mental efforts behind our intentions and manifest the things we long for. We opened up our creativity last week and connected to our intentions. As the moon starts small and grows in size, it’s a wonderful time to call in the things you want and initiate the new.

MANIFESTATION MEDITATION

Frankincense is an oil of gratitude, ritual, and sacredness. In this mediation, you can either anoint yourself with a diluted blend of Frankincense Essential Oil, and a carrier oil, dabbing the mixture on your temples and pulse points, or you may add a few drops of Frankincense to a diffuser. Spend several minutes in silence, with eyes closed, breathing intentionally. Give thanks for all that you are grateful for, and recognize your prosperity. After you have done this, keeping your breathing intentional, now give thanks for all that you wish to pull in the next month. Think of last week’s practice, where you listed your intentions.

Inhaling the scent and power of frankincense, visualize yourself manifesting this month’s needs and desires. As you close this meditation, give thanks for all you have, and all you will have.

Women are incredible.

We’re strong, resilient, intelligent, spiritual, compassionate, nurturing, and so much more. To start Women’s History Month off, we’re making it easy to treat yourself.