What is cyclical living?
I get it. When I use the term cyclical living, cycle synching, or living cyclical in my social posts and emails, you get a little confused.
That's why I decided to write this blog to make it easy for you to understand some basics of what it means to live cyclically and practice cyclical living. I can't put all my wisdom on this topic in one blog, but I hope this gets you started in your journey and brings a bit more awareness to the practice that has changed my life. And a topic that I'm passionate about teaching women around the globe.
Like Maya Angelou says: When we know better, we do better.
And now, it's time to know better and do better when it comes to your body and how it was designed.
But first, let me tell you a little story about how I stumbled upon this concept. I'm guessing if you landed here, you'll be able to relate to this story.
I was postpartum about a year after giving birth to my third child. I was soon approaching the age of 40, and my body was not happy with me. My hip was constantly hurting, and my cycles were a mess. I had been diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom) in my 20s, so heavy and messy periods were not uncommon. But this was different. Plus, my digestion was off.
At this time, I had just begun to understand more about the concepts of energy and energy work and realized I was an empath and a powerful healer.
I had a lot going on.
I was working with an acupuncturist, doing energy work, and I thought I was eating right. But something still didn't feel right. And it wasn't just in my body, but in my business too. I was feeling stuck and burned out in all areas.
At the same time, I had just begun to understand that the moon played a role in our lives. But super basic stuff like you release with a full moon that doesn't serve you and setting your crystals out in the moonlight was cool.
I remember clearly one day standing in the shower and having the lightbulb moment that changed everything.
I knew it was a full moon. Someone I was following on IG had shared that earlier in the day.
And I had my cycle.
As I stood in the shower with the water washing away my bleed, a message came thru loud and clear. It was what many would call a light bulb moment.
You are bleeding because it's a full moon.
What? Could that be true?
As soon as I hopped out of the shower, I did what most humans do and I googled that shit.
And yup! That was a thing. The moon affects our menstruation, our lives, and much more. The more I read, the more I just knew I had found the answers I was seeking to move my life forward.
It's actually how our bodies were designed.
And that, my darlings, is cyclical living.
It's the knowing and understanding that a woman's body is designed to live cyclically and in tune with the moon, the seasons, and mama earth.
Our bodies aren't designed the same way as a man's, and we don't operate in that manner either. But, unfortunately, it's the only way many of us have been shown to create success and live.
And when we understand this, we can bring our bodies, our work, and our lives into balance with how we were designed. Pretty cool, right?
In a nutshell, cyclical living is simply the practice of living in harmony with the earth and how you were meant to live.
What has happened since this day in the shower?
I've learned a lot about cyclical living, my own body, and how to live in tune with my body. My hormones are more balanced than ever, and I have a lot more peace in my life and business.
Here's an overview of the basics. Make sure to bookmark this page and come back often. And even better yet, scroll to the bottom and fill out the form to receive my Cyclical Living Guide and connect to the many resources I offer.
I’m super excited that you want to learn more about the moon, the phases of your cycle, the seasons, and how they all dance together. I trust that if you are here, you are ready for change and do life a little differently.
Let's dive in.
First up! Let’s understand how the moon, our bodies, and the seasons dance together.
There are 29.5 days in a lunar cycle. This means that it takes the moon 29.5 days to travel around the Earth. During this journey, the moon goes through four distinct phases that we can see in the night sky. New, First Quarter, Full, and Third Quarter.
There are also an average of 28-31 days in a woman’s cycle. A woman’s cycle also has four distinct phases. Menstruation, Follicular, Ovulation, and Luteal.
There are four distinct seasons in a year. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall.
Do you think this is a coincidence? No! Mama nature is so smart and this is no accident. There are many studies on how the moon affects water and our bodies are made up of water, so why wouldn't we be affected by the moon?
Now that we understand that women are cyclical beings, we can begin to understand how the seasons dance together. We’ll begin with winter and move through the seasons.
Winter is a season of rest. It is cold outside in many areas of the World, the hours of daylight are the shortest and it’s a season to reflect and spend more time indoors.
This is the same energy as a New Moon or a Dark Moon. This is when the moon is not visible in the night sky, making the night dark and keeping the critters indoors.
And the same energy as when a woman bleeds. We desire to rest, we often do not want to interact as much with others and it’s a time we like to reflect.
This season is often referred to as the fertile void.
Next up is Spring. The plants and trees wake up from hibernation and it’s time to emerge. Winter is over and we can play outdoors, and plant our gardens.
This is the same energy as the first quarter moon or when we begin to see the moon again in the sky as it moves from new to full.
In a woman’s cycle, it is the follicular phase, when our body has shed what it no longer needs and begins to prepare again for ovulation. Just like spring, we are feeling a bit more energized and ready to interact with the world once again.
Summer follows Spring and this is when it’s time to play. We spend more time outdoors, we begin to reap the benefits of the season with fruit and vegetables from our garden and we have summer fun! We also experience the longest hours of daylight, allowing us to be outside longer.
This is when the moon is full in the sky and just like the days being longer, a bright full moon illuminates the night sky making it easier to see outside.
In our cycle, this is the time when we ovulate. We feel our best and we attract what we desire in life with ease.
The last season that I want to share a bit more about is the season of Fall. Fall is often referred to as the cumulation period. The harvest is ready, and we begin to prepare again for winter. The days get shorter, and the weather grows cooler.
This is the same energy or feeling of the third quarter moon and the luteal phase of a woman’s cycle.
The moon is preparing to go dark again as it moves from full to new once again. Just like the egg that was not fertilized and prepares to shed from our bodies. (or not, if you become pregnant and begin to carry a child in your womb.)
Are you ready to explore more on this topic? I believe understanding cyclical living and then putting it into practice in your life is the key to finding more moments of peace and wild freedom in our lives.
Fill out the form below, and I'll send you my free guide to cyclical living and my top tips to begin this practice that honors your body.
Cheers to living wild,
Katie