Full Moon Sexuality

The mystery of the moon is entwined with her relationship with the sun, for the moon herself is dark; she does not shine. We would never see the moon in the night sky if it were not for her fluid, intimate and ever-changing relationship with the sun. Her capacity to show different shapes, faces and locations caused our ancestors to believe the moon was feminine and personified the Great Goddess who was the embodiment of change and transformation: the Goddess who was both White and Dark. In her bright or white phase she was both creation and fertility. In her dark phase she was death and destruction. There was no contradiction in her duality, just the manifestation of the essential aspects of the cycles of life.

The mystery of the moon lives in each of us as women, and the most direct way to connect with her nature is through exploring the female sexual cycle that the lunar cycle affects and regulates. In ancient societies when people spent much of their time outdoors in the natural light of the sun and the moon, women’s bodies attuned to the cycles of nature and they were more likely to ovulate and be the most fertile when the moon was full and bleed when the moon was dark.

Various hormones increase and decrease in a woman’s bloodstream each month, and these fluctuations affect her sexuality, fertility and menstrual cycle. The rise of estrogen in the bloodstream during the waxing cycle of the moon or when the moon is growing to fullness will most often cause a woman to feel more energetic, expansive and optimistic. As the moon approaches fullness, the woman’s body experiences an increased sex drive. She is more open and receptive as her body prepares for fertilization and conception. At the full moon ovulation occurs and the egg is released.

Women who do not conceive at the time of the moon’s maximum illumination and the readiness of the female body can use their full moon sexual energy instead to accomplish plans and fulfill desires and create in other ways.

We might think of it in this way: the full moon phase is the time of the month when the moon is most receptive to experiencing the maximum amount of the light of the sun. The full moon ovulatory time of a woman’s cycle is the time when she is most open and receptive. It is also the time of the month when a woman is most fertile. In Goddess lore this time is personified by the White Goddess. It is interesting to note that in the patriarchal mentality light, receptivity and surrendering are equated with desirable or even ideal qualities of the female. The White Goddess can take the form of Aphrodite and Ishtar, goddesses who stimulate sexual desire. The White Goddess can also be mother goddess types such as Demeter and Isis, those who bring forth children and suckle and nurture their young. These goddesses as well as women who embrace such expressions of sexuality are considered more acceptable in Western culture where men place value on sex used for impregnation, birth and nurturing. This is in opposition to a woman’s sexuality during the time of her bleeding when she is more focused on self-direction and more interested in inward transformation and renewal.

In my following blog I will explore with you some thoughts on dark moon sexuality.

Until then, blessings to you all,
Ingrid

Ingrid Kincaid is an internationally known storyteller, teacher and spiritual mentor. She is an intuitive reader of ancient runes. She gently shows her clients how to tap into their own inner wisdom by weaving together creativity, spirituality and ancient knowing. Ingrid is available for interviews, private consultations and group presentations. You can contact her at ingk@ingridkincaid.com or 415.652.3990.