Moon phases and menstruation
- beandripyper
- Apr 1
- 10 min read
1) Dark Moon/ menstruation phase
This is a time of retreat. Due to the drop in sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, energy will be lower. There is also a decline in the immune system which is why women are more vulnerable to viruses at that time.
Stress has an impact on your immune system as well, which is why it’s especially important to reduce stress the days before and during your menstrual phase.
During the menstrual phase you’ll need more sleep and rest to allow your body to cleanse itself, both physically and emotionally. When you’re taking this time to go deep within, it’s an opportunity to let go of aspects that are no longer serving you and to set new intentions for what you want to manifest in your life.
Especially for women who are naturally more ‘driven’, which are mostly pitta dominated women, it’s important to cultivate more compassion towards themselves and to surrender to this time of rest.
Even if women don’t experience any menstrual difficulties, it’s still a great time to go inwards and have that time with yourself. This will also help to prevent future imbalances.
According to Ayurveda, the menstrual phase is predominated by the vata dosha. Vata regulates the nervous system.
When vata is out of balance, you’ll feel stressed, anxious and restless. This also disturbs the downward flow of apana vayu, which is responsible for a smooth menstrual flow. An imbalanced vata can therefore cause all kinds of menstrual disorders such as cramps.
Vata is air and ether, which means it’s more connected to the spiritual world. This is why a lot of women are more attuned to their intuitive side or even have psychic abilities during this time. Women may experience vivid dreams and visions.
Balance vata
It’s good to rest during your menstrual phase but lying down all day can make you feel sluggish and dull, especially if you’re a kapha person. Yoga can help you to slow down, while at the same time gently targeting key areas of the body that will support the natural cleansing action of the body.
The most important thing during this phase is to balance vata. That means the yoga sequence should by grounding, relaxing, calming and nurturing. It’s important to keep the body warm and soft. Make sure the room temperature is comfortable and be free in the use of blankets, bolsters, cushions and eye cushions.
Overall, this means the best yoga practices during this time are more restorative yoga practices and yoga nidra, as these nourish the nervous system, calm down vata and pitta and help release deep-seated tensions. They can also have a deeply rejuvenating effect.
Yoga principles during the menstrual or dark moon phase:
1. Create space and softness in the pelvic and abdominal area-
This releases tension and boosts blood circulation in the pelvic area which helps easeful menstruation. It’s important to keep your belly soft so you don’t disturb the natural flow of apana vayu.
This means you should avoid:
Deep twists
Abdominal exercises or deep compression of the belly
Engagement of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
Focus on:
Reclining poses, especially the ones that create space and softness around the belly and pelvic area.
Soft belly breaths.
2. Support apana vayu -
All asanas, pranayamas and meditations during this time should be grounding.
This means you should avoid:
Inversions. Some inversions with legs up are okay, especially when you’re experiencing tired legs, but make sure the hips don’t invert.
Heating pranayamas such as kapalabhati.
Focus on:
Anulom Vilom is the best pranayama around this time.
Floor-based, grounding, effortless asanas, that don’t cause engagement of the abdominal muscles or pelvic floor muscles.
3. Calming & Cooling -
During menstruation, heat (pitta) is dispelled from the body. Also, the parasympathetic nervous system should be activated to allow the deep cleansing process. This is why the yoga practice should be calming and cooling, especially to the nervous system.
This means you should avoid:
Strong backbends and most standing poses, because they create heat.
Dynamic vinyasas.
Focus on:
Some standing forward bends can be beneficial and are more cooling and calming, such as Standing Forward Bend (uttanasana), Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Standing Wide-Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana), especially when supported.
Reclining postures are great to rest and rejuvenate the whole body and create space in the pelvic area. Seated forward bends are cooling and calm the nervous system. Use bolsters to make the poses even more calming and less compressing for the belly.
2) Follicular phase - Waxing Moon phase
The follicular phase is like spring: a time of new beginnings and fresh energy. During this phase oestrogen rises. According to Ayurveda it’s the kapha phase of the cycle. You start to build new endometrium and follicles start to grow, but also your strength and energy builds during this phase.
The subtle energy of kapha is called ojas, which is your vital energy that nourishes the tissues. Healthy ojas shows as glowing skin, a good immune system, overall vitality, sensuality and fertility.
During the follicular phase ojas increases, strengthening your immune system, increasing your vitality and giving you glowing skin.
In this phase you’ll likely feel more creative, motivated and productive. It’s a more dynamic phase and a great time to start new projects.
In your Yoga practice you can enjoy more dynamic vinyasa flowing sequences, standing poses, arm balances, active inversions and backbends that build strength and stamina.
All these poses balance kapha and prevent you from feeling sluggish or heavy.
Be aware that it’s important to take the time to rebuild your energy instead of jumping right into high gear.
During this more energetic phase of the cycle, it’s still important to listen to your true needs and take rest when it's needed. The way you take care of yourself now; can already impact the way you’ll experience the menstrual phase.
Yoga principles during the follicular or waxing moon phase
Slowly restore energy
It’s important to make a gradual return after your time of deep cleansing and reflection.
Oestrogen slowly starts to build. It’s not a sudden peak from one day to another.
Allow time to rebuild energy and help your uterus recover. Some women will feel renewed after their menstruation is over, but there will also be women that will feel tired or even completely exhausted after their menstruation. Especially when they were experiencing severe cramps or heavy bleeding.
The first days after menstruation, focus on:
Gentle stabilizing standing postures, including standing forward bends to prepare for inversions. Inversions are important as they help to relax and tone the uterus and allow fresh blood to the master glands in the head. This helps to stabilize and support healthy functioning of the upcoming cycle.
Gentle stretching, including soft backbends to revitalize energy without overexerting the body.
Forward bends to calm down the nervous system.
You can use ujjayi breath, which is both heating and calming, to help you focus and stay grounded during this time of transition.
Lift and tone the uterus -
It’s important to include inversions after your menstruation has completely ended. This way you’ll help to lift and tone the uterus and balance the overall system.
Make sure to start with the easier inversions. Headstand is beneficial, but especially when it’s an easy pose for you in which you can relax. If you’re a beginner and want to learn headstand, wait a couple of days after your menstruation has ended and your body is fully energized again.
Listen to your body -
The days after this transition you can include more dynamic strength-building yoga practices. However, do this mindfully and keep listening to your body. Especially when you experience menstrual difficulties, it’s important to become aware of your patterns.
Are you really listening to your body or are you pushing yourself from an ego-state?
Include restorative practices or Yoga Nidra sessions when needed.
In general, kapha types will need more stimulating practices during this time, while vata and pitta types might need more rest and time for rejuvenation.
3) Ovulation - full moon phase
Oestrogen is rising to its peak during this phase, which causes a peak in energy and fertility.
Energetically this phase is about 3 to 4 days, however there are only 12 to 24 hours that you’re fertile.
The peak in oestrogen causes the increase of cervical fluid, rise in libido, bigger breasts and shinier skin.
Most women, when balanced, feel more feminine, juicy, sensual and stress-resilient during this time. It’s a more expressive time where women feel more open to social connections and more open to giving and receiving love.
Women usually feel happier and more relaxed. This could be related to a complex connection between oestrogen and the production of neurochemicals such as serotonin and endorphins, which are the happy hormones.
When looking at it from an Ayurvedic perspective I would suggest that we experience more of the good qualities of kapha, which makes us more calm, gentle, sensual and loving.
Besides oestrogen, there is also a slight rise in testosterone during this phase, which is why we are more outward focused.
Not all women will feel good around ovulation, especially when there is an imbalance.
A yoga practice that’s focused on connecting women to their two feminine power centres, the heart and the womb, will support them during this time and nurture the connection with their feminine side.
Yoga principles during the ovulatory or full moon phase –
Heart-womb connection -
Connect with the two feminine power centres, the heart and the womb.
Practice asanas that ‘opens’ the heart and awaken the power of shakti. The practice can be more playful, sensual and creative.
Follow the movements of your body that are guided by your intuition and inner knowing.
However, there are some principles that can serve as guidelines.
Focus on:
Both active and supported backbends.
Circling, flowing movements of the hips and pelvis.
Heart-womb mudra, with your right hand on the belly/womb and your left hand on the heart.
Grounding meditations and womb-heart meditations.
Keywords for a full moon yoga practice: dynamic, playful, feminine, flowing and opening.
Grounding -
This is the time to deeply connect with the nourishing energy of mother earth. This will make you feel more grounded and connected to your femininity.
Focus on:
Grounding and hip-opening asanas, such as Yogi Squat (Malasana) and Pigeon Pose.
Balancing poses.
Playfulness -
You can do more active and playful sequences, including inversions, warrior poses and new challenging poses you want to learn.
4) Luteal phase - waning moon phase
The luteal phase is the transition between the most fertile (ovulation) and most cleansing (menstruation) phase of the month. It usually takes between 10 to 14 days.
This is often considered the most challenging phase. It can also be more difficult to make a yoga sequence for this phase, because it can be different from person-to-person.
According to Ayurveda this phase is predominated by the pitta dosha, due to the rise in progesterone, which is a more pitta-like hormone. When there is too much heat in the body, this can cause the more classical PMS symptoms such as irritability, headache, agitation and acne on the face.
However, many women can also experience bloating, breast tenderness, sluggishness and feelings of depression. These are more ‘kapha’ symptoms and usually caused by oestrogen dominance.
The luteal phase is when underlying imbalances become clearer. Your symptoms during this phase show you which dosha is most out of balance.
Although this phase sounds kind of negative right now, it’s actually a great time to go inside and connect with your inner world. A lot of the time women experience PMS symptoms, because they don’t value this time of inner reflection. They try to go at the same pace as they usually do. This is also because this time of the month is usually less accepted in the modern patriarchal society.
It’s especially important during this phase to set boundaries. Say no to people and take care of yourself. Then it can be a great time for healing, since women are more attuned to their intuition and messages from the subconscious become more accessible.
These emotions from your subconscious rise to the surface to be felt and healed.
According to my Ayurvedic teacher, physical ama is released from the body during menstruation, but emotional ama comes to surface just before menstruation. It’s a time to feel and to learn how to hold yourself for whatever arises. It’s important to have enough alone time. Mediation, journaling, daydreaming and long walks in nature are great during this time. Move your energy inwards and support this process of cleansing and healing, which also means:
Completing tasks and tidying up loose ends.
Cleaning the house
Supporting the detoxification process of the body, by eating cleansing and warming foods such as mung bean soup.
Allowing emotions
Getting ready for hibernation
Yoga principles during the luteal or waning moon phase:
Although there can be different imbalances during this time and therefore ask for different yoga practices, the main intention is to calm down the nervous system, cool the mind, restore energy and nurture the body.
Cool and calm down:
Pitta is predominant during this phase, which is why the practice should be focused on cooling the fiery energy.
Focus on:
Supported standing forward bends and seated forward bends.
Reclining restorative postures.
Cooling and calming pranayamas, such as anulom vilom, sheetali and brahmari.
Invert and stabilize:
To balance body and mind it’s important to do stabilizing postures that require full attention of the mind but also inverted postures to balance the hormonal system.
Focus on:
Inversions (especially supported), as they help balance the hormonal system, nourish the nervous system and can help alleviate PMS symptoms.
Standing balancing poses, such as tree pose, to focus the mind. If standing postures agitate the mind, leave them out. Standing forwards bends might be a better option.
Boost circulation around the pelvis and belly:
This will help to reduce any premenstrual tension and can alleviate or prevent menstrual cramps during the menstrual phase. Keep in mind not to overstretch due to the rise of the hormone relaxin.
Focus on:
Reclining postures that boost the circulation around the pelvis, such as reclining bound angle pose (supta baddha konasana) and reclining cross-legged pose.
Support the natural detoxification process of the body:
The liver is responsible for removing any excess oestrogen. When the liver is congested this can cause all kinds of symptoms, from PMS to cramps or even endometriosis. To support the natural detox of the body, focus on the liver as well as the kidneys and adrenals that assist this detoxification process.
Focus on:
Twists.
Deep side bends.
Forward bends or plough pose as they support the adrenals.
Kapalbhati can be useful to move stagnant energy. Especially when there is oestrogen dominance or a kapha imbalance.
Vata, Pitta or Kapha?
The luteal phase can be different for each person, depending on which dosha is most out of balance.
Some general rules:
When feeling agitated, tired or anxious (pitta + vata) - focus on calming and cooling postures - supported backbends are great.
When feeling sluggish and dull or experiencing breast tenderness and heaviness in the pelvic area. Move this stuck energy by practicing kapalbhati and active backbends, such as bow pose and bridge pose.
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