The moon has captivated humans since the beginning of time. Our celestial eye in the sky has long been associated with magic, mystery, and madness. More recently, tracking the moon cycles has become a popular part of spiritual self-care, and if Shakira is timing her haircut around the moon phases then that’s something we need to know about.
Is there any truth to the belief that the moon can drive us crazy? Let’s take a closer look at how the lunar cycle may impact you.
Lunar madness
For centuries, people have blamed erratic behaviour on our lovely big gal, the moon. The word “lunatic” literally derives from the Latin word for moon, “luna” and in ancient times, it was widely believed that insanity peaked when the moon was full.
Though direct moon-driven madness seems far-fetched, studies hint that lunar cycles may impact our mood and energy levels.
In 2013, a University of Basel study found subjects’ deep sleep declined by 30% around the full moon. Because deep sleep is essential for mental and physical health, this may explain why some people feel a bit off under the full moon. Other studies link full moons to decreased melatonin levels, which could disrupt sleep and cause mood changes.
Visits to A&E are also known to increase during full and new moons – a phenomenon known since the 1800s as the Transylvania effect. So while the exact mechanisms are unknown, lunar rhythms subtly synchronise with our biological clocks.
Moon phases
The phases of the moon follow a predictable pattern over a roughly 30-day cycle. As the moon orbits the earth, varying sections of its surface are bathed in sunlight, affecting the visibility for us humans.
Each lunar phase also has mythological associations which tend to guide the spiritual practices you may have seen all over TikTok. The general assumption is that the full moon can represent the climax of creative energy, while the new moon births intention.
New moon
Think of the new moon as a blank canvas. Because the moon is positioned between the earth and the sun, we see its darkest side which makes it essentially invisible.
This clean slate is all about potential, so you should harness the energy by setting intentions for the new lunar cycle and practising manifestation rituals.
Journaling and vision boards and the order of the day, as well as tarot cards to get guidance for the upcoming cycle. It’s also a good time to clear out your physical space, get rid of anything that no longer aligns with your goals and make a plan for the month ahead.
The period between the new moon and the full moon lasts roughly two weeks, and as the sliver of the moon increases in size every evening, you may feel energy building. What does this energy feel like? No one knows, but the moon experts say it goes hand in hand with manifesting the intentions you set under the new moon.
Full moon
A few weeks after the new moon, our main gal is in full view and – on a clear night – a sight to behold. This is the time in the lunar cycle when you may start to feel a tad unhinged, but it’s also a time when you can look back on the last few weeks and reflect on how you have (or haven’t) made steps towards manifesting your intentions.
The full moon is all about letting go, so make peace with what has come before and release anything that no longer serves you, whether that’s unhelpful thought patterns, habits or people. It’s also a time for leaning into forgiveness (urgh, do we have to?) which can be practised by writing an unsent letter to those who have wronged you, or of course, to yourself.
The period between the full moon and the new moon, known as the waning phase, is often associated with a gradual decrease in lunar energy. So go easy on yourself if motivation is hard to muster during this time – it’s all about closing chapters to make way for the new. Pause on new ideas and instead, assess ongoing projects and tie up any loose ends.
Coping with moon madness
If you find yourself a bit all over the place without any explanation, turn to the moon calendar and see if you can see any correlation. We don’t want to encourage blaming the moon for our mood swings, but being aware of which moon phase is happening is an invitation to acknowledge the ebb and flow of the collective energy and the overall cyclical nature of life.
Embrace the so-called madness and let it pass.
How does the moon affect your energy? Let us know in the comments.
Love,
Team Nonchalant x
Fiona is a two-time author and freelance writer with words published in the Metro, Grazia, Readers Digest and Happiful Magazine. She runs online writing groups, loves tarot, live music and poetry.
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