Follow the Moon Cycle for a More Balanced Life

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Do you follow the moon cycle? Most people accept the moon’s effect on the ebb and flow of ocean tides here on earth. But does the moon have any meaningful effect on human behavior?

In this post, find out how the phases of the moon affect us and how you can use the lunar cycle to live a more balanced life of flow and alignment.

First, we need to start with basic yin-yang philosophy

To best understand how we can flow with cyclical lunar energy, we need to first understand the basics of yin-yang duality. You’re probably well aware of the Chinese yin-yang symbol. It represents the ancient Chinese philosophy of duality and balance.

But what exactly are the two dualities when it comes to yang and yin energy, and why do we need both?

In super simple terms for our purposes, yang is active energy while yin is passive energy. In our lives, yang represents action, work, and movement. Yin, on the other hand, represents rest, patience, and trust. To live a balanced life that is in flow with the universe, we need to balance both yin and yang energies.

We can’t be in a workaholic, go-go-go frenzy all the time. We need to rest, celebrate our effort, and let all our hard work fall into place and pay off. At the same time, we can’t be completely passive and laid back either, just waiting for things to happen to us. We have to administer some effort and put things in motion.

The idea of yin-yang harmony is that there is a time and place for both of these energies, and we need both to manifest and align with the universe and to be in flow.

So where does following the moon cycle come in?

How do yin and yang fit into the lunar cycle?

The lunar cycle is a natural reflection of the balanced cycle between yin and yang. The lunar phases–from new to full and back again–can offer a natural and meaningful spiritual cycle that helps us find the yin-yang balance in our own lives.

Each new moon, nearly invisible to the naked eye, gradually grows bigger (or waxes) until it reaches maximum illumination in the full moon phase. The approximately two weeks between a new moon and a full moon represent active yang energy.

After the full moon, the moon then wanes back into apparent oblivion to start the cycle over again with the next new moon. The approximately two weeks after the full moon and before the next new moon represent passive yin energy.

(If you want to go into much further detail about how to follow the moon cycle, I suggest reading Lunar Abundance by Ezzie Spencer. She breaks it down in much greater detail for those interested.)

So how does following the moon cycle help us balance yin and yang energy?

Yang energy leading up to the full moon

When we follow the moon cycle, we use the new moon as an opportunity for us to begin a fresh cycle as well. We can revisit our goals, set new action plans into motion, and get to work! Just as the moon is growing into its brilliant climax, we are hustling and working to bring bright and glowing abundance and joy into our own lives.

I love to harness lunar energy at the time of the new moon by setting intentions to start over, take on something new, or plan intuitively for the future. New moon rituals and observances that focus on growth can be really powerful: visioning, setting intentions, mapping out goals and scheduling out actions are all things you can do at this time.

(Click here for four tarot spreads to do on a new moon.)

Yin energy following the full moon

The full moon marks the peak of our efforts and an opportunity to celebrate all our hard work.

Hustling endlessly and never letting up is not ideal though. I don’t care what tough love entrepreneurs and coaches try to shove down our throats. When we follow the moon cycle as a guide for our own lives, we are reminded to pause, rest, and let all the energy and work we have done percolate in the universe and manifest positive change in our lives. This is yin energy.

After all, the moon begins to wane after the full moon. To mirror the winding down or shrinking of the moon in the sky, we can take this time to release stress and negative energies that are no longer serving us in order to make room for what we want in our lives. We evaluate our actions, monitor the progress we made, and then recalibrate toward the end of the moon cycle so that we can gear back up after our pause and recuperation to take more action.

(Want some full moon ritual ideas? Click here.)

Still skeptical? Me too. Here’s why it’s still valuable.

This flow between yin and yang energy is not always clear cut and dramatic. Letting the lunar cycle guide our lives doesn’t mean we are on vacation half of every month! It just means that we need to make time for both hustle and flow.

To use a tennis metaphor (not because I play tennis at all but it seems to make sense in this context), after you serve the ball, you have to wait for it to come back. You can’t just serve and serve and serve forever and ever and call that a game, or a life. When the ball is in your court, that’s yang energy. When you’re waiting to see what the universe serves you back, you’re in patient, trusting yin energy.

So if you’re still skeptical about the moon having any real effect or pull in our lives, it doesn’t even really matter. Using the lunar cycle as a powerful natural guide to life doesn’t require you to become a witch or a werewolf.  But it serves as a convenient reminder for us to keep our lives in balance.

For example, if you’ve been hustling for months and are on the verge of a meltdown and you look up to see a full moon, you are reminded to celebrate your accomplishments and CHILL. THE. FUCK. OUT for a hot second.

Or, if you’ve experienced a misstep and feel like a loser, you might look up and notice that the moon is a brand new sliver in the sky. That reminds you that we all get fresh starts all the time. Dust yourself off and just start over.

What role does the moon play in your life? Let me know in the comments below if the moon’s phase affects your energy and mood in any way.