Tracking the menstrual cycle is a great way to build awareness around our cyclical nature. This tracking allows us to gain insights into our own individual patterns and helps us to set realistic expectations. We can use these insights to schedule our lives appropriately, giving ourselves more of what we need throughout our cycle.
Tracking the moon alongside our cycle can also give helpful insight (and pre-warning!) of any symptom amplification you might experience. For me, a moon is full, this amplifies any high energy moods, including emotions like anger. When the moon is new, it can intensify any low energy moods like fatigue. It can be helpful to track both and see if it provides you with any additional insight.
What does tracking your cycle look like?
There are various ways to track your cycle. Using an app on your phone, using a paper tracker, or simply keeping notes in your notes app. It comes down to what is easiest for you to commit to doing it daily.
The most obvious thing to track is menstruation, any blood flow, and colour observations. Many also like to track ovulation by tracking basal body temperature and observations on cervical mucus.
But where the real benefits can come is by tracking what is happening with your energy. What is your sexual energy like today? What is your physical energy like today? What is your creative energy like today?
And you can get into specifics here, recording sexual encounters or masturbation, how it’s felt good to move your body, how you’ve wanted to express yourself creatively. But also your physical experience, like how well you’ve slept, how well you’ve eaten, what you’ve been craving, how you’ve connected with people.
Any specific physical sensations that have presented themselves are also key bits of feedback here. Aches, pains, cramps, cravings. These are significant clues as to what is happening in your body, so noting them down in the log brings more awareness to the picture as a whole.
Any dreams we have throughout our cycles are also worth noting. You might find that you have more vivid and interesting dreams at a particular time of your cycle. This rich information is worth recording and further adds to your growing awareness.
All in all, starting a cycle tracking practice is essential in building a detailed picture of what your specific cycle looks and feels like. We can then use this intimate cycle knowledge to fully integrate the needs of our cycle into our daily lives. When we better begin to meet the needs of our cycle, we can expect a much easier experience of life.
