“Like the moon, we must go through phases of emptiness to feel full again”
The intention of this article is to throw some light on moon phases that was brought up by Dr Venu in our Forum meeting in regard to the preparation stage. Since I partially follow the cycles of the moon for simple rituals, this topic interested me.
The concept of lunar phases and its impact on mental health dates back to ancient times, where people believed that the moon’s different phases could affect their emotional and mental states. For instance, full moon was thought to bring about insanity, while a new moon was believed to be associated with depression and sadness
The word lunacy derives from the Latin lunaticus, meaning “moonstruck”,
How is the moon phases caused?
The moon orbits the earth and earth orbits the sun. The moon phases are a result of changing angles between earth, moon and sun. The angles between the moon and the sun as the moon orbits the earth cause different amounts of the moon to be lit up from the vantage point here on earth. (Source- Moonlogy by Yasmin Boland)
General belief:
It is a known fact that moon phases affect the water bodies causing tides of various intensity. Since human body is made up of 70% water, moon affects the water balance in our body as well through the gravitational pull. The disruptive water balance in the body may lead to turmoil in emotions.
In astrology and spirituality, moon is considered to control human mind and emotions and hence moon phases can have an effect on human emotions.
Theories:
Numerous theories have been proposed.
- One theory proposes that the moon’s gravitational pull might influence the fluid balance in the brain, potentially causing shifts in mood and behavior
- Another theory is that, fluctuations in light exposure during different lunar phases could disrupt circadian rhythms, resulting in alterations to sleep patterns, mood, and behavior. Sleep disturbances and sleep deprivation may be linked to the lunar phases as well.
- The Biological Tides Theory : Lieber (1978) theorized that the moon caused shifts in the water in the human body. The shift in body water is similar to the gain of water weight in menstruating women and is theorized to cause an emotional disturbance. These shifts would be similar to the shifts in the tide.
- Theory of Klaus-Peter and Margitta Ossenkopp: They theorized that extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields, which are indirectly linked to the cycle of the moon, may cause emotional and behavioral disturbances.
An article published in international journal of psychology sciences, titled “Impact of full moon phases on cognitive performance: A behavioral study” by Praveen Singh Chauhan and Ganesh Bhardwaj concluded that “The findings indicate that the full moon phase may influence cognitive performance in certain individuals, though the overall effects vary. Some respondents report challenges with memory retention, increased cognitive distractions, and a sense of mental fog, suggesting a potential link between the lunar phase and cognitive function. However, a majority do not experience significant impairments in decision-making, logical thinking, or cognitive accuracy. This variation highlights individual differences in sensitivity to environmental or psychological factors associated with the full moon.
Scope of this article: Further exploration/insights into correlation between moon phases and PLRT