In the past, women who had a menstrual cycle in alignment with the moon would withdraw to bleed at the time of the Dark of the Moon. This would be their Crone-Time, where they rested in the underworld and embodied the Divine Feminine in the form of an old wise woman – the ‘Crone’. At the time of the Full Moon and ovulation these women would be out under the Full Moon celebrating the rites of fertility and blessing with their community.

But what of the women who did not follow this cycle, what about the women who bled with the Full Moon and ovulated with the Dark Moon? When the Moon was full, they were menstrual and they withdrew from society to rest in the darkness of the Crone. They did not take part in the community’s Full Moon celebrations, instead they embodied the Dark Mother, the Old One, the Hidden One.

But at a lunar eclipse there is magic!

The Crone who rules the time of bleeding brings her blood into the sky, turning the Full Moon red. And the women who have been resting in their Crone-Time, hidden away in the dark, come out at night to meet with their community under the Full Red Moon. It does not take much imagination to understand how awe inspiring this would be. The community of men would never normally encounter their menstrual women, and now the women walk out across the land under the Red Moon to bring their wisdom, their blessing and their magic to the community. The men’s heads are bowed as these women walk in silence from their place of withdrawal so they do not gaze on the Withdrawn Ones. But they feel their energy, glimpse the black robes, and hear the soft tread of their feet and whispered voices. There is magic in the air – the Great Mother of the Universe walks on the earth under the stars in the red light of the bleeding moon.

Make this lunar eclipse a special night of love and caring for the world.

With so much sorrow and loss, pain and death and illness in the world right now, at the end of the Full Moon Meditation we can ask the Old One to take those who have died into her loving arms, to soothe the dying and the bereaved, to heal the loneliness of loss and the heartbreak and pain of a life devastated, and to bring strength to those whose challenge of a virus continues to affect their health even after their body is free of infection.

Ask her also to comfort those who are fearful for their lives, for their children and families and friends, and anxious about their livelihood and finances.

And ask her to help those struggling with change and who need to feel her support and security in themselves to manage the challenges ahead.

If you can, walk out under the light of the Red Moon knowing the significance of this event for women.

Details of the Full Moon Meditation are at https://wombblessing.com/resources/moonmed/