Lust & lunar cycles, explained.
You could be forgiven for assuming that most folks who align their sex lives with the lunar stages are also the sorts of people who brew bathtub gin and converse with rocks. It’s no secret that we tend to associate a firm focus on the waxing and waning moon with woo-woo occult tradition. But in reality, there’s a long-standing precedent for the ways our pleasure corresponds to the lunar cycle—and consulting the moon for a bit of an intimate boost is no different from peeking at your horoscope every now and then.
Naturally, there’s no hard scientific evidence here. But it is true that the moon controls the tides—and being that much of the physiological human makeup is water, it makes sense that we, too, might be swayed by lunar cycles. Menstruation, which occurs on a similar 30-day schedule, is often known to sync up with the moon, with a woman’s period occurring at the full moon (hence the phrase “moon day”). And naturally, with menstruation come hormonal changes—which is to say, you may be at your horniest at the full moon.
So...for the sake of academic curiosity, let’s say you were going to contemplate scheduling your sexcapades around the moon—just hypothetically, speaking. What might you need to know to proceed?
Well, the moon’s cycle moves around the Earth in 9 different phases, each giving way to different quantities of light. Between the new moon and the full moon you have the waxing moon—which is to say, the moon is growing. Then the waning moon occurs between the full moon and the next new moon when the light lessens. Here’s what you need to know about each major phase:
New Moon
According to any number of astrologists, the new moon is the best time to explore unfamiliar modes of intimacy—anal? a novel position? a new locale for sex? In the most obvious sense, it’s representative of new beginnings. By way of the classic menstruation-moon cycle, it coincides with the end of a woman’s period, which equated to a “fresh start”—so if you’re looking to attempt something out of your usual arsenal, the new moon is the time to do it.
Waxing Moon
Because light is returning to the earth in this stage (everything is, of course, darkest around the new moon), astrologists tend to describe this phase as an ideal one for connecting with your own body. It’s when you become clearer to you—so, simply put: masturbate as much as possible. Lean into self-exploration. Have some fun...but solo.
Full Moon
Ahhh the great and glorious full moon! According to astrological theory, this is the premiere time for sex. It’s when the most light is cast down to earth—which, in the metaphorical sense, is meant to shed light on your sexual desires. According to the menstruation cycle, it’s also when a woman is ovulating, so hormonal levels are at their highest (and so are our energy levels). Those fertility signals in a woman can set off all kinds of pheromones, making this likely the horniest time for you and your partner to get down and dirty. If you wanted a less witchy descriptor for the phenomenon, you could just claim that, circa the full moon, something is in the air.
Waning Moon
When the moon is getting smaller, it continues to get incrementally darker each night. This is a stage in which hormonal levels can feel delicate. Estrogen is low and testosterone is high. Ovulation has ended. And while that impending darkness might make sex a less thrilling prospect than it was amid the full moon, now is a time for self-care. It’s for taking a step back, re-contemplating pleasure, communicating with your partner, and preparing to take full advantage of the next new moon. This is your recharging phase. Use it wisely.
