As mysterious as all of this must have seemed to the ancient people, one thing
definitely topped the list as extraordinary, and this was, of course, the direct
connection between the monthly menstrual cycles of women and the comings
and goings of the Moon. And while this may not appear to hold much
importance in today’s world, such was not the case in ancient times. Why?
Because these civilizations not only valued their women, but considered them to
be extremely magical. The reason is simple but multi-fold. First, women not
only bled every month even though they weren’t injured, but those who lived and
worked together usually bled at the same time.
Second, the temporary suspension of a young woman’s cycle brought forth
new life. And though this was magical in and of itself, there was more. It soon
became apparent that human pregnancy was the only gestation period calculated
solely by lunar cycles-nine of them to be exactand the realization that human
beings were the only “lunar primates”‘ served to solidify the connection between
the Moon and humankind.
Third and most mysterious, though, was the magic created by older women.
Their menstrual cycles suddenly changed course to coincide with the Waning
Moon, and shortly thereafter-even though they weren’t pregnant-they simply
ceased to bleed at all.
In today’s world, these observations are nothing more than common
knowledge, but to early civilization they must have seemed very peculiar,
indeed. In fact, these pieces of knowledge probably served as the catalysts that
sparked the initial worship of the Moon in the feminine forms of Maiden,
Mother, and Crone.
