The moon and the woman was once together a rhythmic cycle. As the moon changed, so did women. The full moon initiated power, light and manifestation. The full moon was representation of the full woman with a fire in her eyes. The new moon instead initiated darkness, self-journeying, intuition and introspection. Traditionally, women also menstruated with the new moon.
The moon and woman relationship is important in understanding birth control methods used traditionally. We all know that women who spend a lot of time together, menstruate together. Thousands of years ago, communities were close knit and women escaped from their daily duties and families to sit in the sacred Red Tent together during the New Moon as they menstruated. This caused pretty much all women to be on the same menstrual cycle and to ovulate potentially around the same time.
Menstrual cycles were almost always about 28 days with the moon cycle and so predicting ovulation was much easier.
Nowadays, predicting ovulation can be a bit trickier! Some women are on 25 day cycles while others are on 45 day cycles! If your form of birth control does not allow menstruating, this will be much more difficult to track. Ovulation, on a 28 day cycle, usually occurs around the 14-20th day, depending on the woman. You can only get pregnant when you are ovulating, so if you know when that window is, you can prevent pregnancy naturally. There are definitely some disclaimers on this- This, like all birth control methods, is not 100% effective. There is always a chance of conception.
Here is what I’ve found to be effective:
Track Your Ovulation
There are a number of ways to do this. There are pee strips that can read certain hormones present and are a good way to start seeing your windows of ovulation. This is a pretty easy way to track your ovulation and gives you a physical reading if you are not yet too well acquainted with your cycle.
You can also use the temperature method which involves taking your temperature orally each morning before getting out of bed. Some women swear by this but I personally choose to go with another method. My temperature range was not drastic enough to determine ovulation, but some women love this method.
And lastly, you can learn to read the signs of your body to determine fertility. This is my personal favorite and involves becoming closely acquainted to your body and cycle. During ovulation, discharge may be white and stickier and usually lasts 2-5 days for women. This is probably not the best method to start with initially, but as the months pass you will begin to notice the different stages of your cycle. It’s very empowering and can feel quite sacred doing this method.
Note: There are some websites that recommend different herbs used by women in place of birth control, but I do not recommend using them. The herbs are very powerful and can cause birth defects if you do get pregnant. There are much safer options!
Use Protection During Your Window
If you are going to be engaging in sex during your ovulation window, it’s important to use protection. Condoms are a great tool to use in that in-between window. I recommend Sir Richards because they’re just about as natural as condoms can be.
Utilize the Power of Intention
Intention is everything. “And so you believe, so it is.” There are stories of religious couples making an intention to not get pregnant as their only source of birth control and never conceiving. I’m definitely not recommending that but it shows the power of intention. Intention is similar to manifestation, so it’s best to creating positive sentences,.
Good Example:
I am grateful that my family of just Joseph and I are happy and have ample free time.
Bad Example:
I am not getting pregnant.
My partner and I utilize all three of these in our sacred contraception program. I personally choose this route because of some research on birth control. The use of oral birth control for more than 5 years dramatically increases the chances of breast cancer. It is not good to fear these diseases, but rather it’s important to empower each other as women to choose a healthier and more natural option.
Working in alignment with the Goddess for me has shown me again and again the importance of returning to nature and the natural rhythms of all things around us.
What method do you use?