Lunar Calendars: Lunacy or Lifeline to Health, Wealth and Happiness?
By Heather Clark
Many people rely on lunar calendars for a number of things, from trying to conceive to investing in the stock market. Find out here if a lunar calendar can be beneficial to you.
Why are so many people interested in lunar calendars? Maybe it's because the moon has always held a certain mystique. Throughout history, a full moon has often gotten a bad rap, being blamed for strange behavior among both humans and animals. But it seems, too, that the lunar phases can be used to predict much more than just abnormal behavior.
Fertility
Can a woman track her fertile times to the phases of the moon? Maybe - and maybe not. Many people believe that since the moon controls ocean tides, then it surely must control women's menstrual cycles. Before modern medicine was able to explain women's periods, it was generally accepted that women's cycles followed the lunar calendar. Some women and health care professionals today believe that to find their fertile time of the month, they must know what stage the moon was in at the time of their birth. It is thought that the reason for this fertile phase actually happens at birth, when the moon arouses certain biochemical and hormonal states in your body, which then continue to influence your body for life.
Human Behavior
Is there a link between moon phases and human behavior? Many people think so. You often hear people explaining a crime wave or irrational behavior on a full moon. It may have something to do with how the moon affects body rhythms, but research is divided on how big a part the moon plays in this.
Animal Behavior
It's a long-held belief that animal behavior goes a little wacko when there's a full moon. Ask any veterinarian, animal control officer or sleep-deprived pet owner: they'll tell you there's a connection. But is there really? Recent studies suggest that a full moon affects animals' circadian or body rhythms, and in fact can make animals cause more mischief than normal.
Birth Rates
Although many people believe that there are more births during a full moon, there is no conclusive evidence. However, if you believe in the full moon-birthrate connection and you're expecting, be sure to have your bags packed prior to the full moon.
Hunting & Fishing
Avid hunters and anglers regularly consult lunar phase calendars, in conjunction with solar calendars, to predict the best times to make a big catch or kill. The full, half and new moon phases are often thought to produce the best results.
Gardening
We all know the sun plays a part in gardening, but what about the moon? Some gardeners contend that the moon is also plays a part, by pulling moisture closer to the surface of the ground, and also by virtue of what sign the moon is traveling through. It's thought that water signs are best for planting, and the air and fire signs are best for harvesting, cultivating and destroying pests.
Stock Market
Looking to invest in the stock market? Perhaps you should wait until a new moon is approaching. Professors at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and SUNY Buffalo studied US stock indices over 100 years and international markets in 25 countries over 30 years and found that in the 15 days surrounding the full moon stock market returns are half the returns during the 15 days surrounding a new moon. Similar research has also shown strong lunar cycle effects in stock returns.
Whether you're an avid gardener or hunter, trying to have a baby or looking to make some money in the stock market, a lunar calendar may provide you a little insight into the best times to give it a go.