There's a Moon Out Tonight

I've been feeling really different lately.  I can't explain the difference as much as I can feel it.  The best way is to say that I'm enjoying life more.  I am appreciating every minute of my life and seeing it for what it is...a very special gift.  I'm learning that I really don't need to sweat the small stuff...and I don't need to sweat the big stuff either...because stuff (whether it be big or small) is going to happen...and sometimes it's gonna be good...and sometimes it's gonna be bad...but there is a 100% chance that "stuff" is always going to be so I'm trying to see things from a new perspective.  Trying to listen more than I speak (which is so flipping hard!!!) Trying to ask more questions so that I truly understand.  Trying to be more patient instead of being quick to tell somebody to (ahem) "F- all the way off!!!" (which I am ashamed to admit I have done more than once.)  I started out by telling myself I can teach my daughter so much by showing her how her mom can keep it together...but I'm also learning that teaching her how to deal with things when they fall apart is even more valuable.  So as I travel on this road of self discovery I would like to touch on a subject every man loves to talk about (tag James Blaylock!) - menstruation.  I hate to be on my period.  I hate the pain and the discomfort and the other things that go along with it that I will not get into because living it is enough!  But when I heard someone once refer to their period as being on their "moon" I was impressed to research and learn exactly what that meant.  For those of you that don't know I am Native American Indian.  My dad belonged to the Tule River Tribe.  I am not an "enrolled" member of the tribe...and I won't pretend to know everything about it because I don't know much.  I didn't grow up on the reservation, I was brought up in a Mexican home...but I will tell you that when I started my job on that reservation it felt like home to me.  I love the people (my people), I love the traditions (my traditions), and I love the feeling I get when I am on the land (my land).  When I first started my job I didn't know if I would fit in...my dad always told me not to forget who I am, and that helped a lot.  I am proud of my history.  Now as an adult it is up to me to learn what I missed out on all these years...so that I can teach my daughter...and she can teach her daughter too.  So I can make the tribe part of my present and part of my future, not just part of a past that I lost.  So of course researching menstruation and Native American culture was very interesting.  I wasn't sure if I was going to find much but I was glad I did.  I don't know if the things I read vary based on beliefs of different tribes but what I learned is that there is a beautiful way to look at this very natural part of a woman's life that many refer to as a curse.  I'm not going to site my sources here...because I'm not quite sure of them all...but I am paraphrasing most things I learned...and I do not own anything that is not originally mine (that disclaimer out of the way we will move on...)  One web-site I looked on referred to moon-time as "A place of honor and beauty (Does anyone else from generation x remember that song "Things That Make You Go Hmmm???)  So I read on to find out that moon time is a way to replenish a woman by washing away all of the burdens that she carries.  It is a combination of Grandmother Ocean and Grandmother Moon working together to help to purify us and during that time we embody the power of the moon.  (Awesome-ness!!!) Of course this means we must be careful because any lesser power will flow to us as a stronger power during that time...so we have to be mindful not to get into arguments and things that will attract negative power.  Now, I don't know about you, but I absolutely love this belief, and I will incorporate it into my life from this cycle on (yes...I realize I just told everyone in the world that I'm on my period...) but I don't consider that a bad thing anymore.  I will consider it a blessing to be able to harness that power and pray, and learn what I need to learn, and discipline myself to stay away from things that threaten that power.  How does this all relate to my eating habits?  Well truth is when it's my moon-time I eat chocolate...and a lot of it!!!  I noticed today that I also use this time as an excuse to pretty much indulge in whatever I want...because I have an "excuse"...but what I have learned in my studies is that I am not honoring myself by practicing those behaviors...and surely the power of the moon is stronger than the power of a craving for a Hershey's with almonds (or two...or three...)