Do you know where the word lunatic comes from? It comes from the Latin lunaticus, and it refers to someone who suffers from insanity not continuously, but by intervals. Behind this definition, there is an interesting story.
In the fifteenth century, the Swiss physician Paracelsus identified “abnormal” behavior of certain patients during the full moon. This what led him to conclude that the origin of the disease of certain people, as well as its manifestations, were related to the phases of the moon. That’s why he baptized them as “lunatics”.
Have you ever noticed a correlation between the full moon and your insomnia or any particular emotion or body sensation? The moon is an asteroid whose gravitational magnetism affects bodies of water on Earth.
The tides, our body, the plants, everything that has water, including the soil, are affected by the phases of the moon. That is why in agriculture, this great star that orbits us, has a place of fundamental guidance.
Cultivate according to the phases of the moon
It is something that has been done for longer than we have data. However, there are few people who have dedicated themselves to systematizing this knowledge. Among them is Rudolf Steiner, the father of biodynamics and Waldorf schools.
In plants, the phase of the moon affects the movement of sap and also the movement of water that is in the soil and allows the absorption of nutrients. That is why there are some tasks that we do in the garden, which are favored and enhanced if we pay attention to the lunar phase.
When looking at the illustration, keep in mind that for the southern hemisphere the cycle turns clockwise, but for the northern hemisphere the cycle turns counterclockwise. Source: courtesy of @sitopia.ar
If you want to begin to understand how this energy affects crops, this is what you should do according to the periods of the lunar phases:
– Crescent Moon to Waxing Gibbous: plant seeds of plants that develop edible fruits.
– Crescent quarter to full moon: sow plant seeds that develop edible leaves.
– Full Moon to Waning Gibbous: do nothing.
– Waning gibbous to waning moon: sow seeds of plants with reserve organs.
– Last quarter to new moon: plow, weed, transplant, prune.
– New moon to crescent moon: do nothing.
These activities are not exclusive. It does not mean that if you do not do it during that lunar phase it will not work out, but if you take advantage of the available energy of the moon, you will surely have better results.
There are many activities that are done based not only on the moon, but on the entire movement of the universe. If you are interested in this topic, you can go deeper by reading about Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamics.