Working With the Moon to Calm an Overactive Mind
I was sitting on the couch, staring out the window like a confused werewolf.
It was late.
I was wired.
My anxiety was high for no clear reason.
Work was fine.
Nothing dramatic had happened.
Yet my mind was racing, and my body felt like it had mainlined three double espressos.
I glanced out the window and saw it.
Big, bright, full moon.
My first thought was, “Great, now I’m one of those people. Next, I’ll be howling in the backyard.”
But I couldn’t shake it.
I started noticing a pattern.
A few times a month, when my anxiety spiked, sleep got weird.
My thoughts went sideways.
And more often than not, it lined up with… you guessed it… the moon.
Now, to be clear, I’m an analytical guy.
I’m not blaming every bad day on the moon like it’s some cosmic customer service department.
But ancient cultures paid a lot of attention to lunar cycles for a reason.
They tracked planting, harvesting, and even rituals based on what the moon was doing.
So I got curious.
What if, instead of pretending the moon doesn’t affect me at all, I experimented with working with it?
That led me to a simple practice I still use today:
Lunar intention‑setting for anxiety.
Here’s how it works.
The new moon is about beginnings.
Darkness and quiet.
A reset point.
During the new moon, I sit down with my journal and ask one question:
What anxiety pattern am I ready to work on this month?
Not all of them.
Just one.
I write it down, clearly and honestly.
Then I set a simple intention like:
“This month, I’m learning to soften my anxiety around social plans.”
“This month, I’m working with my fear of making mistakes at work.”
I keep it focused.
One theme.
One anxiety.
Then, as the moon waxes (grows), I take small actions that support that intention.
Maybe I practice a breathing exercise before social events.
Maybe I use grounding before a meeting.
The point is, I’m not “waiting to feel ready.”
I’m moving with the growing light.
When the full moon hits, I check in:
How did the month go?
Where did anxiety still grab me by the throat?
Where did I handle it better than usual?
I write it all down.
No judgment.
Just data.
Finally, as the moon wanes (shrinks), I focus on release.
I ask:
What old belief or story about this anxiety am I ready to let go of?
Then I write that story on a small piece of paper, read it out loud, and either tear it up or burn it safely in a fireproof container.
Simple, physical, symbolic.
And surprisingly powerful.
Is the moon “making” my anxiety worse or better?
I have no idea.
But giving my anxiety a monthly rhythm, a beginning, a middle, and an end, has been huge.
Instead of feeling like my anxiety is an endless, chaotic storm, I have a cycle.
A container.
A way to say, “Okay, this is what I’m working on this month.”
Ancient people used the moon to mark sacred time.
You and I can use it to mark intentional time, the time when we choose to engage with our anxiety instead of just enduring it.
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Disclaimer: The content of this post is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are suffering from severe anxiety or depression, please contact a licensed medical professional.