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Title: The lunar effect
Source:
Telegraph
URL Source: http://www.news.com.au/entertainmen ... 23663,20403841-5006051,00.html
Published: Sep 20, 2006
Author: Louise Deasey
Post Date: 2006-09-20 00:34:50 by Morgana le Fay
Keywords: None
Views: 96
Comments: 4
DOES a full moon make you feel like partying? Do you feel more energetic during a waxing moon? Either way, Making plans around the phases of the moon can lead to many things, from good business deals to more lustrous hair. Roch Voller, who works in the psychiatric emergency department of Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital, understands first-hand the meaning of the term "the lunar effect". He says he always expects more code grey alerts when it's a full moon. "Code grey refers to patient aggression," he says. "We expect patients to be harder to control, louder, more violent and likely to hear voices then, too." Voller isn't alone in believing in the lunar effect. A 1987 study by the Journal Of Emergency Medicine found that 92 per cent of nurses found full moon shifts more stressful and believed they should be paid more to work on those nights. It seems it's not just those prone to lunacy who are affected. Shareholders are also influenced. A 2005 study by the Journal Of Empirical Finance found stock returns were consistently three to five per cent lower around the full moon than on the days around a new moon. But there is a positive side to all this lunacy. Linda Walker, a Melbourne research scientist who worked as a waitress for eight years in some of the city's busiest restaurants, says full moons always meant great tips and a busy night. "People drank more and were also a bit more over the top. You never knew what would happen," she says. Psychiatrist Arnold Lieber, author of How The Moon Affects You (Hastings House), says we shouldn't be surprised that the moon affects us just as it does the tides, as the human body is made of more than 65 per cent liquid. But the full moon isn't the only moon we should take note of. Taking, on average, 29.5 days to move from new to full, various projects can be seen to thrive and blossom when done in conjunction with the moon's cycles. Astrologers, gardeners, farmers and hunters are well known for working in harmony with the moon's other phases to maximise success. Astrologer Mystic Medusa http://(www.mysticmedusa.com), author of Astro Guide And Soul Mating (Murdoch Books), says, "Planning practical things via the phases of the moon is one of the most ancient and yet easy to grasp aspects of astrology." And easy to check, too. The moon's phases are typically listed on the weather page of any national newspaper. New moon Just as gardeners like to make the most of the new moon to plant, a similar approach can be used in everything from health to business. Statistically, people bleed less on a new moon than on a full moon, so medical procedures are apparently less problematic when performed around the new moon. The journal of the Florida Medical Association quotes a study in which 82 per cent of patients had bleeding crises closest to the full moon, with only a marginal amount around the new moon. Kate Forster, communications director of Melbourne marketing firm Digital Dogma, is one of a growing number of business professionals using pagan knowledge. Creator of the Spiritual Biz blog http://(www.spiritualbiz.blogspot.com), Forster says new moons are perfect for new business plans, pitches and proposals. "I feel I get a better response as people are more open to look at new things." Energy is high at the new moon, when the sun and the moon are in the same planet astrologically. Jan Spiller http://(www.janspiller.com), author of New Moon Astrology (Bantam Books), says: "Anything initiated on the days of the new moon will be met with rapid growth - a business venture, a relationship, a creative project. Just as the new moon is fruitful for starting material ventures, it is also a potent time for making wishes that stimulate new beginnings in our lives." For maximum power, Spiller advises writing our new moon intentions for the month ahead within eight hours of the new moon. First-quarter moon Also called the crescent or gibbous moon. The two-week period from the new moon to the full moon is the time of the waxing moon. A Californian study of 11,025 births over a six- year period found more babies are conceived on the waxing than the waning moon, confirming that this is a time of high fertility and growth. Conception is often easier at this time. Mystic Medusa says to trim hair during the waxing moon if you want it to grow, as it will grow back faster. Tree harvesting practices seem to back this up. In South America and South-East Asia, where most of the world's hardwood comes from, trees are never cut down on a waxing moon. That's when the sap rises, and sap attracts the wood-boring deathwatch beetle. Follow up your new moon wishes with action, reflection and look for the growth. Incidentally, Medusa also recommends the waxing period as the best time for shopping! Full moon In 18th-century England, a murderer could plead lunacy if the crime was committed at the time of the full moon. Though we've strayed from believing in the moon's effect, statistics show it's still a period of high drama. Traditionally, witches and gypsies charged their tools on the night of the full moon and even today, it's seen as the perfect time for the launch of any creative, social or dramatic project. A US study on electricity usage found it skyrocketed on the full moon, and insomnia statistics affirm it's harder to sleep with such light and energy filling the sky. Helen Hope, author of The Destiny Book (HarperCollins), says, "The full moon is when we reach our creative and psychic peak. "If you're planning on launching an opera, play or something creative which plays on the emotions, do it on the full moon." Witches believe our psychic energy reaches a peak at the time of the full moon. Just don't go planning any operations now, as you are more than twice as likely to haemorrhage as at the new moon. Last-quarter moon Also called the dying or waning moon, Medusa says this period between full and new moon is perfect for letting go and looking after ourselves. "For a successful diet, start it the day after the full moon," she says. Gardeners use this time to weed and cull, knowing the lack of fertility means weeds are less likely to grow back. Medusa says we can also apply this letting go to planning hair removal appointments and clearing clutter. "The moon wane is the perfect time to retard the growth of something, so plan your waxing appointments for the two weeks from the full moon to the new moon if you don't want the hair to grow back as quickly. "It's also a good time to cull, clean and let go of bad habits, getting ready for the new moon." Cycles and seasons Forster says she has noticed a marked difference in both her stress levels and business success since she's started working with the phases of the moon. "Knowing about the moon's cycle means there's considerably less stress in my life. "I understand that business, like the moon, is driven by rhythms and there is full and waning times, so I work with this instead of fighting what's out of my control." "The new moon is a potent time for making wishes that stimulate new beginnings in our lives."
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#2. To: Morgana le Fay (#0)
Luna casts her shadow on Earth.
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