"The Guru is an agent of change, a catalyst of transformation that awakens the spiritual knowledge, dispelling darkness and bringing light and deep understanding. The Guru is alive inside of everyone." - Yogi Bhajan

The Eleven Moon Centers of the Woman

The Eleven Moon Centers of the Woman
By Jivan Joti Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D., New Mexico, USA

Women are natural leaders—whether we are leading in the workplace or at home, as yoga teachers or in our spiritual communities. For this reason, he taught us that we need to intimately understand our nature as women. He encouraged us to delve deeply into our own psyches and understand our hidden agendas, our strengths, and our challenges. By doing so, we understand ourselves better and are more prepared to help and lead others.

Part of understanding ourselves as women lies in the recognition of our emotional tendencies. Yogi Bhajan taught that women are also 16 times more emotional than men, which if not channeled through Kundalini Yoga, meditation, diet, exercise, or some other uplifting practice, can be our downfall. We can become victims of our own insecurity and emotional commotions, creating much pain and misery for ourselves and others around us. But, being 16 times more emotional can also be channeled into being 16 times more sensitive. Kundalini Yoga and meditation are tools to transform our emotions into sensitivity and devotion. Examining our emotions as experienced in the Eleven Moon Centers can help us to understand these centers and know how to use them to become more contained, joyous, and effective women and leaders.

Do you ever feel like an emotional yoyo? One day you feel powerful, like you could accomplish anything, and the next day you feel insecure and unsure of yourself? You are not crazy. Yogiji gave us a useful understanding and technology to deal with these natural fluctuations: the ancient yogic teachings on the Eleven Moon Centers of the Woman.

The eleven Moon Centers are sensitive physical areas on the woman’s body which are responsive to lunar energies and affect how she deals with her everyday life. These Centers activate in her body in a 28-day cycle, for 2 ½ days at each location in the body. The sequence varies with each woman, but unless there is an emotional shock, it remains constant in her. The Moon Centers do not coincide with her menstrual cycle or zodiacal mood cycle. If a woman is sensitive to her body and emotional tendencies, she can be aware of and predict her own Moon Center cycle. Woman’s emotions will fluctuate as the Moon Centers change.

Arcline: When your hairline or arcline Moon Center is activated, you are at your best. You are outgoing, centered, authoritative, sensitive, all knowing, and neutral in your communication. You are the closest to your truth. You feel confident and self-assured. Things seem to flow and fall into place perfectly. This is a good time for anything, especially making important decisions, doing presentations, and working out relationships. Too bad it’s for only 2-1/2 days. But by knowing when these days are, we can make the best of them.

Navel Center: When the Moon Center in the navel or corresponding spot on the back of the spine is activated, security is the issue. If your Navel Center is weak, you will be insecure and very vulnerable to criticism. This is a good time to strengthen your Navel Center with Sat Kriya or Breath of Fire. It is also good time to keep a diary, chant loudly for 31 minutes, go to a funny movie, or keep silence. You may be sorry if you have a serious discussion during this time. If your Navel Center is overly strong, you could be intimidating, alienating, or aggressive.

Thighs: When the Moon Center is in the lower organs or the thighs, you will be very confirming, productive, and have a high energy level. All of the details which may slip during the rest of the month seem like they have to be done, almost to the point of obsession. You may find yourself making lists of all the projects you dreamed about during the month and not be happy until they are all completed.

Ear lobes: This is a time when you are the most analytical. You want to discuss values and what is important to you. It is a good time to work for a cause, join a political rally, or discuss what values you want to employ at work or at home. You need to be careful though, because you may be over critical of both yourself and others. It is not a good time to make final decisions.

Clitoris: When the Moon Center is in the clitoris, a woman is charming, talkative, sociable, and outgoing. This is a good time to wear a new dress to a party, make new friends, network, make telephone sales, or go to a meeting—anything in a social setting. You need to watch out for being cliquish by keeping your efforts inclusive and for the good of the whole. It is not a good time to balance your checkbook or figure out what is wrong in relationships at home or the workplace.

Vagina: When the Moon Center is in the vagina, you may have the tendency to be social, but it will have a deeper quality to it. You will want to connect in a more intimate way, perhaps with a small group of people or with one other person. Some women don’t want to be social at all. You may have feelings of emptiness and want to be alone. It is a good time to meditate, go within, and feel the Shuniya or zero-point. It is a good time to take a ‘time out,’ a break in the action, realizing that endings and beginnings are the same.

Back of the Neck: When it is at the back of the neck, you are very romantic, like Valentine’s Day for 2 ½ days. One flower can make you go crazy. You will take risks, be flirtatious and whimsical. It is a good time to try out new things; it is not a good time to make important decisions—the days when the Moon Center is in the arcline or thighs are better for that.

Breasts: When it is in the area of the breasts/nipples you are compassionate, heart-centered, intimate, and giving to the extent of foolishness. You may want to watch out for boundary issues, because you will have a harder time saying “no.” It is a good time to throw a party or visit an ill friend. It is not a good time to make important personal or business decisions.

Lips: When in the lips, a woman’s communication goes to the extremes. It can be either very effective or very ineffective. Your diet and spiritual practice are especially important at this time, to keep you in balance. If you tune into yourself, you can determine if it is a good time to speak up or to keep silent. Your words may uplift and inspire or alienate and destroy. You need to use your sensitivity and be cautious. If you feel insecure, angry, or resentful, it’s better to keep silent. If you feel expansive and heart-centered, it’s probably safe. If in doubt, be silent and meditate on more before speaking. During love-making, your lips may be very sensual.

Cheeks: The “pinks of the cheeks” can be a most dangerous time because this is the time you will have a tendency to be emotional, commotional, and out of control. This is a very important time to eat well, do yoga, meditate, and pray for God’s mercy. Don’t say anything or do anything that could alienate those in your important relationships. Just when you want to go out of control, you need to use your discipline to be in control. Most likely whatever you feel at this time is an illusion. It will pass. It’s not a good time to make important decisions.

Eyebrows: The Eyebrows are a most sensitive part of the woman’s body, because they are the most subtle part of the parasympathetic nervous system. When the Moon Center is in the eyebrows, you are very imaginative and illusionary. This is a good time to write a poem, play with a child, and brainstorm new ideas. It is a time of expansion, sowing seeds to sprout, and going beyond the ordinary. It is a good time to imagine a new business or plan of action. It is not a good time to make decisions or go on a shopping spree (you’ll buy out the store).

If you watch your diet, practice yoga and meditation, and maintain a positive attitude, you can observe your emotional tendencies at each Moon Center and not be a victim to them. You can study them to better understand your personality and then use them for your benefit. An added benefit is that stimulating your active Moon Center can be very sensually erotic in love-making.

How to Find and Chart the Moon Centers 

Some women can sense which Moon Center is active without help. Except for the cheeks and navel, they are too subtle for me. I use a pendulum;¹ some people like using muscle-testing. If you don’t know how to do this, find someone to help you who does know.

First, make a list of all the Moon Centers. Touch the first one on your list with your non-dominant hand. Holding the pendulum with your dominant hand, ask if this is the Moon Center that you are presently in. Go down the list until you get a “yes,” and number it “1.” Next, ask which one is next, and go down the list until you get a “yes,” numbering it “2.” Continue down the list in the same way, asking which is next, until all of the Moon Centers have a number next to them from 1-11.

Next, chart your Moon Centers on a calendar. It’s useful to know what Moon Center is coming up during the week. Remember, you are in each Moon Center for 2 ½ days, so you have to find out which day you are in with this first Moon Center. To determine that, point to it on your list and ask if you are in the first half of the first day. If you get a “no,” then ask if you are in the second half of the first day, the first half of the second day, the second half of the second day, or the first half of the third day. When you get a “yes” then you know where to begin. Begin counting from there. For example, let’s say you are in the first half of the second day of lips. You will have 1 ½ days left of that Moon Center. Then, go to #2 on your list and count out 2-1/2 days for that one and continue with all of your Moon Centers—approximately 28 days. You can count out as many months as you want.

It can be very useful to keep a journal of your experiences in each Moon Center. Not every woman will be exactly the same. What I described are just tendencies. Yours may be slightly different. Do this with a friend or group. It could be a fun email support group; compare experiences. You can share this information with other women and with men as well if you like.

Meditation for Balancing the Moon Centers (for women only)

This meditation balances the woman’s moon centers, her menstrual cycle, and her zodiac moon cycle. It also balances the glandular system. It is one of the most creative and highest meditations for a woman. If practiced for 40 days or more, she can break any habit.

POSTURE: Lying on the stomach, place the chin on the ground, and keep the head straight. The arms should be along side the body, with the palms of the hands facing upwards.

MANTRA: The Panj Shabad, SAA-TAA-NAA-MAA, is the mantra used for this meditation. Chant silently:

SAA: infinity, cosmos, beginning

TAA: life, existence

NAA: death, totality

MAA: rebirth, resurrection

EYES: The eyes are focused at the brow point. Meditate on the sound current coming in through the crown of the head and flowing out through the third eye point, creating an “L.”

MUDRA: As you mentally repeat the vibration of SAA firmly press the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb; on TAA press the tip of the middle finger to the thumb; on NAA press the tip of the ring finger to the thumb; and on MAA press the tip of the little finger to the thumb. The breath will regulate itself. Continue in this manner from 3-31 minutes.

“The base of society ever was, is, and ever shall be woman. Therefore, each woman has to turn her own values towards gracefulness. She has to live it, and then she has to share those values with the coming generations. That is the only way we can change life from one generation to the next.” ~ Yogi Bhajan