Sexual pleasure in woman is a kind of magic spell; it demands complete abandon; if words or movements oppose the magic of caresses, the spell is broken.

—Simone De Beauvoir, author

The moon has had its effect on us since childhood. It is referred to in nursery rhymes and children’s books. To many of us, the moon was a soothing night-light while we slept and much like a shadow or a friend, the moon seems to follow us—unchanging—wherever we go.

As the moon moves through its phases it affects not only our moods, emotions, and behaviors, but also the chemical composition and physical makeup of the body. Though most of these effects are so slight in nature that you wouldn’t normally notice them, they are still very present. The moon has adverse affects as well. In mythology, where most aphrodisiacs get their legs, the moon was a force that often embodied warning. “Beware the Ides of March,” was the soothsayer’s warning to Julius Caesar on that fateful day in 44 B.C. To most, it is an expression of danger and foreboding, ideas of werewolves, witches, and black magic come to mind, but if you dig beneath the dark images you’ll find a mystical wonderland of fantasy and good energy.

In fact, we can devour one such adverse myth right now. “Beware the ides of March” has come to represent a threat. Like Friday the 13 th, it is a day shadowed in grief and misery, but broken down, the term is quite literal. In fact, the Ides of March—simply defined—means March 15. My definition is much easier to swallow than the seer’s ominous warning all those years ago. For what better month than to learn about the aphrodisiac affects of the moon than March. March is a month when the moon is new; a month of new beginnings, a fresh awakening, and a guiding force to all things love and lustful. The moon is a representation of sensuality, femininity, and purity. There’s always a first and there’s no better time to test it out than the present. So, start upping the bedroom ante right now.

The moon has often been referred to as the symbol of virginity. In ancient times, before electricity was introduced, the moon held a powerful effect on nighttime. The monthly cycle of the moon, in contrast to the annual cycle of the sun's path, has been implicitly linked to women's menstrual cycles by many cultures, although this is rarely explicitly stated. Many of the most well-known mythologies feature female lunar deities, such as the Greek goddesses Selene and Phoebe and their Olympian successor Artemis, their Roman equivalents Luna and Diana, or the Thracian Bendis. Adversely, these cultures almost invariably featured a male sun god. Since the moon shines only as a reflection of the sun’s light, many believed that this was a bonding representation between man and woman.

Pagans were the first to worship the moon as a deity. Most love spells in Wicca magic are aided by the phases of the moon. Because the moon doesn't have its own light—it’s been known to merely reflect the light of the sun—it is associated with receptive feminine qualities. Some traditions assign it the "passive" feminine nature, that which receives and is fertilized.

March 13 th brings us a new moon and with the new moon comes a time for reflection and cleansing, a time to retreat and meditate, of birth and initiation, and virginity. Symbolically, the new moon belongs to spring when life begins to stir in the depths of the earth and shoots up and outward again. The time of hibernation slowly begins to cease and the world is in full bloom.

The sun’s lunar counterpart is an important aphrodisiac because it embodies myth and energy, which is wholly separate and different from most common aphrodisiacs. The phases of the moon have separate affects as they move through their cycles, but each phase is positive in its own right.

With a new moon, only a small crescent sliver of the moon is visible. For a three to four day period, beginning the day after the dark moon, the moon is refueling. This is a time to try something new. This is also a period when love and romance will be budding and health and job hunting will be prosperous. At the beginning of the new moon gravity pulls water up, affecting the tides, the water table, and the chemical balance of the human body. The new moon is the clean slate, when flowers bud, fish spawn, and man and woman mate.

The moon is waxing from seven to 14 days after the new moon. The waxing moon is famous for constructive magic. Using the moon as a guiding force of energy, spells are created for love, health, wealth, success, courage, friendship, and luck. Sounds like the perfect combination for a satisfying wax to me!

During the full moon, the moon is fully illuminated on the side that is facing Earth. This is when you can see a full and glowing circle, when the Man in the Moon is present. The moon appears to be completely illuminated, but this is actually a reflection of the sunlight. This phase lasts from 14 to 17 days after the new moon and is the prime time for rituals for prophecy, protection, and divination. This is when the moon is said to be at its most powerful, so sexual urges will be surging and the pleasure factor will skyrocket. Fertility, spirit conjuring and even an increase in psychic ability are said to be increased during a full moon.

Just before the new moon begins, there will appear to be a moonless sky. This is what we call dark moon. The moon's un-illuminated side is facing Earth, so the moon is not visible (except during a solar eclipse). The dark moon phase is three days prior to the new moon. It is a time of reflection and preparation. Sex should be taken slowly during dark moon as meditation and preparation is important to set the mood. The dark moon is a time for exploring your darker side and understanding the more wild and dangerous side of your urges and passions. The dark moon is the finale of a moon phase and is your chance to do all the risky things you fantasized about. Don’t worry; in just a few days, you’ll have another clean slate.

Phases of the moon, as it is related to sex, are a cloudy subject. It is subject to myth, overshadowed by ancient warnings, and generally disliked by scientists. Most naysayers chalk it up to lunacy and astrology, but it is important to understand how the nature of energy relates to the mind and body and how it affects sexual urges, empowerment, and fulfillment. We should all take the advice of Simone de Beauvoir, because sometimes love and lust is all about spells and magic. It helps to have just a little bit of faith in the unknown.