Something that has become a bit of a buzz topic, and something that I have vested interest in, is women’s cycle in relation to hormones
Many of us are thinking about things like: balancing your hormones and bringing your menstrual cycle into a better, healthier and calmer rhythm. This is perfect as it actually relates directly with femininity and creativity; both areas which you felt a little stuck with.
Why we hate our feminine cycles:
The psychosomatic cause is as always, the beliefs that we have absorbed into ourselves and believe are true. In this case, the belief is that being a woman, or being feminine is not as honourable, credible or important (as a man).
Perhaps you created this belief as a young child, when you watched your mother not stand up for her own beliefs, wants and needs, which possibly made you feel that being a woman isn’t good enough to get what you want. Clearly, a belief like that would want to make anyone reject their femininity. Here’s the premise:
Menstrual problems / hormone imbalances:
Probable cause: Rejection of one’s femininity. Guilt, fear. Belief that the genitals are sinful or dirty.
New thought pattern: I accept my full power as a woman and accept all my bodily processes as normal and natural. I love and approval of myself.
If you’re ready to start making changes, then I’d like you to write this new thought pattern into your journal, and think on it often. I will also get you to write about your own connection with your femininity and beliefs around what a woman is.
Understanding your cycle:
In modern society, women are so disconnected from their menstrual cycles. Our period has become a taboo subject, something to remain private and unspoken, or make us feel embarrassed and ashamed. Modern women try their hardest to ignore this natural rhythm, cursing their bleed and hating their cycle. The changes in hormones within our body can have dramatic effects on our internal energy, which in turn, needs changes to be made on the outside to compensate.
A really great way to transform this taboo subject into something you embrace and cherish about yourself, is to get to know your cycle and the energies that come with it, intimately.
Our creative biological and psychological cycle parallels the phases of the moon; recent research has found that the immune system of the reproductive tract is cyclic as well, reaching its peak at ovulation, and then beginning to wane. From ancient times, some cultures have referred to women having their menstrual periods as being “on their moon.” When women live together in natural settings, their ovulations tend to occur at the time of the full moon, with menses and self-reflection at the dark of the moon.
So essentially, when we are at our most natural connection with ourselves and the rest of the planet, our female cycles are in tune with the cycles of the moon.
Many women, including me, have noticed that on the first day or two of our periods, we feel an urge to organize our homes or work spaces, cleaning out our closets—and our lives. Our natural biological cleansing is accompanied by a psychological cleansing as well.
How our cycles are linked to the moon:
To be able to use the energies of the menstrual cycle effectively, you first need to understand the 4 main phases of the cycle. In general terms, think of the seasons of the year. The menstrual cycle is a cycle of creativity, and so the following principles can be applied to any creative venture. Why is the menstrual cycle a cycle of creativity? Because its sole purpose is to create, to manifest. From spark, to flame, to fire, to ashes, to spark again… it is a symbolic creative process that can be applied to many aspects of life.
The cycle comes in 4 phases:
Menstruation (days 1-7) – Winter – Dark/New Moon
Pre-Ovulation (days 7-14) – Spring – Waxing Moon
Ovulation (days 14-21) – Summer – Full Moon
Pre-Menstruation (days 21-28) – Autumn – Waning Moon
This is based on a 28 day cycle, which is the average. However, every cycle varies in length, so these ‘brackets’ may be slightly different for each woman, for example, my cycle is about every 35 days. The one constant is that you will always ovulate 14 days before menstruation.
If we do not become biologically pregnant at ovulation, we move into the second half of the cycle, the luteal phase—ovulation through the onset of menstruation. During this phase, we quite naturally retreat from outward activity to a more reflective mode. During the luteal phase we turn more inward, preparing to develop or give birth to something that comes from deep within ourselves. Society is not nearly as keen on this as it is on the follicular phase. Thus we judge our premenstrual energy, emotions, and inward mood as “bad” and “unproductive.”
Since our culture generally appreciates only what we can understand rationally, many women tend to block at every opportunity the flow of unconscious “lunar” information that comes to them premenstrually or during their menstrual cycle. Lunar information is reflective and intuitive. It comes to us in our dreams, our emotions, and our hungers. It comes under cover of darkness. When we routinely block the information that is coming to us in the second half of our menstrual cycles, it has no choice but to come back as PMS or menopausal madness, in the same way that our other feelings and bodily symptoms, if ignored, often result in illness.
The Spring (Pre-Ovulation + Waxing Moon) is a time of new growth. It is a time of innocence and playfulness. Light and warmth are coming back to a dark earth. Buds are opening, the daylight is growing. The Spring Equinox bring us promise and animals pro-creating. The Earth is waking up. Everything is fertile and the energy is to nurture new growth, feed it and begin to wake up from the winter’s sleep. We stretch and move again. Test the water. It is in this phase of the menstrual cycle we will find the energy to begin projects, to develop ideas and plan ahead.
The Summer (Ovulation + Full Moon) is a time to manifest. The body is open and ready to create. It is highly fertile and flirty. The Sun has returned to the earth, and it’s time to enjoy the sunny days. Get out and socialize, work on projects, finish projects… Like the Summer Solstice, we rejoice and worship the Sun. This is the time in our cycle we need to be connecting to people and relaxing in our outside world. It can also be a time of vulnerability, and it is important that we keep ourselves grounded. It is all to make risky decisions or get carried away in the moment at this time.
The Autumn (Pre-Menstruation + Waning Moon) is a time of harvest and withdrawal. This energy can be really tough for some women. During this phase, our focus begins to turn inwards in preparation for menstruation. We can feel disconnected from life and our mind can become negative and critical. We harvest and complete projects and tasks, ready to withdraw from the outside world all together, like the Autumn Equinox, we remember the past. If the pressure is on to remain in the outside world, we can become even more confused and irritable. This phase slows us down and brings our attention back to our own needs. It is during this phase that women can feel out of control, and suffer from PMS or PMDD.
During this phase, from ovulation until the onset of menstruation, is when women are most in tune with their inner knowing and with what isn’t working in their lives. Studies have shown that women’s dreams are more frequent and often more vivid during the premenstrual and menstrual phases of their cycles. We have access to parts of our often unconscious selves that are less available to us at all other times of the month. In fact, it has been shown experimentally that the right hemisphere of the brain—the part associated with intuitive knowing—becomes more active premenstrually, while the left hemisphere becomes less active. Interestingly enough, communication between the two hemispheres may be increased as well. The premenstrual phase is therefore a time when we have greater access to our magic—our ability to recognize and transform the more difficult and painful areas of our lives. Premenstrually, we are quite naturally more in tune with what is most meaningful in our lives. We’re more apt to cry—but our tears are always related to something that holds meaning for us.
The Winter (Menstruation + Black Moon / New Moon) brings our focus deep within ourselves. We are no longer interested in the outside world. Our mind may be busy with thoughts from the past, negative experiences or trauma. Winter solstice is the darkest point in our year, and a time to study and learn, to keep safe and warm. Women may experience difficult physical symptoms during this phase. Cramps, tiredness and irritability are all signs that you need to relax into the darkness and look after yourself. It is essential that you honour this part of the cycle. You are in the most sacred time of the month. Pay attention to your dreams and visions. Sleep lots. When we look after ourselves during our cycle, especially during this winter phase, we have a better chance of a great Spring and Summer.
It’s all spirit and nature:
When you realise the process of menstruation is so deeply connected to our spiritual energies, it opens up brand new pathways for healing and living life in sync with nature. Unfortunately, many women still opt for the Pill or other hormonal treatments to ‘cure’ the mood swings, to stop the pain, or regulate the cycle. This disconnects us from our natural healing and cycle. It stops us from accessing our inner well of power.
Women are trying to be good wives, mothers, lovers, friends and employees, but we are also in a constant cycle. Our energy ebbs and flows, it is powerful and won’t be denied or ignored It is where it draws our attention that is critical.
If our natural energy wants to retreat during pre-menstruation, but we ignore that and force ourselves to work against that, we will almost certainly end up more stressed. Life will feel difficult, and you will feel more tired and angry. Many women with PMS and the more extreme form PMDD are suffering from disconnection from their cycles. They are working against the body’s natural rhythm and the knock on effects can be devastating.
How to connect with your feminine energy and the moon cycles:
➕ Start paying close attention to your energy levels and your cycle.
➕ Mark in your journal each phase of your cycle, and how you’re feeling at that time. I know that your cycle is irregular, but it’s important to notice what phase you’re spending more time in, as this will give us an insight into what areas of your life require attention.
➕ Take time to intuitively connect within and journal about your connection with your cycle and your femininity. Allow whatever to flow out of you (haha! no pun intended) to come out. Just write, and see where your thoughts and inner wisdom take you as you broach the topic of feminists and your natural cycle.
