Photo Credit: @lalovenenoso
Once a month the lining of a woman’s uterus sheds causing her to bleed or have her period. Today, periods are often viewed in the Western world as an inconvenience, but many years ago when a woman had her period she was celebrated.
Menstruation and periods have always been linked to the cycles of the moon; this was the perfect evidence of blood's meaning. To honor this moment, Native American women would go to a sacred lodge where they would spend a few days together to share their experiences and think about their spiritual role. Instead of a prison to keep them away, this was seen as a safe and private space for them, where they went through an empowerment process. This was the time of the month when women were at the top of their power, and for that reason, they didn’t do any chores or have any contact with men to keep that power to themselves.
In Ancient Greece, menstrual blood was used to help support crops grow and was buried into the earth during fertility festivals in the Spring. Once upon a time, when a woman was having her period it was believed that she held the power of creation, wisdom and deep spirituality. During this time, women were encouraged to listen to their inner voice and her tribe would look to her for advice and guidance.
Around 5,000 years ago when the idea of goddess worship shifted to a patriarchal society, women were labeled as unclean and were forced to separate themselves from men when they were bleeding.
Suddenly, the belief was adopted that when a woman was bleeding she was impure and was not fit to enter churches, prepare food or have sex.
Despite the emergence of these patriarchal viewpoints, many women still experience deep, profound spiritual connections when bleeding, however, majority of the Western world suppress their blood flow, blocking their creative intuition and refusing to honor this divine time.
It is said that an extremely painful period relates to rejecting femininity and that our feelings towards menstruation as a culture have caused women to feel ashamed or embarrassed about this sacred time of month.
How do you feel about your cycle? How do you respond to your own blood and menstruation? If you are searching to get more in tune with your bleeding cycle, here is a guide to help you get in touch with your divine feminine creativity:
Day 1 (first day of bleeding):
The first day of bleeding marks the ‘death’ phase of the death-rebirth cycle. The old lining is shed away to make room for the new, healthy lining that will take its place.
During this week, your energy is the lowest in your cycle and you may feel tired and withdrawn. You may want to rest more than you usually do, or even take a day off. Regardless of your schedule, introducing some quietness and deliberate rest time can be incredibly healing. This is an amazing time for self-care rituals. A hot Epsom salt bath with essential oils is a great place to start. Using a Gua Sha on your face and giving yourself a womb massage. Try writing in a journal and reflecting on the events of the past month. This creates awareness and allows you to set intentions for the month ahead. Exercise should be limited to gentle movements like yoga and walking.
Day 2- 7 (Bleeding):
As your cycle continues, learning to embrace your divine femininity and creativity will grow. During the bleeding cycle, it is best to stay within and undisturbed. If you can retreat to a quiet place, allow yourself space to meditate, write, create art and let go of old thoughts or belief systems that no longer serve you.
During this time you are energetically vulnerable and sensitive, so avoid harsh music, loud scenes and being around people who are not comforting.
Day 8-14 (Ovulation phase):
After the lining has been shed, and all that old energy of last month has been removed, the body starts preparing to release an egg. This is the peak of juicy feminine creativity energy and is a time where women have increased sexual energy, increased intuition and will place her energy outwards into the world.
It is also the perfect time to start new projects, give birth to new ideas or even create new life. Energy levels are highest in this phase so continue to enjoy lots of physical activity.
Day 15-21 (Harvest Phase):
This post-ovulatory phase is often a time where a woman will reflect on her achievements for the month just past. This stems from deep within our psyche when a woman would feel either relief or regret from not falling pregnant. This phase is often about change and confronting things in life that are no longer of benefit and to release them with strength and confidence. It is during this phase that a woman will discover and understand what she needs to let go of.
Day 22-28 (Lining preparing to shed):
Once it has been determined what needs to be removed from her life, the lining prepares to shed. This phase is about preparing to clear all from your life what has not been serving your greatest good.
During this phase, a woman must surrender and make herself less emotionally available to others. This is the clarity phase, where a woman will realize what she needs to remove from her life and make the appropriate steps to begin the new cycle. The wild woman archetype comes out.
Learn how to celebrate your cycle again by being conscious of your femininity and appreciating that your period is really a time of deep healing and spiritual connection with yourself and with mother earth.
Female Energy Cycle
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