Developing an Appreciation for the Menstrual Phase
If you’ve ever felt personally victimized by your period, raise your hand…
And now put it right back down because we’re going to change that! Your period is a time where you may feel cramps, irritability, low energy but it can also be a time for hibernation, looking inward, letting go of things that aren’t serving you, and it’s a time to just be. After all it’s the beginning of a new cycle and with it comes change. There’s a difference between “enjoying” menstruation and appreciating what your body is going through.
Women are never really taught the in’s and out’s of the menstrual cycle the way we should be. With the lack of education comes shame, embarrassment, resentment; it’s seen as a nuisance and an inconvenience. Even the religious origin story of menstruation is that it was a punishment from god - we’re engrained to hate it.
What if we were taught to see our menstrual cycle as a beautiful and rejuvenating process that is working to bring forward new life each month? Even if you don’t want to have children of your own, there’s no denying the extensive changes your body goes through each month. Sure, tell a 4th grader about the wonders of a period and you’re bound to get giggles and eye rolls, but what if we were continuously taught this information throughout our lives instead of just a one time discussion in health class. Can you imagine how empowered we would feel?
Maybe then we wouldn’t hide our feminine hygiene products as we walked to the bathroom, be mortified if we bleed through, wouldn’t view menstrual blood as “gross” but as sacred and healing like some cultures, or maybe we would know better then to go on the pill for every sign/symptom stemming from being a woman. A girl can dream, right?
Cultural Views of the Menstrual Phase
Did you know your cycle can align with the phases of the moon? Ovulation and menstruation will fall somewhere near the full/new moon phases. Cycles can also align with one another when we’re spending time in community. Have you ever experienced your cycle syncing up with other women you live with? It used to be considered a sacred time where women would retreat together, nourish themselves and each other both physically and emotionally through connection. Sounds lovely!
There are still some cultures that view menstruation as dirty and unclean which is heart wrenching since it’s the very lifeblood that the people perpetuating that ideal came from. Throughout various time periods and different cultures though, menstrual blood has also been considered very powerful. Some rituals involved ingesting the blood or using it to heal wounds. Often it was returned to the earth to nourish the soil. Menstrual blood used to, in many cultures, be considered a thing of beauty and power. Even today, menstrual blood is being used in stem cell research. However, mainstream has yet to catch up.
It's time we take back control of the narrative and come back into our divine feminine. It doesn't matter whether you follow more feminist values or traditional values. This is about empowering women to find the beauty and magic in their cycles instead of feeling disgust or apprehension about it.
Develop a Menstrual Ritual
Connect with your womb: This doesn't just have to be during your period, you can do this anytime during your cycle. It's an opportunity to connect with your body. Place your hands over your womb (bonus points if you do it under the moon) and send positive, healing thoughts. Thank your body for all it does for you.
Track your cycle and symptoms: I would recommend this to all women in general, not just for developing a ritual. Your cycle and your period are like your 5th vital sign so it’s important to take note of things that may be off during your cycle. Learn the patterns of your specific body and take notice of how you feel throughout your cycle, foods you crave, your energy, libido, etc.
Red clothing or jewelry: Buy yourself jewlery that you only wear during that time of the month OR make yourself a cycle bracelet. You can also wear red during that time as a symbol of your menstrual phase.
Take an epsom salt bath: Activity during the menstrual phase should be light because energy is at its lowest. Skip the run and take a bath instead. Something we miss out on in our current day society is letting ourselves feel safe and to just be present. No phone’s, no screen’s, no work. Put a pause on everything and bask in the downtime - we are hormonal beings and we’re not meant to be on the go all month long (that’s what the follicular and ovulatory phases are for!).
Make yourself a nourishing cacao beverage: Cacao is rich in antioxidants and magnesium and is great for your moon cycle as it can help relieve cramping and inflammation contributing to PMS. Try raw cacao with honey, bone broth, milk of your choice, and maca powder.
Switch your products: Switch to 100% organic with no additives. Period care products are riddled with harmful ingredients that are absorbed easily into the tissue inside the vagina that are often the cause of painful periods. If you need recommendations on trustworthy products, click here. Or try free flowing on your period, instead of using feminine hygiene products.
Cleanse your space: Smoke cleanse your space and yourself to release any stagnant energy before the start of a new cycle.
Journal: This is a time of release and rebirth. Try journaling about what you are releasing during that time and what you want to bring to yourself over the next cycle.
Mayan abdominal massage: This is not recomomended during your menstrual phase (or if pregnant), but during the rest of your cycle it is safe to do and can be a healing practice to connect with your body.
Return your blood to the earth: Another practice in releasing is to set an intention for what you’d like to let go and then return your menstrual blood to the earth. Diluting your blood and using it to water your plants can also give your plants new life. Menstrual blood is rich in nitrogen and other nutrients that plants need to grow. And if you aren't a plant mom, returning it to the soil to connect with mother earth is a great option.
Yoni painting: This is where I might lose you, but what's the harm in trying? You could find that it's a really beautiful creative process or you might find it's not for you. Either way, that's fine. But all you do is paint with your menstrual blood and see what flows out.
Whatever way you decide to connect to your cycle and menstrual phase, let it be in a way that honors you and your body and makes you feel good. How do you view menstruation? What will you start during your next period to honor that part of yourself?