OUR MENSTURAL CYCLE - WORDS BY ISELIN

The menstrual cycle is a well of wisdom; a multidimensional experience that has the potential to transform our lives and our relationship to ourselves. It has been my homecoming. For women who are in their fertile years, the menstrual cycle often provides the foundation for the work we do together. She is the ultimate teacher.

Cultivating a relationship to my own cycle has been, and continues to be, one of my most valuable teachers in life. This relationship has taught me so much about myself, and allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of what rest, respect and self nurturance truly means. It has also been a profound tool for self awareness, presence and listening, assisting me in living a life of harmony, peace and service.

Just as each woman is unique in her individuality, so are each woman’s cycle and her own relationship with her cycles. This is partly why I find my work with women particularly as interesting and rewarding as it is.  There are no moulds to fit into, nor any pre-constructed paths to blindly follow. It is a reconnection to the Wild Woman, the Natural Woman, and she must forage her own paths upon this journey. 

When beginning to develop and understand our cycles, there are many tools and wisdom that often proves itself useful. Learning from each other's insights and experiences is of course an important piece, particularly from women who have walked these paths before us. There is also much wisdom to find in traditional forms of medicine, where cultivation and preservation are important aspects.

HONOURING OUR BLEED

According to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, the time of menstruation is a period of detoxification and purification: physically, mentally, and spiritually. Menstruation is a process that supports health, wellbeing and longevity, and modern  researchers have even asked the question if the process of menstruation is a contributing factor to why women live longer than men. We don’t know whether this is true yet, but it is possible.

Menstruation is governed by a force that in Ayurveda is known as ‘Apana Vaju’. This is a downward moving force, bringing us down towards the Earth and

• Include a little sweet in your diet, such as dates, dried figs, raw honey and sweet vegetables, as these build Ojas in the body.
• Stay away from things that are overly heating and aggravating, such as caffeine, alcohol, red meat and chilies.
• Opt for gentle movement and meditation, rather than strenuous exercise. Exercise and movement brings our energy «up and out», which is the opposite direction of where we want energy to flow during menstruation. 
• Add supportive digestive spices to your meals; cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander, cumin and fennel.
• Try to stay away from too much screen time, a lot of focused thinking, socialising and outside stimulation. Instead, try drawing, painting, creating something with your hands, meditation, calming breathing exercises and plenty of rest.