How can one align with their menstrual cycle for optimal creativity, harness more energy, feel more connect with their body and mind, and feel empowered?
Similar to the natural ebb-n-flow of life, our menstrual cycle has its own version of shifts and changes. During this monthly cycle, we have the opportunity to experience a hormonal, emotional, energetic, and creative shifts. As women, we have the ability to create life: literally and figuratively. A women’s natural, monthly cycle occurs anywhere from 28 to 32 days starting through puberty and lessening in physical flow into peri-menopause (before menopause). For those who have had hysterectomies, there remains the emotional, energetic, and creative shifts.
Learning how to align with the feminine cycle teaches one the practice of openness, flexibility, and fluidity as our internal rhythms teaches us to have less expectations. Reconnecting to one’s internal, monthly rhythm allows one to discover their own needs and desires; while learning healthy boundaries through the power of saying “No” and feeling empowered from self-care.
It is encouraged to allow time and grace for about 3 months to increase one’s awareness of their monthly cycle’s flow, shift, and needs.
Similar to the waxing and waning of the moon, our monthly cycles includes two hormonal transitions: the Follicular phase, ovulation (transition period), & the Luteal phase. The Follicular phase includes Days 1 through 15 and has to do with one’s follicles (ovum) developing into different stages within the ovaries. During the Follicular phase both estrogen and testerone levels begin to increase. The ovulation phase usually happens between days 14-18, where the ovum is released from the fallopian tube into the uterus to increase the chance of conception. The Luteal phase is known as a restorative and rejuvenation phase as progesterone levels rise to nurture the potential pregnancy and builds up the endometrial tissue. The endometrial tissue is the tissue that is released during bleeding starting on Day 1.
These hormonal shifts influence our emotional, energetic, and creative cycles on specific days allowing for specific needs.
Day 1: (first day of bleeding-menses): After a period of building up and reserving energy, this day marks the shift of releasing and letting go. Emotionally, there is an increase of courage and willingness to act. Make decisions actively and support with follow through. There is an increase in creative flow and the ability to risk take towards the decisions one may have been sitting on.
Day 3: Best Day of Fearless Energy and willingness of trying new things.
Day 9-13: Increase charisma allowing an increase glow of energy radiating from their body.
Day 14-17: Ovulation begins allowing the transition from more outwardly, extroverted to inwardly, introverted. The creative shifts more from action taking to creative expression. There is an increase in responding to the needs of relationships of the self and with others. Creative ideas emerge in how to respond to current life events.
Day 18: Feeling more connected, increased sex drive, and increase of physical energy.
Day 22: Ideal time to write down the surge of creative ideas. Increase need to go inward and reflection wanting to conserve physical energy. Ideal time to incorporate self-care practice for restoration and rejuvenation
Day 26: The best time to rest and rejuvenate. Increase time for possible PMS symptoms of irritability, fatigue, disruption in sleep or increase need for sleep. If there are increase PMS symptoms; these are signs the body is telling one it needs more self-care.
How can one slow down to rejuvenate & restore?
Exercise: Look at your calendar for the month: decrease the commitments you do not truly want/need to do, allow oneself the opportunity to say “NO”.
There are many ways to increase nurturing activity with self-care that is unique and individual. Here are some ideas of self-care during Days 22-32: eat in-season whole food, Epsom salt baths with favorite essential oil, herbal teas, relaxing music, dance the tension away, connect with nature, and many more.
When it comes to relationships and bonding, the Luteal phase allows for restoration during Days 16-28/32. During this time, one can increase bonding with relationships by doing activies such as watching movies with friends and family. During this time, empathic expression and intuitive abilities are the strongest. Pressing matters of the heart are more easily expressed. Trust your gut. Increase time within your mental space: reevaluating, reflecting, and accessing.
As women, we have the ability to shift and synchronize our external world with our internal. By learning how to be open & flexible within our cycles, our lives have the ability to flow with more ease & grave. We become empowered and inspired to nurture ourselves.
Sources:
Jessica Drummound, The HPO Axis Course
Jane M Ussher & Janettee Perz. “PMS as a process of negotiation: Women’s experience and management of premenstrual distress”. Psychology & health 28 (8), 909-927, 2013.
Chrisler, Joan C. “Creativity and the Menstrual Cycle”. Yeshiva Academic Institutional Repository. 2004.
