As women most of us will menstruate every month for a large portion of our lives. And yet, so many of us have an unhealthy relationship with our menstrual cycle.
What if I told you that you can make menstruation an enjoyable experience every month? What if you could get to the point where you looked forward to your menstrual cycle every month?
Perhaps that sounds farfetched for you, but please continue reading on.
I, like many women, grew up feeling like my menstrual cycle was a huge inconvenience in my life. I resented my cycle and experienced debilitating menstrual cramps, PMS and bloating. I did not feel like my menstrual cycle was sacred or in any way significant and I would groan each month when my cycle started.
It would take me years to finally one day realize that I no longer wanted to resent my monthly cycle. I realized that every month for the next 20+ years of my life I would be menstruating and so I asked myself
what if I learned to embrace my menstrual cycle instead of dread it?
The thing is that as women we are going to experience menstruation most months for a large portion of our lives. Why would we want to spend a week every month resisting this natural process of our body?
If you are reading this, I am guessing that you are feeling similarly and open to changing your relationship with your menstrual cycle! So, here are 5 powerful steps that will support you in having empowered menstrual cycles each month.
- 5 Steps to Empowered Menstruation -
Step One~ Be Open to your Perception Changing
If you have deep ingrained negative associations with your menstrual cycle, challenge yourself to truly be open to learning something different. Know that likely you weren't given these tools and trust that you have done the best you could with the information you had. Also keep in mind that when we know better, we can do better! Now that this information is in front of you, allow yourself to be open to learning a new way of life. Having an empowering experience with your menstrual cycle is such a life changing way of living.
Step Two~ Reconsider your Feminine Care Products
One of the first things I learned on my journey towards empowered menstruation is that it's really hard to be empowered when we are using disempowering menstrual products. There is nothing sacred about inserting a chemically treated piece of cotton into your vagina.
It's also very important to know that most non-organic pads and tampons are severely chemically treated with processes that are not only disconnecting us from our cycles, but also potentially causing health problems. The Huffington Post and The Guardian are two of the many news stations beginning to report on the potential dangers of commercial pads and tampons.
The good news is that there are safer and more empowering options available to women! Read more about the specific concerns regarding commercial pads and tampons and what you can use instead here.
Step Three~ Cycle with a Menstrual Cup
If you read the post I linked above, likely you read all about menstrual cups! Menstrual cups are supporting women in dramatically changing their relationship with their menstrual cycle! Menstrual cups have so many benefits, but a few of the top benefits include being made of medical grade silicon instead of toxic chemicals, on average reducing menstrual cramps 50 - 75%, holding far more blood than even a super tampon, being very comfortable, connecting you to your flow in a much more sacred and intimate way and so much more.
I have found that by simply switching to a menstrual cup, most women immediately begin to feel more empowerment in their menstrual cycles!
Step Four~ Understand the Needs of your Body
When we begin to honor our menstrual cycles, we become more aware of the needs of our bodies. Did you know that during different times in your cycle your body has different needs? While many of us were not taught how to support our bodies during different times in the month, you can start implementing this into your regular life.
During the time of menstruation, women tend to have lower energy and need more freedom to rest and be still. It's also common to feel a bit more introverted. Every time that you feel your womb cramp, your body is gently asking you to slow down and rest.
Unfortunately, when we live in a culture that celebrates pushing through it and numbing our bodies needs, we tend to feel more pain, exhausted and even more disconnected.
The next time that you menstruate, check in with your body and determine what you need. Perhaps you need to head to bed early and just lay down on the first day of your cycle. Perhaps you feel called to be alone and rest quietly instead of going out with friends. The body knows what it needs - we just need to learn how to check in.
Step Five~ See the Power of Menstrual Blood
When we use something like a menstrual cup, we are able to truly see our menstrual blood. It's nearly impossible to feel connected to our menstrual blood when it's soaked into a chemically treated pad or tampon. There are odors, our blood is soaked through the products and we likely feel completely disconnected from the sacredness of it all. However, when using a menstrual cup, you are able to truly see your blood. There are no odors, your blood is not soaked into anything and instead, you can witness what your body has created.
In many cultures around the world, menstrual blood was once honored and celebrated. It was seen as a sacred substance that marked a woman's health and vitality. Menstrual blood was often given to the earth and poured onto plants as a sacred offering to nature.
When we use a menstrual cup, we are given the option to offer our blood if that feels right for you. This is a deeply sacred thing to do every month and connects us to the balance of all things. I highly recommend pouring your blood outside in your yard or on your house plants if desired. Menstrual blood has 50 times more calcium than regular blood and is full of stem cells, making it a very nourishing gift to the earth.
If you want to learn more about empowered menstruation, listen to our podcast episode here about sacred menstruation!
May this information support you on your journey!
In gratitude to you,
Cassandra Wilder
+ the GoddessCeremony Team