In traditional cultures that honor woman and her moon cycle the time of menstruation is one that is inwardly focused, quiet. For the first time I honored the three days rest! NO laundry, NO cooking, NO yoga, NO cleaning. It was a drastic change for me but was much more attuned to what my mind and body needed. I am a child of the eighties and the tampon commercials with woman in bikinis playing volleyball and playing tennis in white tennis skirts are burned into my Psyche of what woman are suppose to do during their cycle. Play hard and ignore the fact that you feel like shit. Well, that's exactly what I did. Hiding my pain and suffering through my feminine obligation was my attitude. Honoring wasn't even near my radar. I have been disconnected to this honoring for two decades and found myself in pain and dis-ease. There is a bit more to the story but for information sake, finding these traditions and honoring my body and its feminine cycle was a huge change. It also had a positive impact on my partner because when I retreated he could honor his feminine energy to keep an even balance with his masculine energy while he tended to the things that keep our home in functioning order.
With the full moon now in midweek, those who cycle with the full moon would be in week one. Here is the information for the honoring of this week. (letting go was big for me this phase)
Week One (day 1 - first day of bleeding - day 7): Death Rebirth Phase
On retreat or wishing you were or creating situations in your life so people will leave you alone (for example fights).
Life review.
Visions of how it might be this new cycle.
Letting go of ways or beliefs and attitudes that no longer serve - both metaphorically with your prayers and intentions and literally with your blood.
Spring energy, building as your blood stops flowing.
A time for metaphorically planting seeds for the new cycle.
During bleeding: "I feel quiet, inward", "I don't want to be disturbed".
After bleeding: "I feel soft, a bit vulnerable", "I feel as if I'm peeking back out at the world ", "Here I come again".
Ways to honour the menstrual cycle
The flow of the energy through the cycle gives us the clues for how to honour it. It's a good idea to let the people you live with know if you are going to change the way you do things at your bleeding time. Their support will be important to the success of you implementing these life changes.
Week one
Retreat from the busyness of the world, even just for an evening.
Have a relaxing bath by candle light with essential oils. Try geranium and rose.
Create your moonlodge or red tent, this is as much a state of mind as a physical space.
Wear particular clothes or jewellery when bleeding, red stones or appropriate crystals. This can also serve the purpose of notifying the people you live with that you're bleeding.
Suggestions from Cassarne, my crystal advisor:
Two crystals resonate with the bleeding time and the choice can be made depending on which the wearer is more drawn to.
Carnelian: this relates specific to the sacral chakra and our creative centre, it brings balance to the female sacred organs and empowers the feminine in its process.
Moonstone: provides a balancing healing energy, especially of the emotions which may be in a vulnerable and fragile space. It assists in the balance and awareness of our hormones in their "dance" through our cycle. It is also a lovely stone to wear when its one's bloodtime as it reminds us of our connection with the moon and all her & our rhythms. Moonstone reassures us when we are in retreat at this time.
Garnet could also be worn purely because of its deep blood red hue and its resonance to our physical experience at this time. Plus it keeps one grounded and strengthens the healing energy of the Earth with our heart.
Experiment with dreaming by asking particular questions of your dreams.
Invoke a particular Goddess archetype to be with you during your bloodtime, perhaps Maeve or Kali.
Draw or paint.
Meditate - with or without questions and perhaps focussed on what it is you will let go of with your blood this cycle.
Do gentle exercise such as walking in nature and consciously connecting with it.
Feed yourself well.
Use special linen at bloodtime, like red coloured!
Use red towels.
Be kind to yourself - go with your flow!
The bleeding phase of the cycle is as if a monthly enactment of a vision quest. On day 3 of your cycle, just like in a vision quest, do a meditation and ask for a vision. You will be gifted with a vision to inspire and fuel you for your next cycle, write about it, draw it and refer back to it.
Once you've stopped bleeding, when you are ready, gently reintroduce yourself back into the world.
