Herbal Medicine Ezine --  Wise Woman Wisdom
August 2005
Volume 5 Number 8

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What's Inside Weed Wanderings this Month...

INDEX  | HEALING WISE   | YOUR INTUITIVE DREAMS | EMPOWER YOURSELF
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Childbearing & Mothering ...
MOONWATCHING
Reclaiming Your Feminine Power
by Michelle Royce

MOONWATCHING
Reclaiming Your Feminine Power
by Michelle Royce

It's time! Time for all women of all ages to remember and reclaim the wisdom and magic of the lunar cycle and to accept the birthright of the Moon Goddess which we are given as a gift when we are born into this life as women.(Or maybe even when we aren't born as women for some of us!) It's a simple sounding idea to track one's menstrual cycle, but over time we may discover that this pracice offers much more than just a physical reminder of what day we are due to bleed.

It can become a pathway that leads to the fathomless depths of the feminine psyche, a place many of us have heard about in myth and legend, a place many of us feel calling us from within, a place that is connected to our dreams and desires, the wisdom and magic of ourselves, of the earth, the seasons and the divinty and spirit which is in everything.

When I discuss this issue with women in my workshops, they are often surprised to find that I begin at this point. I have heard many of them make comments something like, ‘Well I know I start to bleed around the seventh, that’s all I really need to know, what else is there?”

To answer them I usually ask if they know that the cycle actually takes place over a full twenty-eight day period on average, although this can and does vary quite widely while still being ‘normal’ for that particular woman. “Of course,” they usually reply, “you learn that in biology!”

Most of us have seen a drawing of the ovaries and the uterus at some time. Most of us have been told that once a month, usually after the first fourteen or so days of the cycle known as the pre-ovulatory phase during which time oestrogen has been building up in our bodies, an egg is released. This time is known as the ovulation phase, and can be experienced by some women as physical manifestations of pain or discomfort around the pelvic area, breast tenderness or swelling, cravings for certain foods, or even ‘spotting’.

After the egg is released the hormones progesterone and oestrogen are both produced, allowing the uterus to create a thickened lining containing a place for the potential foetus (fertilised egg) to lodge and gain nourishment. If fertilisation doesn’t take place, the pre-menstrual phase commences in which hormone levels fall and the uterine lining begins to break down, eventually leaving the uterus by way of the vagina as menstrual ‘discharge.’ The symptoms of ‘Pre- Menstrual Syndrome’ are fairly well-known, and discussed elsewhere, so I’ll leave it at that.

We all know this stuff, don’t we? We were taught in biology, or sex education, or health, or by whichever parent handled ‘the talk’. If we had older sisters or friends with older sisters, sometimes we were filled in on the mysteries and miseries of PMS, pads and tampons. If we were really lucky, we were made to feel that this monthly experience was something that was worthwhile and necessary, even if only so that we could become mothers at some far-distant (or maybe not so far distant!) time. If we weren’t, we were informed that it was a monthly misery, uncontrollable, fraught with difficulty, discomfort and a vague shamefulness that we had to ‘grin and bear’ in order to continue the species.

But I don’t know many women who were told that each and every day of this physical cycle, emotional changes, energy changes, dream cycle changes and creativity changes were also taking place. I certainly wasn’t! Our society’s lack of understanding for and lack of recognition of this fact is what has probably given rise to the notions that women are somehow not able to function in ‘serious’ roles because they are unreliable and illogical.

The only way women have been able to become acceptable in most male-dominated areas such as business for example, is to ignore cyclic changes or treat them as ‘illness’, and attempt to be more like men. This attitude is finally beginning to change, as humans realise that each gender brings its own strengths to any situation.

But as women, remedying our own ignorance about our cycles, learning and understanding more about our own selves, what we are capable of and when, and giving this knowledge to our daughters right from the start of their menstrual journey can bring many changes to our lives for the better.

And taking responsibility for gaining this knowledge moves us away from being perceived as poor suffering victims at the mercy of nature to women of knowledge and power, informed and able to take action regarding our lives including this ‘mysterious’ monthly transformation we undergo.We are reclaiming our birthright and fulfilling our destinies!

From a physical viewpoint, knowledge about our cycle is important for many reasons, contra-ception and con-ception being two areas that immediately spring to mind. Did you know for example that it’s possible to become pregnant twice in each lunar cycle? If you know when your more fertile times (just after ovulation usually) are likely to occur you stand a better chance of becoming or not becoming pregnant, depending on which is your choice at this time!

to be continued...

Michelle Royce is the author of Moon Rites - a feminine path to personal power

Moon Rites a feminine path to personal power is designed to be used as a tool to enhance your self-knowledge, acceptance, and personal power. It is divided into three sections. The following is a rundown on what's in it and how you can use it.

With Moon Rites you will:
Rediscover connections between your body & soul
Unleash your inner power, intuitive ability, creative drive
Reclaim the wisdom and magic of the lunar cycle
Renew your female body, mind and spirit
Empower yourself to make positive life choices.

Learn more about Moon Rites by Michelle Royce

 


Moon Days

Moon days, a great collection of women's writings on menstruation, edited by Cassie Preemo Steele, twenty-six writers explore the "silent" parts of women's lives; reawakening menstruation memories of embarrassment and shame and transforming them to wonder, excitement, and laughter. 176 pages, illustrations.


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INDEX | HEALING WISE | YOUR INTUITIVE DREAMS | EMPOWER YOURSELF
WISE WOMAN WISDOM | ANTI-CANCER LIFESTYLE | THE GODDESS SPEAKS | FEATURED LINKS