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.
read a review...
