Welcome to this short talk on the menstrual cycle and the powers that lie within.
As we deepen our meditation and yoga practices,
We become more aware of subtle changes within our bodies.
For humans in women's bodies,
You might tap into this immense power and deep shifts within the menstrual cycle.
Often most focus is on the bleeding part of the cycle,
As this is the physically most notable phase.
However,
The menstrual cycle encompasses the entire 24 to 36 days,
Or however long or short your cycle is.
To explore the shifts within our psyche,
Heart and bodies,
The model of the four inner seasons can be useful.
This model was brought to us by Alexandra Pope,
An English psychologist and co-founder of the Red School.
It divides the menstrual cycle into four phases.
The time of the bleeding is the phase called inner winter.
There is a natural tendency to desire stillness.
Our energy is at its lowest.
During this time,
The veals between the conscious and the subconscious is thinner.
Meditation during your bleeding may carry you easily to new depths and realms.
Meditation is very close and you might receive messages in the form of inner pictures or sounds.
About six days after the start of your bleeding,
We enter inner spring.
And like nature,
We awaken again.
We are like a young plant sprouting from the still cold earth.
We feel this energy of growth,
Yet our roots are not deep yet.
Now is the time to practice venturing into the other world while still periodically drawing back into the inner world.
It is a dance between opening and closing.
This time lends its powers to starting new projects that are close to our hearts.
Shortly before ovulation,
We enter our inner summer.
We have now fully arrived in the outer world and often feel full of empathy.
We love being around people and people love to be around us.
There is the possibility of fully opening into the pleasures of the world of enjoying abundance.
Like when on a summer night,
We sit outside,
Surround the bed of soft chatter of loved ones.
And slowly,
The leaves are starting to turn colors and we enter our inner fall.
We draw back into our inner world.
We let our forces trickle back into our roots.
And as we deepen our connection to the inside,
Our creativity is heightened.
As we are feeling the approaching of inner winter,
There is a tendency to want to finish things.
Many women know this as a sudden desire to clean the house,
To finally do the little chores around the house that were put off for a while.
The inner tension during this time of your cycle is highest and our inner critic may take the floor.
Our practice turns to open space within for all that might appear.
It is like a natural checkpoint before we can enter the soothing arms of our bleeding time.
Now,
For many women,
This phase or the time of bleeding can be accompanied by period pains.
I hear you and I see you.
A big myth in our society is that menstrual pains are normal.
I encourage you to listen in and see how much this holds true for you.
For me,
This inner reflection helps shift my mindset.
Would nature give us recurring pains every month?
And if yes,
Why would she do so?
Why would nature give us recurring pains every month?
This simple model of the four inner seasons can help lifting the veil of this ancient inner wisdom.
This is not new teaching.
This is teaching that is in everybody's DNA,
In every one of yourselves.
It is the teaching of nature who herself cycles.
By remembering this innate feminine wisdom,
We are reconnecting ourselves deeply to nature and our feminine essence.
Let us take a few moments to let the word settle in your mind,
Heart and body.
I invite you to find a comfortable seat if you haven't already and to lengthen your inhalation,
Breathing in deeply and breathing out fully,
Inhaling and exhaling.
Listening to the sound of your breath as it flows in and out.
Sense into your body and heart.
Where have these words landed?
What has been stirred up?
This is not new teaching.
This is ancient inner wisdom.
I invite you now to raise your arms over your head and if comfortable for your shoulders to let your palms touch.
Take a big inhale here and with your next exhale,
Slowly let your hands come down in front of your heart.
As you inhale,
Let your chin drop towards your chest,
Exhaling here.
Take a moment to thank yourself for having taken time for yourself.
I thank you for joining me on this exploration in feminine wisdom.
May our efforts be of benefit for all living beings near and far seen and unseen.
May our reconnection to our ancient inner wisdom,
To our cyclical nature be of benefit to all.
