The Power Of The Creative Cycle & Menstrual Cycle

Explore the Power of the Creative Cycle for Women and its profound connection to the Menstrual Cycle, delve into the Five Element Theory in Chinese Medicine and how the qualities of each element affect your cycles thus influencing your overall quality of life.

This audio excerpt comes from a podcast episode from The Welltogether Podcast by the Life Co.

Transcript

Welcome to the Well2gether podcast.

My name is Wenling,

And I'm a wellbeing,

Productivity,

And creativity coach.

And my passion and specialization is in supporting women changemakers and creatives to overcome overwhelm,

Procrastination,

And perfectionism to flourish in their careers and their personal life.

Today,

We will be exploring how to harness the power of the creative cycle and the menstrual cycle to boost your energy,

Your creativity,

And your productivity so you can flourish at work,

In your relationships,

And in your life.

The creative cycle is a process that is rooted in the five element theory in traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine is a centuries-old healing system that traces its roots back to ancient China,

Where it was developed alongside various philosophical and spiritual traditions.

And you might be familiar with the healing modalities of qigong,

Moxibustion,

Acupuncture,

And acupressure.

These are all practices that are rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.

Within traditional Chinese medicine philosophy,

It's believed that all things have different energetic qualities to them.

And these can be categorized into five main types.

Water,

Wood,

Fire,

Earth,

And metal.

And rather than inanimate objects,

These are forces,

Energies,

And transformations.

And the creative cycle is the primary way the five elements relate to each other,

Where one gives rise to the other.

For example,

Water gives rise to wood.

As part of nature,

We are deeply affected by the cyclical changes in nature,

Which include the shifting energies of the day from sunrise to midday to sunset,

As well as the four seasons and the moon phases.

Internally,

The menstrual cycle,

Which is an infratium rhythm.

This is one of the many rhythms that affect us internally,

Just like the circadian rhythm,

Which affects our sleep and wake cycle.

And all of these are reflections of the creative cycle,

Different ways the creative cycle manifests outside in nature and inside within us.

Before I started to support women,

I wasn't aware of the menstrual cycle as a reflection of the creative cycle.

Like many other women,

I was only aware of the days of my period.

And I thought of it as a major inconvenience and a problem.

For a long time,

I envied the male body.

I wish that I didn't have to experience the inconvenience,

The period shame,

The discomfort,

And the pain that many of us struggle with.

However,

Within this pain actually lies great potential and power.

The menstrual cycle is a reflection of something much greater than yourself.

It is your connection with the creative cycle.

Rather than a problem to be fixed using birth control,

Or a problem to be ignored through stigmatization,

Your menstrual cycle is an intrinsic part of you.

Your connection with nature that is to be acknowledged,

Honored,

And celebrated As a cyclical process,

Your menstrual cycle mirrors the external cyclical energetic transformations in the world.

So anytime you struggle with guilt,

Shame,

Or pain relating to your period,

Remember that your body,

Your cyclical nature is natural.

You are as legitimate as the moon,

As the shifting energies from day to night,

Spring to winter,

New moon to full And this is your power.

The average length of the menstrual cycle across women is 28 days,

Though it can last anything between 25 to 35 days,

Or even longer or shorter,

Depending on a matter of factors,

Including whether you are undergoing perimenopause,

Maybe you are breastfeeding,

Or perhaps you've always had an irregular period.

As we explore the four seasons of your menstrual cycle later on,

I will be sharing archetypes and general observations from my experience supporting women across the four seasons and five elements of your cycle.

As your cycle is unique,

Your experience of your cycle may not match exactly the archetypical experiences that I will describe.

Some of what I will say may be relevant,

And some may not.

So please use your own discernment to take what is applicable,

Relevant,

And valuable for you from today's podcast into your cycle and into your life.

Let's start with the period,

The days where your uterus lining sheds,

And you are bleeding,

Triggered by the plunge in the hormone progesterone.

On average,

For most women,

This lasts between three to seven days.

In many cultures in the past,

Women lived in close communities,

And there was often an elder woman who supported younger women in taking care of children,

Domestic kinds of activities,

So that these could be shared within the community of women.

And thus no woman would be alone,

Especially during the time they were menstruating,

Since rest and rejuvenation is crucial at this time.

Why?

Well,

Because your bleed is associated with the water element,

The winter season,

Midnight,

And the energy of the new moon.

This is a time for rest,

Restoration,

Cleansing,

And deep rejuvenation.

Your uterus lining is gently being cleansed so that in the new cycle,

New lining can then reappear and support you to sustain new life.

During menstruation,

As we are closest to the water element,

Which is closest to the source of everything,

It can be akin to the nine months we spent gestating in the watery womb of our mother before we were born.

This is a precious opportunity to reconnect with that sense of sweet surrender,

And to allow yourself to receive.

Many clients I work with,

They report experiencing pain during that period,

But also a deep sense of joy,

Intimacy,

And a deep connection with their intuition during this time.

An essential practice to engage in during your inner winter is the practice of allowing,

Bearing witness to your experience,

Holding yourself with kindness and gentleness,

Especially through the pain and difficulty you might be experiencing,

Rather than arguing with reality.

For example,

Wanting to be more productive and active,

Even though you realize your energy is low.

Or for example,

Feeling conflicted or directing negative emotions towards yourself,

Like feeling ashamed or angry at your body for the painful period you're experiencing.

Instead of these reactions,

How might we cultivate a sense of acceptance and bear witness to whatever emotions,

Thoughts,

And sensations that we're experiencing during this time,

However challenging they are?

During this time,

Some helpful things to do include avoiding sugary and processed foods,

Keeping the womb space warm by taking warm baths,

Drinking hot soups and broths,

And gentle and nourishing movement like restorative yoga and yin yoga.

Yoga nidra and meditation can also be very helpful to support you to recover your energy and connect with your intuition while your body is cleansing herself.

From menstruation,

Wintertime,

Slowly,

The energy starts to shift and rise.

Let's say your period is about seven days.

So days one to seven are your inner winter.

From days eight onwards,

To about 12 or 13,

That would be your inner spring.

From menstruation,

We arrive at the follicular phase.

In this phase,

In this time,

The follicular stimulating hormones and the luteinizing hormones,

As well as testosterone,

Begin to rise.

And as a result,

Many women report feeling slightly more energized at this time.

When we water a seed,

What happens is it germinates,

It sprouts,

And in due time,

It grows and becomes a remarkable tree in nature.

So the water element gives rise to wood.

And this wood element rising energy is associated with your follicular phase,

With springtime,

With sunrise,

The waxing moon,

And this energy of initiation and agency.

At this time,

Many of my clients tell me they experience feelings of productivity guilt,

Because they took a break during their menstruation.

And now,

Having finished their menstruation,

They feel that they are behind on their work or their commitments,

And now need to catch up.

So they plunge and rush through their work and commitments.

And as a result,

They end up feeling fatigued,

Stressed,

Or overwhelmed.

During spring,

It's important not to rush into your full power.

Instead,

Focus on building your momentum because this follicular phase spring energy is delicate.

Experiment with new possibilities for areas in your life where you might feel stagnant or where you feel that needs a little bit of play.

This is a wonderful time to connect with your vision,

Your creativity,

And explore different possibilities in a playful and experimental way.

For example,

If you've had an idea or several ideas you've been wanting to explore,

This is the time to explore them.

You might explore also different ways to move.

For example,

If you've always been a runner,

Maybe try swimming or rowing or yoga during this time.

This is a time to play and have fun.

After the follicular phase follows ovulation,

Which is typically days 12 to 14,

Ovulation itself usually lasts only a day.

And if you're trying to conceive,

To increase your chances,

It's best to try during the window of fertility,

Which includes about two days before the day of ovulation itself,

And two days after ovulation.

Ovulation happens when the mature egg is released in your ovaries,

And it's orchestrated by the delicate balance of the luteinizing hormone,

Follicular stimulating hormone,

Estradiol,

And progesterone.

And this can happen from either of your two ovaries,

Or even both of your ovaries at the same time,

Though that is much rarer.

And energetically,

When we chop wood,

It becomes fuel for fire.

So from the wood element from follicular phase,

We now arrive at this fiery energy of ovulation,

Which is the same energy we can feel during summertime,

Midday,

The full moon,

And the energy of taking action and stepping into your pure power.

Many women report feeling their most energetic,

Confident,

And sociable self during this time.

The fire element is associated with showing up fully in the world.

And thus,

This is a great time to connect with others and to connect with the world.

Within your cycle,

This is also when you are the most outward facing.

So go ahead and socialize and connect with others.

On the other hand,

This is when you are perhaps the least connected with yourself,

With who you are,

With your identity,

And your inner motivations.

And some of my clients tell me that they do notice a tendency to take on too many things at this time,

Or to slip into social comparison,

And as a result,

Feel anxious,

Or small,

Or struggle with their self-esteem in this time.

And so the essential practice here is to remain connected with your authentic self and your inner power while you connect with the world,

So you can flourish from inside out and show up in the world with a true confidence and power that is yours.

And some practices that can help to build this flourishing self-confidence include daily journaling,

Positive affirmations,

Meditation,

And tracking your personal growth and your progress.

Ovulation is also a great time to maximize performance,

Whether that is at work or in terms of your health.

For example,

If you are on a journey of weight loss,

You might consider doing a green juice detox or water fasting at the Life Coal while you're ovulating.

You might take on more physically intense activities like high intensity interval training,

Or maybe vinyasa flow or ashtanga yoga during this time.

After ovulation comes the season that many of us struggle with,

The premenstrual phase or the luteal phase.

And this can last from 11 to 17 days,

Depending on how long your corpus luteum releases the hormone progesterone,

Which remains high throughout this entire phase.

The luteal phase is when we typically experience premenstrual tension or symptoms,

Or for some of us,

Even premenstrual dysphoric disorder,

Where the mood symptoms can be quite severe.

And one of the best things you can do during this time is to chart your menstrual cycle to help you see your pattern and track the onset of any difficult emotions,

Such as irritation,

Overwhelm,

Low mood,

As well as symptoms like bloating,

Food cravings,

Wanting to be alone,

And so that you can prepare for all of these symptoms and emotions in your coming cycles.

As most of us feel especially self-critical and harsh during PMS,

This can be a very difficult time.

But this is not just a time to be disliked.

The luteal phase is associated with the metal element energy,

The season of autumn,

The energy of sunset,

The waning moon,

And the power of refinement.

This is a very potent time to harness the power of your inner critic in a constructive way,

Like a mirror.

This time is a great time of self-reflection,

Where you can sit down by yourself and objectively assess the situation you are in,

Be that at work or at home,

With the relationships you have,

The projects you're working on.

And during this time,

As you connect with yourself honestly,

Identifying your true feelings and your boundaries,

Which might not have been expressed,

Or might have been overstepped or ignored earlier during your cycle,

When you were more agreeable,

And you were more focused on other people and their needs.

Like a blade,

The PMS or menstrual phase,

This premenstrual phase is also an invitation for you to be courageous and cut away anything that isn't working well,

What's out of alignment,

Irrelevant,

And no longer serving you in your life.

During this time,

It can be helpful to practice self-compassion and gentleness towards yourself,

Especially if your PMS symptoms are very intense.

Self-acupressure,

Qi Gong,

And gentle yoga for the hips and the spine and lower back can be very helpful during this time.

At the end of the luteal phase,

When the hormones drop,

Your uterine lining begins to shed,

And this cycles back to day one of your next cycle,

The beginning of your period once again.

Now that we've covered all phases of your menstrual cycle,

You might have noticed that I mentioned four seasons and five elements,

But we are still missing the fifth element.

So the fifth element is the earth element,

And the earth element governs all transitions,

As well as the time between your fire element,

Ovulation,

And your PMS,

Which is the metal element,

And that season is the time of harvest,

Ripeness,

Or late summer.

And the earth element is felt during your crossover days,

When you transition from one season to the other,

As well as the first days during your PMS,

When your estrogen levels are still quite high,

And when the PMS symptoms haven't quite kicked in yet.

After fire burns,

What remains after the fire has extinguished,

On the earth is ash,

And this earth element.

So the earth element is like the Great Mother.

It nourishes,

Provides for,

And holds everything together,

Giving a sense of grounding and stability as you transition through the four seasons of your menstrual cycle.

When in balance,

It manifests as a sense of contentment,

Of balance,

And a feeling that you are at home and at ease in yourself,

With yourself,

Wherever you are in your cycle and in the world.

If you've ever been a mother,

Whether that is being a mother to another human being,

Or a mother to a project,

A business,

Then you will know that it takes a lot of energy and resources to give life to something or someone else.

And a key challenge that many of us face as women is that society expects us to be givers,

And often we give and give and give and give too much,

And as a result have too little or even nothing left for ourselves.

So this earth element is a reminder for us to harness this mothering energy by mothering ourselves,

By ensuring that we put ourselves first,

And if and when we do give others,

We give from our overflow.

And a powerful practice of filling our cup so that we can give from our overflow is engaging in self-care and self-validation.

Caring for ourselves in whatever small ways as a mother with unconditional love for her child would,

Like ensuring that we are well fed,

We are well rested,

We are dressing warmly enough,

We are giving ourselves words of appreciation and praise,

Just like a mother would give her child.

By now,

We've mapped the entire menstrual cycle and the creative cycle,

And you've explored your inner winter,

Which is your period,

Your inner springtime,

Which is the follicular phase,

Your inner summer,

Which is ovulation,

Your inner autumn,

Which is the luteal phase,

As well as all the transitions and your harvest season,

Which is governed by the earth element.

We'll now explore two common challenges faced by my clients which you might be experiencing as well,

And these are irregular periods as well as amenorrhea,

The absence of a period for three months or longer.

Before we dive into these problems,

I first must say that the menstrual cycle is a very important indicator of your health.

If your period was previously regular but has now become irregular or absent recently,

It could likely point to issues in your lifestyle or in your current living situation.

For example,

Your diet or your nutrition might have been disrupted.

Perhaps you've been losing sleep because you've been working very hard or being under a lot of stress in your relationships.

When I point this out,

My clients often see the connection between external sources of stress and transformations or changes,

Like relationship problems or changes in their living situation or at work,

Which have inevitably affected how they eat,

They sleep,

How they care for themselves,

And as a result,

Their period.

When you menstruate,

You are in a vulnerable position.

You need to rest,

Recuperate,

And rejuvenate,

And therefore,

If you are stressed and feeling unsafe,

Your body may attempt to protect you by making your period shorter than usual,

Less regular,

Or perhaps by making your period absent.

If you've missed your period for some time and you want it to come back naturally,

The best starting point is ensuring that you are well resourced and you feel safe physically,

Emotionally,

And mentally.

Address any triggers causing you trauma or stress in your life,

Whether that is at work,

In your living environment,

In your relationships.

Eat and nourish yourself well.

Make sure you have sufficient sleep and rest,

And all these factors will help to create a conducive environment so that you can welcome and sustain a regular menstrual cycle.

Lastly,

If you want to transform your relationship with your period,

The smallest but most powerful shift you can make is to stop seeing your period as a problem.

Instead,

Acknowledge your menstrual cycle as your connection with nature,

Evidence,

And a reminder that you are part of something much greater,

And the seasons of your cycle are as natural and legitimate as the seasons of each passing year in the world that we live in.

Thank you for joining me for today's podcast on Well Together Podcast.

This episode was on the introduction to the creative cycle and the menstrual cycle,

And my name is Wenling,

And it was a pleasure to be here with you.