Honoring Menstruation
In the ancient past, as humanity began to move toward a patriarchal society, women were gradually deprived of the awareness of a wonderful gift. Previously, menstruation was considered a miraculous and cosmic event wherein women were strongly connected to all things spiritual. A menstruating woman was considered to be at the height of her power and was encouraged to spend time looking inward for feminine wisdom. Her menses held mana or the 'breath of life' and were a source of nourishment for the fertile soil. But as the goddesses were cast aside, women's relationship with the lunar cycles and the tides was cast aside. Menstruating women were forced to remain apart lest they infect others with their uncleanliness and their wisdom was suppressed. Contradicting today's attitudes of shame, however, is a strong movement seeking to reclaim the power of menstruation and to see it as a supreme blessing rather than a curse.
For many women, menstruation is a time of altered awareness, creativity, spirituality, and new heights of intuition. The need for solitude or rest is unjustly perceived as a weakness, when in reality it indicates a strong urge for introspection during the menstrual cycle. Perception and sensitivity are both amplified, encouraging women to challenge themselves and others. The Native American tradition states that a menstruating woman has the potential to be more spiritually powerful than any male or female at any time. Some may experience these changes during different spans of the cycle. It is not uncommon to experience a stillness and desire for quiet during the first part of the menses and extreme clarity during the latter part. In ignoring or denying such feelings, men and women alike lose touch with feminine power and the awareness of the value of menstruation.
It may be helpful to understand that menstruation is a natural time within the moon cycle to retreat from worldly concerns and to embrace transformation. Women may enter into the cycle in one way and find they emerge renewed on the other side. Harnessing the power inherent means listening to intuition, noticing unique synchronicities, and understanding the core of oneself. It is a gift from the body to the earth and from the body to the mind.
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