I remember having lunch with my friend, and as always, our conversations flew from one topic to another. We somehow ended up talking about our periods.
She shared that lately, she has been gathering her period blood and using it in her garden as a fertiliser for plants, aka blessing. My jaw dropped. I was disgusted, I won’t lie. My face said it all, and I think I even said it out loud. But my dear friend looked deeply into my eyes and asked…
WHY?
Why does it make you feel that way?
This is something part of you, part of being a woman. It doesn’t have to be disgusting; it can be beautiful.
This is how my journey to menstrual cycle awareness (MCA) started. I realised that for years I had not accepted a particularly important part of myself as a woman: my blood, my period, and my cyclical nature. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to; it was more about knowledge and awareness. I had none of that. Obviously, I knew what periods were, where they came from, and what their purpose was, but I never thought there could be more behind them. And never ever did I think that a few years later, I would be running menstrual cycle awareness workshops to share my knowledge with other women.
Now I see very clearly how my red path unfolded. I now view menstrual cycle awareness as both a spiritual practice and a self-care tool. For years, the concept of self-care was absent from my vocabulary. I was busy raising children, working, earning money, and being a busy wife and mother – a typical 21st-century woman. I didn’t have time to delve deeper and ask those important questions.
When you reach a certain stage in your life, it becomes inevitable to face yourself, embracing both the bright and shiny parts as well as the darkness. Period awareness has been, and continues to be, a valuable tool in my life. It helps me understand how I feel and how my energy levels fluctuate weekly. It enables me to set boundaries, plan my days and weeks around my cycle, and fosters greater compassion for myself. Ultimately, it comes down to self-care, self-love, and living in harmony with your cycle. This approach is incredibly nourishing and rewarding.
My initial and fundamental knowledge came from my “red bible,” as I call it—a book written by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, founders of Red School, titled “Wild Power.” Soon after, I discovered the amazing teacher and human being, Ireland’s “Red Queen,” Kitty Maguire, who taught me so much about the menstrual cycle and how to honor it in our daily lives. I continue to learn every day, meeting more and more women who openly share their stories. It amazes me. Together, we heal.
There is no strict definition of menstrual cycle awareness (MCA). However, even basic awareness, such as knowing when your period is due (no more surprise leaks and no protection), recognising your fertile days, and understanding that you have PMS (premenstrual syndrome), provides incredibly useful tools for navigating life. Menstrual cycle awareness allows you to understand your unique rhythm of power and learn how to live in sync with it, heal your menstrual symptoms, and awaken your vitality, creativity, and leadership. It is a spiritual practice and the ultimate mindfulness tool for women. By feeling and responding to your changing mood and energy throughout the phases of the cycle, you’ll experience increased inner warmth and kindness, more flexibility, choice, and a growing sense of integration and coherence. This will help you feel more alive and connected to yourself. Without practicing cycle awareness, you may feel adrift in a sea of possibility and potential, with a head full of information but unable to realise these inner powers. MCA is both startlingly obvious and simple, yet surprisingly challenging.
What you need to do to practice Menstrual Cycle Awareness
- Learn about the Menstrual Cycle
- Look for the patterns in your charts
- Start to plan around these patterns
- Use the month-at-a-glance menstrual charts. (Or you can draw up your own chart or use one of the many apps available.) On your chart, record which day of the cycle you’re on. Day 1 is the first day of bleeding (this doesn’t include the spotting that can occur for some people before the full flow begins).
- At the end of each day of your cycle, record a few words on your chart about your dominant feelings, energy levels, and mood.
- Start a new menstrual chart at the beginning of your next cycle.
- Alongside the simple daily charting described above, you may also enjoy keeping a journal in which you record more detailed observations, including dreams, synchronicities, sexual energies, themes, arguments and insights.
- Have fun exploring your cycle
But the million-dollar question is…
How can we live a cyclical life in a non-cyclical world?
As there is almost nothing out there designed for women, what supports it. Our society and culture demand that women act like men. 24/7 365 on call. Work, business, family, socialising, visual appearance – you name it.
The pressure is immense, and for many women, it is overwhelming and incredibly challenging to handle, leading to numerous physical and mental health issues. Awareness comes with time and through significant challenges in our lives. It is during these moments that we need to pause and ask ourselves…
What do we truly want?
Who are we really & where are we heading?
I see this as a turning point. When you shed all the masks of who you are or are supposed to be, you discover the fire within you that burns and demands expression. It is time for your Wild Power to come alive again. It rises from within, from your blood, which is not disgusting but quite the opposite – sacred & beautiful!
