“By taking menstruation as a natural time for stillness and quiet in a woman’s life, we can begin to relearn the rhythm of sitting in peace with ourselves, and then we can begin to reap the benefits of a closer relationship with our inner beings.
Menstruation can be a deeply grounding and centering time, in which a woman is naturally put directly in touch with her center of gravity: her womb. Thus there is actually a greater capacity for stillness at this time; for listening, for receiving from the cosmos. The awareness that is available to us during menstruation cannot come into our consciousness if we are rushing about fulfilling the exterior demands of our everyday lives.”
- Lara Owen, Her Blood Is Gold
The Menstrual Cycle is a time of in between.
We are not fertile and not pregnant.
Perhaps this is why we receive so much intuitive channelings when we are bleeding.
In this liminal phase we can receive great insights if we create the space for it. For me, I feel on the edge of transformation, so I ask myself "Will I jump?"
Something that I am always advising sisters to do is to make time to be alone when you are menstruating. Taking away the distractions of daily life, constant conversing and connecting, is of course, an effective way to receive insights. In the stillness, we find everything we are looking for.
When we Bleed, we are immersed in a sacred interlude where we are shedding the past and renewing ourselves for the future. How amazing is that?
Throughout the month (and our lives, really!) we tend to hold on to a lot of emotional baggage and we give ourselves very few healthy outlets to express these feelings. When we bleed those emotional bags can break. We are angry out of no where or sobbing under the covers for what we think is no reason at all. But really, that man in traffic that cut you off is still hurting your feelings! Or the misunderstanding with your partner is still looming over your head. What about your friend who hung up on you last Tuesday?
Our Wombs hold on to our emotionally charged memories and when we bleed, it all resurfaces. We just cannot recognize the origin when we are so busy.
Imagine making space in your life to processes the emotional events that have stuck with you? That is what our Menstrual Cycle is doing for us!
Did you know that your Ancestors gathered in very sacred spaces when they bled? Because of the vulnerability and openness that they shared, they could gather to support one another. When emotions would surface or a psychic insight would bubble up, they could rely on each other for guidance and meaning. Elders, Mothers, Young Womxn, Children, Aunties, all kinds of Womxn gathered in honor of their Blood & to be in service to one another; how sacred is that?
This is the Sacred Circle of Sisterhood, the Red Tent, the Moon Lodge,
The Cave Temples, The Rose Lineage.
The sacred interlude of Menstruation is our time to release anything that has been hurting us, whether it is from hours ago or even years ago. There is so much energy being channeled though the womb as it is shedding, and we must make time to direct that energy wisely. Our bodies were not born with this technology for no reason!
“Remember that you shed your tired skin every twenty-seven days. You were not meant to hold your past within you, you were not made to carry it all on your back. You physically let go of every bad thing that has ever touched you, of every pair of foreign hands that unbuttoned your shirt but never your demons; you let go of every regret, of every insecurity. You are always gifted a clean slate.”
- Bianca Sparancino
I encourage you to make time to bleed in solitude. Take time to prepare your space - warm up some tea, prepare a hot water bladder, pre-make some nourishing food in a crock pot, have your journal ready - and just be. See what comes through. Allow yourself the time and space for releasing and reclaiming parts of yourself. You will feel reborn!
If you know of a sister that is bleeding around the same time as you, try to create space together. See if you can dive deep into the Womb as a team and support one another through the journey. Magik happens when Womxn gather!
Remember, bleeding is a gift. Take time to discover the profound depths that come with it. The liminal realm is vast, mysterious, and exciting. What insights have you gained from taking time to be with your cycle?
(all art by Yijun Li, Pink Scare)