Once upon a time before men ruled the world, women actually used to celebrate the week of disappointment and agony brought on by our vengeful uteruses. That’s right, periods used to be a reason for celebration. In some cultures and traditions it is believed that when a woman is having her period, it is a time for her to become in great touch with her spirituality and channel healing and purifying energies. A sacred time.
I am like most of you, I thought periods were a week of abdomen cramps and inconveniences.
Then my cousin sent me an article by a Shaman medicine man and my attitude towards that time of the month changed.
The medicine man writing the article told a story about how long ago women were celebrated and cherished during their periods, it was referred to as her “moon-time.” The reason being, a woman’s menstrual cycle is aligned with the moon cycle. The Shaman’s believed this time for a woman was a gift from the moon, a time for her to connect spiritually to the moon and all the gifts and wisdom it has to offer her. Men would even come to her for advice at this time because she was thought to have been harvesting great wisdom. In this time a woman is not to be bothered by outside energies that may cause her distress, she has a right to seclude herself in a comfortable place where she can connect spiritually with the moon. The medicine man learned this information through spiritual teachings, traditions, and personal experiences from women in his tribe.
I kept this story in mind this month and the day I saw the menacing red smudge in my pants I did not curse my body and regret my uterus, but I decided to be mindful about what was happening to my body inside and out.
I was More Inclined to Connect to a Spiritual Force
Before bed the night of the first day of my cycle, I got out my bible and read a few passages all the while keeping the Shaman’s claims of spirituality in mind. When I got done reading, I felt a profound stillness and clarity. The peaceful vibe clouded in my entire room and I felt very calm and connected to the verses I read. The next morning I decided to give it another go, but this time I simply sat by my window with the blinds up so I could see the sun and the moon and intentionally meditated on my spirituality. The calm clouds came again and filled my room. The whole week I became more inclined to pick up my bible or meditate and felt the rewards greatly.
The significance I felt could have been from being mindful of the Shaman’s advice, or simply because I took the time out of my day to intentionally connect. Either way, this can become a great practice during your cycle to bring some relief and peace to your day.
I Cherished My Femininity and Took Care of My Body
As well as setting aside the time to connect to outside forces, I invested time into my inside energy as well. I decided if this is a time gifted to me, then who am I to refuse the gift of taking time for myself? I went to the gym, when I felt tired I napped, I did facemasks and fueled my body with good, healthy, food. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and letting my period cramps take over my day, I gave my body the attention it was craving. When taking care of my body like this I got overwhelming waves of love for myself and being a woman!! I loved that I was using this time to celebrate being a woman and showering my body with thanks for keeping me going all these years.
I Celebrated my Mind and Ability to go Through Changes
Throughout the cycle, I began to realize how awesome it was that I had turned around my week of blood into a week of feeling truly alive and thankful for my being. I was proud of myself for being open-minded and willing to make the best out of a once known unfortunate situation. I began to appreciate the ways my body and mind can adapt to what’s happening inside me and change the way I view the world around me. I felt blessed to be a part of womanhood and like I unlocked a truly beautiful secret. I felt empowered and wise. I am now a true believer in the power of Feminine energy and the secrets and blessings it holds.
*all images courtesy of Giphy.com*