Sacred Menstruation: How to Honor Your Moon Cycle
It’s no coincidence the length of each lunar cycle is approximately the same as women’s menstrual cycle. Even the word “menstruation” is etymologically related to “moon”, tracing back to the Greek word “mene” (moon).
As the moon moves through different phases, so do women, who experience fluctuations in hormones and energy throughout their cycle. Archetypally, the moon represents the feminine, receptive yin energy.
tHIS connection between women and the moon is deeply mystical and sacred. Thus, menstruating can also be seen as a ceremonial time.
THE MAGIC OF HONORING YOUR menstrual cycle
In many ancient cultures, women would spend time in Moon Lodges during menstruation. No men were allowed into these lodges, giving women the time and space to retreat, share experiences and connect with each other.
Traditionally, women would sync their periods to bleed with the New Moon. The sky turning dark symbolizes a time for turning inward, resetting intentions, and planting new seeds. Physically, women’s bodies are doing the same — quite literally shedding layers, releasing and replenishing to prepare for a new upcoming cycle.
Intuitively craving solitude to rest and recharge is your body’s way of telling you to be more in flow (pun intended) with your cyclical nature. The more you lean into this, the more you are able to be in tune with your body, and the better you’ll feel throughout the rest of your cycle.
Carving out the time during sacred menstruation to focus on self care and nurturing practices can strengthen your relationship with yourself. And as you begin to respect your body, you build confidence and a deeper sense of self love. Here are some self care tips to nourish and recharge whilst menstruating.
Rest
I can’t stress enough how important rest is during your period! Honor the dip in your energy and consider taking up napping as a sport.
It is NOT the time to push yourself to attend that HIIT class or go for a 5K run, as much as you think you ‘should’ be able to keep up with a rigorous exercise routine. Instead, think slow walks, yin yoga, stretching, and gentle movement practices.
See if there are tasks you can delegate, so you don’t have to hustle to get a million things done. Set time aside to do absolutely nothing and take some space from intense social gatherings to decompress alone.
Create a Sacred Space
How can you make your space more comfortable while you’re bleeding? Making your space safe, cozy and warm (like a ‘womb’) can make you feel reborn once emerging again into the world. Lighting some incense and candles or spreading out your softest, most luxurious blankets can add a touch of magic to your space.
Get the heat pack out, prepare some ginger tea, and do what you need to make the experience as nurturing and restful as possible. Personally, doing this makes me feel like a queen, and even makes this time pleasurable.
Nourish Through Food
While eating a family block of chocolate or greasy french fries seems like a good idea at the time, you’ll feel much better if you eat nutritious foods. I recently learned all about Cycle Syncing based on our infradian rhythm from women hormonal expert Alisa Vitti, and it’s incredibly empowering!
In her book WomanCode, she recommends eating foods that are nutrient dense and restorative to the blood and kidneys, in addition to replacing lost vitamins and minerals from bleeding. This includes lots of soups and stews, water-rich vegetables and fruit (e.g., beets, kale, blueberries, mushrooms), and seafood. If you’re interested, she has a free downloadable book of recipes to get started with Cycle Syncing.
Skin and Beauty Rituals
Okay, now to the juicy part I know you’ve all been waiting for: beauty and skincare rituals for that time of the month. A few practices I endorse:
Dry brushing - helps to detoxify, balance the hormones and promote lymphatic drainage by getting the circulation flowing.
Oil massage - perfect to get in touch with your sensuality and also a) show yourself some love and b) look like the goddess Venus emerging from her clam shell.
Face masks - the epitome of #selfcare as it feels so good to pamper yourself by treating your skin to a little extra something, especially to zap hormonal breakouts around this time.
Baths - another cliché, but having a bubble bath is true restorative rest. Add some Epsom salts and a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and you now have the ultimate relaxation experience.
Journaling
There’s a reason that menstruation has this mystical quality to it, if not being downright witchy. When we are bleeding, we are more intuitive than at any other point in our cycle.
If you’re into tarot, like we are at Oui, We, pulling some cards and journaling about what you intuitively feel the card is communicating to you can yield surprising insights.
What do you feel is working for you this month? What hasn’t been working? What do you need to work on this upcoming cycle? It’s the perfect time for reflecting, getting deep in the feels, and free flowing whatever comes up.
