For a long time it was literally embarrassing, awkward, unsuitable, or even taboo, to talk about the menstrual cycle which accompanies, and shapes, the lives of every woman for much of their lifetime.
However, this taboo is by no means restricted to older generations, or to societies with a very negative image of women. Many women of childbearing age in our own modern and open-minded society still avoid talking about the female cycle.
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE – AN OLD-FASHIONED WORD
Menstrual hygiene enabled at least some sort of mobility. Women’s everyday life with all its challenges cannot be imagined without it. The use of tampons makes us women almost forget that our bodies do extreme jobs during this period (as long as we do not suffer from menstrual problems). The first Tampons already existed 4000 years ago, hand-made from leaves and natural fibres. But, for about 70 years now, they have been industrially made of cotton.
However, there have been new discoveries in connection with the use of tampons which, to my mind, should be considered.
THE FOUR ENERGETIC PHASES OF THE FEMALE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
For a number of years many women have found themselves in a process of great changes which reopens a natural access to our female body and its energy cycles. We refer to ancient knowledge, and the wisdom of former generations of women, which was passed on to their daughters and granddaughters, by the old ones through myths and legends.
Our menstrual cycle goes through four phases and is closely connected with the cycle of the moon:
- The first phase – from the end of the menstruation until ovulation – corresponds energetically with the girl/the virgin, and is described as dynamic, inspiring and generative (referring to reproduction).
- The second phase – the time round ovulation – corresponds energetically with motherhood, meaning the power and ability of nourishing and preserving.
- The third phase – the time from ovulation until menstruation – corresponds with the energies of ‘witches, magicians, seductresses or bad stepmothers’, because its energy refers to magic, sexuality or creativity.
- The fourth phase – the time during menstruation – is connected with the energy of the wise old one who retreats from the external world into the internal one in order to live her creativity.
In my third blog from this series I will describe these four phases in more detail. If you are interested in this topic, I would like to recommend the book by Miranda Grey, ‘Red Moon. Understanding and using the creative, sexual and spiritual gifts of the menstrual cycle’.
Today’s post has been inspired by it.
Ingrid Auer for Women 