Cycles.
The word is full of them. Winter Solstice was yesterday, and not the cycle of the sun returning and days growning longer begins. The moon cycles from darkness to fullness, with halves in between. You've got the tides of the oceans, also based on moon rhythms. The seasonal cycles as well.
I'm particularly fond of the seasonal cycles. I'm starting to honor them. For instance, in fall, I'm hit with a massive urge to declutter, shed things, and prepare for the quietness of winter. In winter, we hibernate and honor the quietness of winter. (If you've even been outdoors in the woods, when it snows, it's incredibly quiet.) In spring, I'm ready to be social and bloom again. And in summer, it's time to relish in the sun, the harvest, good fun, and be cleansed by swimming outdoors.
Women have menstrual cycles. (So, if you're a man or a woman reading this, and uncomfortable with discussing or reading about women's monthly cycles, you might just want to skip these next four paragraphs.) And, if we pay attention, you can sense through the course of 28 days, how your body and mood changes and shifts. It's really quite marvelous. For instance, I've realized that after my utterus has cleansed itself, I'm pumped, energized, and refreshed. It's pretty obvious when I'm ovulating (just ask my hubby). If I really pay attention, I actually can feel it. And right before, I'm sluggish and swollen, as my body prepares to cleanse itself.
Most women aren't happy with the cramping or the bleeding. In fact, many of the connotations associated with our monthly cycles are negative. After all, many feel it interupts things, and gets in the way. "Aunt Flo is visiting", "on the rag", and "period" are few of the terms (the nicer ones) used to speak in code about it. I've heard other women get excited about menopause - because then they can get on with their lives uninterupted. (I could go off on a tangent with this, but perhaps I'll remember to return to it at a later time.)
The fact is - it's natural. It happens, it's a way to be connected with life. I use my cycle to get in tune with myself. It reminds me to slow down and nurture myself while my body sheds and rejuvenates itself. It gives me a chance to get intouch with my inner feelings (have you realized just how hard it is to surpress how you "really" feel when your hormones are surging?) and deal with them. I've found that I need more sleep, warm foods, naps, and to just slow down in general just before and the first few days of the bleeding. I also become extremely cuddly and loving (after the cranky mood).
And so, when my cycle runs it's course, and I prepare to shed the inner uterine lining, I put my hand over my womb, thank it for being fertile and cleansing, and reminding me each month, that I need to take care of me once in a while. I enjoy being a woman, and, having my own special cycle to celebrate it. But then, that's just me.
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Okay, for those too squeamish, I'm done. :)
In any case, I always find it interesting to see the cycles in things. We've all got them. And we've got the choice to celebrate them, or ignore them, or ocmplain about them.
And that's my two cents for today.
2 comments:
As for the women trying to be like men, well... that's sort of obvious the way some women are treated. I could got on, about how fascinating I find it that women were once the matriarchs of societies. Leaders who were revered for their birthing abilities. Earth used to be revered for being "the great mother" (and in many cultures still is).
But, some where along the line, someone decided that women should be treated as lesser beings - property even. So, I think it all goes downhill from there, where, instead of celebrating our differences and treating both sexes with kindness and the power each has, it became a competition.
I love being treated "like a lady", and I enjoy doing kind things for guys too. In fact, being married to one, I've realized how amazing and different both sexes are. Add in the culture stuff and... I'm getting into a bable tangent here aren't I? :)
In regards to it being your time, where do you think I got my inspiration for this piece? ;) It's my time too. The good news is, that after you have a baby, the cramping gets less and it's easier on you. (At least it is for me, who used to have major pain.)
Thanks for your input. Maybe we should start the "cyclical inspiration" (as opposed to a revolution)? :)
Hmmm... I sort of wish that one male we both know who might be skipping over this would comment... ;)
Yup. We women have incredible bodies. :) Even men have cycles too... they just might not be as aware of them. :)
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