Work with your menstrual cycle
For many, working life is organized in relation to a very masculine energy – five days of work and two days off. It is very unfortunate because it does not take into account the woman's cycle, which is why we see a lot of stress and burnout among women today.
However, there is a great deal of potential to be gained when a woman follows and honors her menstrual cycle.
In this blog post I will tell you why and how you as a woman can work with your menstrual cycle – for more energy, creative flow and wealth.
The menstrual cycle and the lunar cycle
The menstrual cycle is 28 days and therefore close to the same length as the lunar cycle. The woman's life is therefore closely linked to the lunar cycle.
Just as the moon pulls on the earth and the seas, it also pulls on the woman's fluids. It creates an extra dimension to how we as women can relate to our body, emotions and menstrual cycle.
In ancient times, women bled at the same time…
The most normal menstrual pattern is to bleed at the new moon and ovulate at the full moon.
In ancient times, women's ovulation was activated by the light of the full moon, and therefore women's cycles were deeply connected to each other and to nature.
Women also bled at the same time because they lived so close to each other.
Our modern life has destroyed the woman's balance
But in our modern society it is no longer like that because we live with artificial light from street lamps and computer or phone screens 24 hours a day, and we also don't live so close together anymore.
Many women also consume artificial hormones (birth control pills) on a daily basis and are exposed to pollution and the stress and hustle and bustle of life. This has meant that many women have an imbalance in their menstrual cycle and experience PMS symptoms, e.g. menstrual pain and severe mood swings.
Our modern life has meant that some women instead bleed at full moon and ovulate at new moon.
The Red Moon Cycle
I am one of these women. I have what is called a Red Moon cycle…
I have been following my cycle for several years using the Daysy cycle computer , and in the last several months I have noticed a pattern: I bleed at full moon and ovulate at new moon (dark moon).
But it has not always been this pattern.
Because I've noticed over the past few years that my cycle can slowly move closer and closer to bleeding at new moon and ovulating under full moon and then cycle by cycle move closer to the opposite. So my cycle has been very fluctuating. This is said to be a sign that one is constantly on the move and must adapt to different surroundings. Which actually fits very well with what I have done for many years, namely being very rootless, traveling a lot and moving house often.
The White Moon Cycle
It is said that you are most in flow and in touch with yourself when you bleed during the new moon and ovulate during the full moon - have what is called a White Moon cycle.
But I don't know if I want to cut the various moon cycles out like that.
Which lunar cycle is best?
Having a White Moon cycle where you bleed on a Dark Moon is arguably most in line with our natural feminine fertile rhythms. But you can also understand it as a signal that you are in a period of many new beginnings, and that you are therefore in the infancy right before something new. The dark moon is where you completely let go of the old, relax before something new starts, just as menstruation automatically helps a woman to go inward, regenerate, cleanse and get peace and rest before the next cycle.
Red moon cycle, i.e. bleeding at full moon, can, on the other hand, reflect a woman who has materialized many of her wishes and dreams, and who shares all her gifts and thoughts with the world and may be in the process of a rebirth of herself. Menstruation at a full moon is very different because the full moon energy makes it harder to relax and sleep. But the full moon also strengthens a woman's spiritual, intuitive and creative abilities, which come to the fore at this time.
Create balance in your menstrual cycle...
It is really worth reflecting on how your menstrual cycle is affected by the life you live. It is worth rethinking the use of birth control pills and even how electric light disrupts and destroys our connection to our cycle, menstruation and our connection to the moon.
By living naturally and sleeping after dark, the woman's cycle will magically follow the cycle of the moon.
It is worth knowing that you can actually get more balance in your life simply by getting the rhythm back in your body and cycle. And it's also really fun to work and plan with your menstrual cycle.
Work with your menstrual cycle and live out your full potential as a woman
We women have such great untapped potential that we can tap into by working with our cycle. We have so much powerful energy in our cycle that for most of us is just dormant or completely hidden from us because we don't know about it.
By working with her cycle, a woman can achieve much more profit, creative flow, abundance, more money and more wealth in life, in her relationships, energy levels, projects and in her career.
In this blog post, I will tell you how to get better balance in your cycle and how you can organize your work and life in relation to your cycle and thereby achieve more flow in all aspects of your life.
Get to know your cycle – The 4 seasons of your feminine cycle
After all, I think that a fertility computer like Daysy is a fantastic technology to invest in for every girl and woman, because it provides unique knowledge about when you can get pregnant or not. But probably even more interesting and fun is when you as a woman can cultivate your powerful ovulation energy. Instead of destroying your connection with your body and cycle by unknowingly popping birth control pills, with a fertility computer you can deepen your relationship with your beautiful body and much more easily follow the phases of your cycle and understand your body's signals in the various phases.
When I talk about a woman's ovulation energy, it is of course the energy discharge that occurs when a woman ovulates. Up to and during ovulation, a woman has a higher sex drive (she also has that during her period), but during ovulation her increased sex drive is of course designed to have sex with a man and thereby be fertilized by his sperm and then alchemically use her potent creative energy in the womb to give birth to a child or two – if they are twins.
But the ovulation energy can also be channeled into other creative projects than just Project Baby. The ovulation energy can also be cultivated and directed into our work tasks and creative ideas and projects. If you are familiar with when you have your precise ovulation, then you can actually consciously cultivate your ovulation energy and plan your working life based on this knowledge. Then you know exactly when your hormones and your energy peak and thereby have as much creative energy to publish your projects.
The first step to working with your cycle is to become familiar with when exactly you ovulate! But not only that. You really need to become familiar with all four phases of your cycle. Yes, there are four phases! Like the four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn.
The four seasons of your feminine cycle are menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase.
By starting to keep track of when you menstruate and when you ovulate, you can gain a greater understanding of your energy level and you can begin to honor your body and your energy in a whole different and more sustainable, pleasurable and fruitful way manner.
Modern society and the labor market are arranged in relation to the masculine energy. We work 7 days and have two days off. And it just continues like that. This has meant that many women have simply forgotten to honor their cycle. The woman is cyclical. During menstruation, she withdraws and relaxes. Before ovulation, her energy level increases. During ovulation, her energy level peaks and then the energy slowly tapers off again. There is therefore a good period of approx. 10-16 days, especially up to and around ovulation, when a woman has a lot of energy to be outgoing and creative, but then she also needs to slow down and relax and regenerate for probably 7 days.
That women do not listen and honor their body and their energy level during their cycle can have fatal consequences and has actually created a kind of epidemic of women suffering from various diseases and defects during their periods and in their feminine body parts (breasts and abdomen). When women drive full stop forward with giving and giving and giving, then there is no room to process one's emotions on a regular basis, e.g. take time for relaxation, cleansing and regeneration during her period. When you don't get time to take care of yourself, the emotions pile up in the body and eventually it can be difficult to handle them at all, that you completely cover them up. It can be so difficult to deal with them that you suppress them and therefore just drive on at full stop giving and giving and giving of yourself. We therefore see eating disorders, depression, violent mood swings, PMS, menstrual pain, knots in the abdomen, breast cancer. Breast cancer can almost be seen as a symbol of how the woman constantly provides nourishment to everyone other than herself.
From this you can probably hear that you really need to observe your cycle, and especially take care of yourself and prioritize the time of the month when you have your period.
Menstruation
Each month when you have your period, you are given the opportunity to retreat, rest, cleanse and let go of the old so that renewal and regeneration can occur. So see if you can take a day off from work, school and people on Day 1 and preferably also on Day 2 of your period. During your period, you can get a massage, meditate, write a diary, spend time with yourself and in nature. If it's not possible to get a day off, at least try to get others to do the more demanding tasks, don't make big decisions, don't start new projects, and see if you can leave work early.
Your intuition and gut feeling are stronger during your period, so use your time to reflect on feelings and your visions for the future. Meditate, sleep, put in warm blankets or a heat pad and go in the woods.
In traditional older societies, women during her period retreated to a moon hut or a red tent (Red Tent). In these "temples" self-care rituals were made to honor the woman's womb, and the older women passed on unique wisdom to the young girls, e.g. about fertility, menstruation, sex and all aspects of being a woman.
See if you can make your very own moon cabin or a red tent when you have your period. Even see if you can meet other women and bleed with them. During your period, you can also do gentle yin yoga with a focus on your uterus, e.g. deep breathing from your womb.
During your period you also get the opportunity to cultivate a very powerful energy. Actually, women also experience having more sex drive during their period. There is a great downward energy during menstruation. I usually collect my blood with the help of a menstrual cup, and then I pour it into a pretty container, e.g. a nice vase with water in it and then I let my menstrual energy decorate my altar. And when my period is just about over, I go out into nature and offer my blood to Mother Earth with the intention of releasing what no longer serves me and also to sow my seeds for the new beginning in the next cycle. So as you offer your blood to the earth, say out loud what you are letting go of and what you would like to manifest for the next cycle. It really is a beautiful ritual to do to have a closer and more intimate and magical relationship with your period. If you want to know more, you can see my previous video about this ritual. I put a link down in the description.
The follicular phase (before ovulation)
During the follicular phase, your hormones start to rise and you start to feel more open to new things. You have much more energy to give off and you will feel more open, energetic, enthusiastic, dynamic and active.
You will be able to think much more clearly and you will have much more energy in your body to be active. This time is perfect for starting new projects or moving on with what was not done during your period. It's time to put your ideas and the inspiration you got during your period into the world.
It should be said that the more you rested during your period, the more energy you will have during the follicular phase.
The follicular phase is also a really good time for spring cleaning, both physically and mentally. Throw out what you no longer need and start fresh. It is a good time to start a new lifestyle, look for a partner or start a new sport.
As a symbol of that, you can take a bath after your period. Think of it as a sacred cleansing ritual that you can use to cleanse yourself after your period. Not because menstruation is impure - get me right - menstruation is mega magical, powerful and beautiful. But take a bath as a symbol that you are starting a whole new cycle with new opportunities and a fresh mind. Menstruation is really where you cleanse and regenerate and get down deep into your earthly energy, into your womb, and you cleanse all the old. So it might be good afterwards to clean your body and mind with a nice nice bath and to freshen yourself up for the start of the new cycle.
If you have a bathtub, feel free to use it. You can light candles, put on relaxing music and put flower petals in the water. Choose e.g. rose petals, lavender, chamomile or sage. Make the water as hot as you can handle and let it be luxurious with soap bubbles. Step into the water with the intention that you will now leave all the old behind you and step into your new self. Wash yourself and touch yourself sensually. And wash away all old worries. Afterwards, you can put oil or creams over your body, and you can comb your hair like a mermaid. During this period, I can feel that my own sexual energy increases. I don't have a karbar, but I bathe in the sea and dance sensually with the waves. I kind of imagine that I embody the goddess Aphrodite, who is to that extent the goddess of sensual touch, sexuality, pleasure and self-love rituals. If it makes sense. Actually, you can also take flowers to the sea and put them in the sea as a symbol of fertility, wealth, abundance and new beginnings. So maybe I will do that the next time I do my cleansing ritual in the sea.
Ovulation
Now is when you are most fertile. An egg is released and will survive for the next 12-24 hours. Your hormones rise to their peak, which optimizes your communication and collaboration skills. You will find it much easier to articulate your thoughts and feelings.
Your sex drive will probably also be at its peak, but be careful. You can get pregnant, so be careful if you are not exactly what you want.
You will be more confident, outgoing, creative and your self-confidence will also be at its highest. It is now that you must – symbolically speaking – give birth to your creations into the world. It is the best time for productivity, manifestation, meetings and teamwork. If you have a project to publish, see if you can organize it right around your ovulation. That would be pretty cool.
The ovulation phase is also a really good time for empathy and your maternal instincts. You will feel more attracted to others. You will be drawn more to your motherly nurturing qualities, so see if you can make your home more cosy, warm, welcoming and loving, cook lots of good nourishing food (preferably something you can freeze for the period of your cycle when you don't have as much energy). Nurture your relationships with your family, friends, children and your lover. Invite to a party or gathering, socialize, party, dance or come out and be something to some other people.
You are super magnetic, attractive, playful and sexy, so come out and show it.
But remember not to play superheroine, because then you will just burn out and it will backfire later in your cycle. So also have your feet firmly planted in the ground.
The luteal phase (before menstruation)
The luteal phase is before your period and lasts approx. 11-14 days. Of course, it depends on whether you have become pregnant. In this phase you get more in touch with your psychic abilities. You may experience a greater sense of smell, sound, touch or different tastes. You will see colors more clearly and brilliantly. You will feel more creative and in better touch with your subconscious.
See if in this phase you can spend more of your time on personal creative projects that require intuitive thinking and reflection. Start by scaling back on work that requires a lot of cooperation or a lot of energy on your part. Focus more on finishing already started projects, e.g. administrative tasks, sedentary work. Please avoid long evening meetings or parties as your period approaches.
I actually made this blog and video in my luteal phase, close to my period, and it has been a video that I have wanted to finish for a long time, but which I had to finish before my period. So this video is definitely one of my luteal tasks, i.e. finishing projects and patching up loose ends.
The luteal phase is also the stage where you can process some of your frustration, irritation and anger. It is during this period that you may experience pms. But really, PMS only occurs if you ignore your body's signals and try to suppress your body's signals to relax and listen inward. So instead of suppressing your frustration and anger, see if you can accommodate them little by little and feel into these feelings. Of course, you have to be prepared for that too. But create a space where you alone can say "hello" to your irritation, pain, frustration, anger and sadness. When you express them instead of suppressing them, you set them free. You set yourself free. And you will also be able to be around other people much easier. That is if you process your feelings alone or by talking about them with a friend or therapist, you will be less likely to freak out on those closest to you, your partner or family and friends. It will be a shame to have to create discord or completely destroy friendships because of very powerful feelings that you may have in this phase leading up to your period.
Your psychic abilities are sharper leading up to your period, so it's also an even better reason to tune into yourself, get some more sleep and notice any intuitive feelings or dreams you have and write them down. Take time to be alone, meditate and be still. Also get some movement in. Move through the overwhelming emotions that come up and dance your feelings out. You can do that by putting on some music that really suits the mood you're in. Dance out all your emotions, roll around on the floor, scream, hit pillows or go out into the woods and hit the ground with your jaw .
This time is really a good time to work with the goddess Kali, who will help you to let go of what no longer serves you. She will help you set the stage for what you need to be free of during your upcoming period. So it could be said that your very powerful emotions that you must be feeling are Kali inviting you to witness and shed all false versions of yourself and release them directly from your womb during your upcoming menstruation. Kali helps you to let go and transform your womb, as a container for your full true potential, with unconditional love for yourself and the world around you.
Every month you will definitely get the opportunity to die and then be resurrected again. You definitely get the opportunity every month to let go and let everything old and gray die from your womb and re-emerge as brand new and fresh and as a new me – through your womb and through your menstrual cycle. Often, letting go can create a great inner conflict, which creates PMS symptoms. Having so much resistance and holding on to something that doesn't actually benefit us can create physical pain and discomfort in our body. But try to think if you just let go, your body and mind can fully relax. Just relax and surrender to your cycle. It really is an art. But during the phase leading up to your period, it's the perfect time to become aware of what you need to let go of, and it can be very big things, e.g. breaking up with your girlfriend, getting divorced, closing your business, letting go of ideas and thoughts about yourself that hold you back from living out your full creative potential, letting go of a friendship, letting go of being perfect, giving let go of tears, anger and sadness. Because when you finally get your period, you can just completely let go, with no resistance and no pain involved… and your period will help you really flush it out of your system. Menstruation is really this primal force within you which – if you work with it and with a clear intention – will help you release all that no longer serves you.
So what do you need to do to balance your cycle?
Now you know how to work with your cycle, but how to get more out of your energy. So how do you get to know your cycle and how do you keep track of it.
THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO:
1. Find out when you have your exact ovulation. Possibly. use a fertility computer.
2. Learn about the four seasons of your cycle: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase. I've just told you that now, so you've already learned that.
3. Write down all the year's full moons and new moons in your calendar so you can keep an eye on whether you have a White or Red moon cycle. And thereby get a closer relationship with the rhythms of the moon. Maybe you want to sit outside under the full moon every month and draw the lunar energy into your body and into your womb.
4. Write down in the back of your calendar what the different phases mean, so that you always have it at hand in case you forget this important information to keep holy and get the best out of your cycle's energy. I have written it at the bottom of this video.
5. Make colored dots for each phase of your cycle in your calendar. You can do this continuously, as your cycle can fluctuate, but remember to keep track of it so that you can plan your work and your life based on the different phases. Use the colors that you associate with the different phases. Here's a suggestion: Red for menstruation, orange for the follicular phase, green for ovulation and purple for the luteal phase.
6. Write down your ovulation and menstruation in your calendar. Remember to also use colored dots.
7. Follow your cycle and observances and work with your menstrual cycle and watch the magic happen…
Write this overview down in your calendar so you can always keep track of it.
Menstruation
Day 1-7
Inner winter
Rest! Let it go! Listen to your intuition and sow the seeds you want to blossom in the next cycle.
Before ovulation
Day 8-11
Inner spring
Act on the inspiration you got during your period.
Ovulation
Day 12-16
Inner summer
Express yourself creatively and sexually. Be around people. Get more things done.
Before menstruation
Inner autumn
Day 17-28
Finish projects. Patch loose ends. Plan to relax during your period. It is important to listen to your intuition and be close to yourself sensually.
I am sending you so much feminine moon energy your way..
/ Helle L.