By Chantal Quick
Right now in society, there is a lot of awareness being raised around women’s rights and how our culture largely operates under patriarchal ideas. The common narratives are loaded with how men (or a group of men) are oppressing women. Or rather, how the values of a society that stem from masculine ideals oppress women by default of said ideals.
I don’t disagree. I love discovering and shedding light on all the subtle ways the patriarchy keeps women disconnected from their feminine essence. One of my favorite ways to do this is by looking at all the ways we have bought into our own oppression where we actually have more power and control than we give ourselves credit for. Maybe that thought doesn’t align with feminism, but hear me out:
If you ask women what they think and how they feel about their period, the majority will respond with an unfavorable, antagonistic answer. Some words that come to mind are annoying, burden, punishment, curse, painful, women troubles, inconvenient, crampy, nuisance, etc. We approach periods as something to push away and loathe, not something we accept with open arms and love the shit out of.
What if we looked forward to having our period every month? What if having your period could be about pleasure and connection and creativity?
But what if you did? What if we looked forward to having our period every month? What if having your period could be about pleasure and connection and creativity? I am of the opinion that at one time, a woman’s period was seen as a source of power and beauty. We have bought into the story that our bleeding is a burden. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be. As a matter of fact, I think that totally reframing the way we speak of, experience, and view our periods is essential to the reclamation of powerful women.
Here are 5 reasons why you should love your period:
1) NATURE IS NOT THE ENEMY.
Nature is your friend, and we love our friends. Actually, nature is you, and loving yourself is sexy AF.
One of the many problems with society is how far we have disconnected ourselves from the natural world. Being disconnected from our most natural, bodily cycles is a greater symptom of that. Living in a way that avoids that which makes us human has it be that our physical and emotional health suffers. Many of our actions indicate that we think we are exempt from ecological principles, and there are studies that show what this does to our health. One of the biggest findings is increased stress hormones (cortisol) and blood pressure, both of which are gateways to greater issues.
So what does this have to do with loving your period? Not being intimate with something that is so natural to you is a greater reflection of how we are not intimate with the rest of the natural world. No, I am not suggesting we all leave civilization to go live in the forest, (but hey, if that’s your thing!) but, yes, I am suggesting we go outside way more often, and get really chummy with our periods. It will benefit your health.
2) PAIN IS A KIND MESSENGER.
One of the biggest reasons women dislike their period is because it is painful. Avoiding pain at all costs in our culture is not only sought after, but also highly profitable. We push pain away everywhere. We drink it away, eat it away, Netflix it away, epidural it away, and even Midol it away during that time of the month. We avoid pain at every turn, which means we don’t get to experience our bravery and strength. I get it. Pain isn’t pleasurable (duh), and we are pleasure seeking creatures. Why would anyone want to feel pain?
My answer is that feeling your pain is important because it can give you a greater understanding of your body and your emotions. You cannot release pain until you feel pain. The only way out is through, and when it comes to your period, it is an opportunity to look at why you might be experiencing this pain and to deeply feel and release it. It could be from past trauma (physical or emotional) or lifestyle choices. Many believe that our rejection of our feminine essence could also be the root of the pain that many women experience on their period. The only way to know is to listen to it, feel it, and take note of any patterns in your life.
I used to notice that my periods were more painful when I had eaten more of certain foods leading up to that cycle. When my diet consisted of healthier foods, I didn’t experience any pain. How could I have discovered that and changed my habits if I just kept numbing my pain with pain killers? Pain continues to surface because it wants to be acknowledged so that it can be understood and remedied in whichever way is best.
I talk more about how to surrender, listen to, and remedy pain naturally in my free webinar, Moon Cycle Magic.
3) IT’S YOUR BODY’S BUILT IN MECHANISM TO HAVE YOU RELAX AND REJUVENATE.
In ancient times, women sought rest in moon houses (like the modern day red tent) during their moon time. The human body and mind requires periodic rest. This promotes the nurturing of our creativity and spirituality. Periods used to been seen as a type of Sabbath for women. Today, we live such fast paced lifestyles and often forget the importance of slowing down, which makes it harder to listen to our bodies and hear the subtle messages that the universe is trying to impart to us. As women, we were given the gift (yes, a gift!) of bleeding as a reminder to slow down and connect to our bodies and the natural rhythms of the earth every month.
We no longer see rest as a necessary and vital part of the equation to success and vitality
There’s a common belief in our culture that whoever busts the most ass is more deserving of things like wealth and resources. We no longer see rest as a necessary and vital part of the equation to success and vitality. Many people who work non-stop might have a lot of money, but they are lacking in things like energy and happiness (like true, deep happiness. The kind most of us don’t even realize is possible). When we allow for ourselves to slow down, go inward and rest then we cultivate an awareness for the creative process that comes from our soul as well as the liveliness to carry it out with passion. As a mother, I have also learned the art of worshiping my period time despite having a young child to care for. Not to mention, we get sick less often.
