A Seasonal Journey Through the Menstrual Cycle, Winter: Menstruation

Winter is closing in on us, and for many it feels like a heavy cloak that is settling over life - which can feel hard to manage. In the same way, we can often feel that menstruation is a period of the month that is dragging us down, stopping our flow of life, and perhaps even being excruciatingly painful and physically challenging. But there is another kind of relationship which can be developed toward these two cyclical phases.

Many ancient cultures considered winter to be a time for going inwards - even a time for mystical connection. In this approach, the darkness of winter can become not a heavy cloak - but a warm enfolding space that allows for rest, rejuvenation and transformation. A necessary break from the ever-flowing stream of outer life, and a dip into our inner waters. In the same way, many ancient cultures have considered menstruation…