Women everywhere bleed.
Even on the day of the big Halloween party, yup under our costumes some of us women are bleeding. Like me.
Can't say I didn't know it was coming - I felt my body changing and shifting, preparing for the bloody release, swollen abdomen and all. I pull up my netted stalkings and face the mirror thinking about what we women do. Shoot, I'm going to this party and I still wanna dress up!
Interesting really, I've led powerful women circles all in the celebration of this very thing - my blood rite. Taking time to breathe and bathe and sing to my self as a part of my body dies a little. Sure, the bleed is like a little death. Folks wonder why emotions run high during this time. So many hormones are constantly flooding our system in a synergistic flow in hopes for a fertile seed. It's our animal purpose to procreate and when our periods come we shed our hopeful uterul lining. Hence a little death.
Hormones are a part of this ancient body knowledge connected to our DNA line with memory that runs all the way back. Yeah, way back to the beginning. I think about how each hormone has its role and personality. I can feel my body shift even more because today about an hour ago I started to bleed; along with my body shift my mood shifts.
As my mentor Pam Fischer of the Ohlone Herbal Center taught me estrogen is a supple, cell building, drama hormone. Testosterone on the other hand is like a blazing arrow; a sure-footed-shot, clear, one sighted and deliberate. Us women dance with Estrogen, Progesterone, Oxycontin and so many more hormones. Each hormone having it's personality. Hence the many moods we women have. I have.
Ha!
Yes, my moods are like the sea and sometimes I am in the sea of my emotions whether stormy or calm. I'm ultimately grateful for my bleed. It's like my body is building all this pressure and the bleed is this amazing release, both physical and emotional. Allowing for this calm to rollover my whole entire being as I surrender.
So thankful I know what herbs to take to calm cramps, relieve bloating and even what to do if I get a headache. Plants are amazing! They help with so many things; from clary sage essential oil to cramp bark or my favorite silk tassel all allies in helping relieve menstrual cramps!
A couple drops of clary sage blended with a teaspoon of jojoba rubbed into a crampy abdomen can do wonders. Or a tea of cramp bark, cinnamon and a bit of fresh ginger will really support the flow in ease. Or to stop cramps dead in their tracks silk tassel, a tincture of this combined with cramp bark, ginger and skullcap - whoa! Life changing combo, ease the mind and slow everything down especially if the cramps are piercing. As they often do during the first few days...
So, yeah - today I begin my bleed and I honor it really. I will take my time, breathe, make lots of requests and eat plenty of chocolate AND party with the help of a moon potion.
Oh, the life of an urban herbalist.
Even on the day of the big Halloween party, yup under our costumes some of us women are bleeding. Like me.
Can't say I didn't know it was coming - I felt my body changing and shifting, preparing for the bloody release, swollen abdomen and all. I pull up my netted stalkings and face the mirror thinking about what we women do. Shoot, I'm going to this party and I still wanna dress up!
Interesting really, I've led powerful women circles all in the celebration of this very thing - my blood rite. Taking time to breathe and bathe and sing to my self as a part of my body dies a little. Sure, the bleed is like a little death. Folks wonder why emotions run high during this time. So many hormones are constantly flooding our system in a synergistic flow in hopes for a fertile seed. It's our animal purpose to procreate and when our periods come we shed our hopeful uterul lining. Hence a little death.
Hormones are a part of this ancient body knowledge connected to our DNA line with memory that runs all the way back. Yeah, way back to the beginning. I think about how each hormone has its role and personality. I can feel my body shift even more because today about an hour ago I started to bleed; along with my body shift my mood shifts.
As my mentor Pam Fischer of the Ohlone Herbal Center taught me estrogen is a supple, cell building, drama hormone. Testosterone on the other hand is like a blazing arrow; a sure-footed-shot, clear, one sighted and deliberate. Us women dance with Estrogen, Progesterone, Oxycontin and so many more hormones. Each hormone having it's personality. Hence the many moods we women have. I have.
Ha!
Yes, my moods are like the sea and sometimes I am in the sea of my emotions whether stormy or calm. I'm ultimately grateful for my bleed. It's like my body is building all this pressure and the bleed is this amazing release, both physical and emotional. Allowing for this calm to rollover my whole entire being as I surrender.
So thankful I know what herbs to take to calm cramps, relieve bloating and even what to do if I get a headache. Plants are amazing! They help with so many things; from clary sage essential oil to cramp bark or my favorite silk tassel all allies in helping relieve menstrual cramps!
A couple drops of clary sage blended with a teaspoon of jojoba rubbed into a crampy abdomen can do wonders. Or a tea of cramp bark, cinnamon and a bit of fresh ginger will really support the flow in ease. Or to stop cramps dead in their tracks silk tassel, a tincture of this combined with cramp bark, ginger and skullcap - whoa! Life changing combo, ease the mind and slow everything down especially if the cramps are piercing. As they often do during the first few days...
So, yeah - today I begin my bleed and I honor it really. I will take my time, breathe, make lots of requests and eat plenty of chocolate AND party with the help of a moon potion.
Oh, the life of an urban herbalist.