1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,360 Hello and welcome to the Cosmic Nomad. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:09,040 I'm your host, Bailey Rushlow, and this is a space for the 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:12,920 curious and the heart lead where we explore the human experience 4 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,400 through travel, nature, spirituality, and real life 5 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,800 transformation through beautiful conversations. 6 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:24,320 As I discover my way of living what I call an inspired life, I 7 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,040 share the practices, stories, and perspectives that have 8 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:31,840 helped guide me back to myself. In this episode, we are diving 9 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,600 into the wisdom of the feminine cycle. 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,560 I'm going to be sharing what I've learned about living in 11 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,440 rhythm with my body. How? 12 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:41,920 Each. Phase holds its own kind of 13 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,040 power and magic and how we can move through them with more 14 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:49,760 awareness, support, grace. And this is for anyone curious 15 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,880 about cyclical living, whether you yourself bleed or you love 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:58,040 someone who does. Hello everyone, welcome to 17 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,360 today's episode of the Cosmic Nomad. 18 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,120 I'm so glad you're here. Please do whatever it is that 19 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:05,440 makes you feel comfortable right now. 20 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,120 Maybe it's taking a little stretch, twisting your 21 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,760 shoulders, your back, your hips, seeing what cracks and pops, 22 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:18,240 moving your neck from side to side, up and down, very gently, 23 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:28,600 taking a deep breath. Most of us don't do that enough. 24 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:32,400 So I always like to take a moment and just remind us, you 25 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:39,120 know, today's topic is something very special and dear to my 26 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:44,160 heart because it has absolutely changed my life. 27 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,480 And it is something that we all can relate to because all people 28 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:53,360 came from the woman. All people came from the womb. 29 00:01:54,240 --> 00:02:01,400 And whether you have a womb in your physical body or not, you 30 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,960 came from 1:00. And that alone deserves our 31 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:10,080 deepest honor and deepest respect because it was our first 32 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:14,360 home. And it's very symbolic in in 33 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:20,600 many cultures as the void, as the dark cosmic feminine 34 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,920 mystery. And it's a place in which we 35 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:31,000 return to when we die. And it is something that has 36 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:37,600 been the most shamed and the most stigmatized and the most 37 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,720 hated, the most misunderstood, very intentionally, I think. 38 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:49,360 And it's wild because this way is, is the only way we have ever 39 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,640 known. It was never different in our 40 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:59,240 memory of time and our memory of history because history is told 41 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,400 from the perspective of the victors, from the perspective of 42 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:08,880 the men, from the perspective of of the heroes, right. 43 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:15,200 And feminine history has been suppressed for a very, very long 44 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,520 time. I also just want to say that 45 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,160 whether you have never bled, maybe you're awaiting your first 46 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,640 bleed. Maybe you no longer bleed and 47 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:27,280 you've moved through menopause. Maybe you have had a 48 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,840 hysterectomy. Maybe you are trans or non 49 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,840 binary. You are still cyclical because 50 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,360 you are nature. So you can still tune into. 51 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,280 All of these. Phases as well. 52 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:46,040 You can look at the Earth's seasons like a mirror to our own 53 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:52,720 energetic patterns, and there's no one right way to be in 54 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,320 relationship with yourself as a cyclical being. 55 00:03:55,320 --> 00:04:02,000 This is just an invitation to explore, to reclaim a rhythm 56 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:06,520 that feels true to you. And this wisdom is never meant 57 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,440 to exclude anyone. It is here for anyone who 58 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,640 chooses to listen. I also want to extend a message 59 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:17,920 to any men listening that you most likely have cyclical beings 60 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:19,640 in your life. You most likely have people that 61 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,360 are bleeding around you. Sisters, mother's friends, 62 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,560 girlfriends, lovers, wives, whoever, right? 63 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,480 And we're surrounded by it and we are taught this languaging 64 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,640 around it like, oh, it's that time of the month and oh, she's 65 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,360 on the rag and it's, she's hormonal and all of these 66 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,040 negative things. Let's just cut all that from our 67 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,600 vocabulary, OK? And it's not your fault. 68 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,040 We, we do it too. But let's find ways that we can 69 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,640 be supportive to the people in our lives that are going through 70 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:56,400 these deep processes because they really need our support. 71 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,280 And maybe there's someone in your life that you could be 72 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:02,400 listening to this information and like slowly help teach them 73 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,840 about this because most, most of us are so uninformed and we 74 00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:08,480 don't even know where to begin. Maybe you guys can listen to 75 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,400 this together and find ways that you can support each other 76 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:16,440 through your growth and evolution and understanding of 77 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:21,080 the womb as a powerful, powerful portal and not something to be 78 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:26,080 shamed and dismissed. So for 10s of thousands of 79 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:31,840 years, humans lived in reverence to the rhythms of the Earth and 80 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:38,160 the moon and the body. Evidence from over 30,000 years 81 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:43,640 ago shows that our ancestors worshipped and honored the womb 82 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:50,840 not just as a place of birth, but as a symbol of deep mystery 83 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,960 and power. One of my favorite stories is 84 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,880 how archaeologists have discovered burial sites around 85 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:06,760 the world where bodies were laid to rest painted with red ochre, 86 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:11,200 which is a natural pigment that was symbolic of menstrual blood. 87 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:16,520 And many of these were found in what we now call womb caves, 88 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:24,600 which were circular, dark, earthen spaces, caves connected 89 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,600 to the goddess. Because ancient societies and 90 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,400 ancient cultures and indigenous peoples around the world hold a 91 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,360 shared belief that caves were symbolic of the womb. 92 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:40,280 They were like the womb of the mother of our mother Earth, 93 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,760 right? And so a lot of people were 94 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,520 buried in the wombs of the earth in these caves. 95 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:52,160 A lot of people were also born in these caves, symbolic of 96 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,800 coming out. Of the womb of the mother. 97 00:06:55,160 --> 00:07:00,240 So not only are caves particularly important, but this 98 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:06,400 reverence it existed so long before the rise of organized 99 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,240 religion and long before the patriarchy as we know it. 100 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:16,080 But. Around 3004 thousand years ago, 101 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:21,560 something shifted and this is what we refer to as the rise of 102 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,720 the patriarchy and there were many things that led to the this 103 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,240 rise, but some things include land ownership. 104 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:34,480 For the first time land became something you can buy, purchase, 105 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:38,960 own. Control over lineage changed 106 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:43,920 from the matriarchal line. Taking the the family name, for 107 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,760 example, the man typically would come and live with the woman and 108 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,520 with the woman's family. It wasn't the woman goes and 109 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,720 live with the man and the man's family and takes his name. 110 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,120 It was actually the opposite. The the power of the womb and 111 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:00,760 the women and the people who bled became very dangerous to 112 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:09,320 the systems being built. And so began the erasure of 113 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:13,280 feminine wisdom. And then, you know, agriculture 114 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:18,920 expanded and society moved away from nature based rhythms and 115 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,160 into productivity, hierarchy, ownership. 116 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:28,600 There's so much to be said for each one of these events and 117 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,280 time periods. I'm just trying to give you a 118 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:35,679 vast overview quickly so you can know why this wisdom was 119 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,480 suppressed and then how we can reclaim it and why our 120 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:46,760 reclamation is a revolution. So after this we have the witch 121 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:52,120 hunts, which were from around 1400 to the 1700s. 122 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:57,080 So it's been less than 300 years since the last woman was killed 123 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:04,720 for witchcraft and by which it. I don't mean what Hollywood made 124 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,880 it out to be. The word is just was just a 125 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,040 catch all for anyone who lived in opposition to the dominant 126 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,840 system, anyone who carried knowledge, power, identity that 127 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,800 threatened the church or the patriarchy. 128 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:27,560 So the people who were targeted were midwives and herbalists and 129 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:31,120 people with deep knowledge. Of healing and plants. 130 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:35,680 And those who practiced folk traditions outside of the church 131 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:40,520 and menstruating, people who honored the rhythms of the moon 132 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:45,360 and people who were queer or gender nonconforming. 133 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:51,520 And the witch hunts were not just a tragic chapter in 134 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:55,960 history. Because I think all of us feel 135 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,360 it. Most women, most people in my 136 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,040 life at least. We look back at that and we feel 137 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:06,200 a connection to it. And it's not just because it was 138 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,640 a sad thing that happened. It's because it was a deliberate 139 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:17,760 systemic erasure of ancestral wisdom, of feminine power, of of 140 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:24,000 body based living in accordance with the earth and rooted in the 141 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:29,480 land, in the womb. It was a spiritual colonization 142 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:38,480 and it worked. Many, many of us today still 143 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:44,520 carry that fear in our bones of being too much, too loud, too 144 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,960 intuitive, too expressive, too different. 145 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:53,240 This is the ancestral trauma. It is not just a personal 146 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,360 feeling of oh, I don't want to be too much. 147 00:10:55,360 --> 00:11:00,560 It is collective. It is like a scar. 148 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:06,880 That lives in our epigenetic memory of our DNA that we carry 149 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,520 with us. And I know that's a little bit 150 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,200 heavy. I don't want to go too far into 151 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:16,320 it because that's not the point of what we're talking about 152 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:20,760 today. So moving on, eventually we came 153 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,280 into the industrial revolution right? 154 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:29,200 Which single handedly put us all on a 24 hour productivity cycle, 155 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:35,040 funnily enough one that mirrors the male hormonal rhythm, not 156 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,560 the 28 day cycle of a menstruating person. 157 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:45,480 So instead of moving with the seasons, we were asked to be the 158 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:51,840 same way every day. To show up, perform, produce and 159 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:57,360 override the body. And its natural ebb and flow. 160 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:02,600 And here we are today. And now we live in a world where 161 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:08,280 PCOS and hormonal imbalances and infertility and fatigue and 162 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:14,320 burnout and endo how millions of people experience menstrual pain 163 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,360 every month and we're told that it's just part of being a woman. 164 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:23,160 Or if you're religious or Christian, that is. 165 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,040 You might believe that this is part of our curse. 166 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,280 I believed that for many years of my life that this was. 167 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:34,800 All a part of the fall of man and how Eve ate the apple and 168 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,760 the serpent tempted her and all the whole, the whole story, the 169 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,920 whole origin story, right? Our origins and the myths that 170 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,840 we believe and form our reality today. 171 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,400 Do we believe that this is just our fault? 172 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,480 That this is our burden that we must carry? 173 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,920 What if we stop treating our cycles like a nuisance? 174 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:01,720 What if we stop talking about them like they are the worst? 175 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,320 What if we started treating? Them like a map. 176 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:12,040 What if we started listening to our bodies cues? 177 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,000 Because when we learn to live in a rhythm with ourselves, 178 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:20,640 everything begins to shift. Our symptoms become like 179 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:25,560 guideposts showing us where to go our our pain and our body 180 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:31,080 becomes insight and our body becomes not just something to 181 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:39,480 fix or to fight or to quiet, but a sacred ally and a vessel for 182 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,160 creating a beautiful and connected life. 183 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:48,320 And it's really hard to do that when we are struggling so much 184 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:53,480 with our menstruation and cycle every month, because we are not 185 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,320 taught anything about it. So how could it? 186 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:57,520 How could we expect? It to be. 187 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:01,920 Different like if you don't know anything about your cycle, I 188 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,960 don't even blame you I'm not like, oh you girl, you should 189 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:10,160 have known like no, because I didn't know we don't know we we 190 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,200 don't talk about this we don't have conversations about this so 191 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:20,480 whether you are a educated cycle person and you've been tracking 192 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,600 and you've been keeping up and you know what's happening each 193 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,640 month amazing. I hope you can still. 194 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,280 Learn something from this. If you are someone that has 195 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,920 never studied this or learned about this in their life, 196 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,000 awesome. I'm so glad you're here because 197 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,640 there's something for everyone that's going to be shared in 198 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:39,080 this space because you don't know what I'm going to say and 199 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,200 it might just be something that you need to hear so. 200 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:49,360 If I rewind back in time, not as far as where we've just been, 201 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:54,200 but as far as my life, when I was 12 years old, I started my 202 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:59,640 bleed and I will never forget that day because I felt my 203 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:03,720 intuition so strongly. I woke up that morning and I 204 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,600 felt intuitively that I should bring an extra pair of underwear 205 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,880 with me to school. I was homeschooled, but I had 206 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,160 this little tutorial that I went to every Tuesday and did some 207 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,640 classes there. And so I didn't question it. 208 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:19,800 I just thought, OK. I've rolled up this little. 209 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:24,080 Day of the week, underwear and put it in my purse. 210 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:31,200 I remember going to the bathroom mid class and I saw this little 211 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:36,120 rust colored stain in my underwear and I was like Oh my 212 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,320 God it happened. It's happened. 213 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,440 Like I'm a woman now. I was sitting all alone in the 214 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,480 hallway school bathroom just staring at my underwear. 215 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,400 I remember going back to class and feeling very different. 216 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:54,880 I was like, I wonder. If anyone can tell. 217 00:15:55,040 --> 00:16:00,440 You know that I've started and luckily I had the little day of 218 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:05,080 the week panties in my purse and was able to go back to the 219 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,720 bathroom and change them, which is so funny because what good 220 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,960 did that really do to just change the underwear? 221 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:13,960 But anyways, it's all that I, it's all that I knew to do with 222 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:19,400 the time. And then my, my cycle became 223 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,840 something that I was kind of excited about happening, but I 224 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,280 just still didn't have any languaging to understand what it 225 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,280 was that was happening, what I was feeling. 226 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,720 But I very quickly latched on to the negativity of it. 227 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:35,560 Once all my friends had started, it was always. 228 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:37,800 Oh. Great, I'm starting my, you 229 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:39,640 know, shark week was what we called it. 230 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:44,200 And like I'm get ready for my period and cramps and cravings 231 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,960 and all this stuff. And it was, it was fun to be 232 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,160 very negative about it because it was a, it was a woman only 233 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:52,680 space. You know, when you're, when 234 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,280 you're a young teenage girl, you're like, this is something 235 00:16:55,280 --> 00:17:05,079 that only the women understand. And so it was fun until my 236 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:12,920 period became so irregular and so uncomfortable and I had 237 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,480 really awful cramps and I never knew when it would happen. 238 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,280 It was so. Regular it would it would be 239 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:20,839 like. One time and then two months 240 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:23,440 later it would happen again and then it would happen twice in 241 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,880 the same month and then wouldn't happen and it was just it was 242 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:27,599 all over the place. So I could never plan for 243 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:29,760 anything. I remember having my period 244 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:34,120 multiple times on the day that we were going on like a little 245 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:39,000 family beach trip and just be like, Oh my God, no. 246 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,880 Like I'm starting on the day of the family beach vacation, you 247 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,880 know? And it was just the worst. 248 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:52,800 It was always the worst. And this was confirmed by not 249 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,440 only all of my friends, but also all of the media, all of the 250 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,320 movies, all of the TV shows, right? 251 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,800 You never see someone have their bleeding be like, oh, I've 252 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,400 started good. I've been taking care of myself 253 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,840 all month so that this is going to be a peaceful process for me. 254 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:14,000 I've been supporting myself with foods and rituals and routines 255 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,280 that feel grounding for me so that this is going to be a 256 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,880 really beautiful process of being able to connect with 257 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,640 myself and my intuition. Like that would have been, I, I, 258 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,440 I would have thought you were an alien. 259 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,280 Like, like, what planet are you living on? 260 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,400 Because on Earth, having your bleed and being a cyclical 261 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:36,600 person is not a vibe at all, right. 262 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:45,320 And so it was in 2018 that I first started hearing people 263 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:49,680 talk about cyclical living, fertility awareness, tracking 264 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:54,600 your cycle, all this stuff. And it was very intriguing to me 265 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,560 because if anything could help me feel better without me having 266 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,360 to go on birth control or medication, I was open to it. 267 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,520 And that was when my my journey began of starting to track my 268 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,280 cycle, starting to understand how it works. 269 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:14,280 And now my life looks completely different than it did then. 270 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:18,120 Now I actually live my life according to my cycle. 271 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,880 I plan my social events, I plan meals, I plan things, I'm going 272 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:27,640 to do creative projects and routines and rest. 273 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,280 So literally, it has changed my life. 274 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,240 And I'm going to share with you how and why and how you can 275 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:37,680 apply. This to your world. 276 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:43,960 I really came to understand that pain and imbalances in our room 277 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:49,760 typically stem from emotional or spiritual related things, and 278 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:54,640 while period pain is super common, it is not completely 279 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,040 normal even though we've been sold on the idea. 280 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:03,920 That it is like. Truly marketed to by advertising 281 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,840 and the media etcetera, that this is normal and. 282 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,360 To me, this is such a sign that we've been disconnected from our 283 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:14,040 wombs for so long that we've normalized the pain and the 284 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:21,080 symptoms that come from being divorced from our center of 285 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:26,640 creation. And even by just having this 286 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:31,000 conversation and by being here and listening, you're undoing 287 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:35,800 something that has been done in the past in in your lineage, in 288 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,760 your ancestry, in your own life and your own beliefs about your 289 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,840 blood, about your cycle, about your body. 290 00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:47,520 Even just by being curious and open to be this far into this 291 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,680 episode, it shows that you're willing to be curious, that 292 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,000 you're willing for something to change. 293 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,480 And that is all it takes for something powerful to unravel. 294 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,000 Just going to take a quick pause here and let you know that my 295 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:07,040 Patreon is officially launched and it's become such a beautiful 296 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,040 way to support this podcast and the work that I'm creating. 297 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:14,520 So each month I will be sharing guided meditations, private 298 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,720 podcast style voice notes, and behind the scenes glimpses of my 299 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,560 creative world. Things that I don't share 300 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,240 anywhere else on social media aside from the membership option 301 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,640 on Patreon. There's also a storefront where 302 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:34,640 I have my ebooks and an option to order customized guided 303 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,720 meditations from me that are created specifically with you in 304 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,320 mind, where we will brainstorm on what you're looking for. 305 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:45,320 I'll create it and then deliver it to you to listen to forever. 306 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:47,960 And there are a few different tier options depending on what 307 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,800 feels good for you. And it's just a really great way 308 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,160 to stay connected, support my work as an independent artist, 309 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,520 and walk a little deeper with me. 310 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:01,840 The link is in the show notes, and also in the show notes are 311 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:06,800 links to my favorite products when it comes to supporting 312 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:11,480 myself during my bleed, during each phase of my cycle, which 313 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:15,240 we're about to get into. And there are some affiliate 314 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,480 links in there that are going to give you discount codes to 315 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:19,920 things. It's a whole treasure trove. 316 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,360 So don't miss out on it after the episode. 317 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:25,760 Go check it out and thank you so much for listening. 318 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,560 Let's dive into The Four Seasons. 319 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:37,560 OK, so when we look at the rhythms of nature, you see four 320 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,760 specific seasons, right? For this planet, we have winter, 321 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:46,120 spring, summer, fall. So the first season we're going 322 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:51,520 to look at is winter. Winter is the time of our 323 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,280 menstruation, so the time when we were bleeding. 324 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,880 And Winter and menstruation share a very powerful connection 325 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:03,200 because they both embody the energies of rest, introspection 326 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,960 and renewal. This is when the earth slows 327 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,520 down, the animals hibernate, the plants conserve their energy, 328 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:16,200 and during this time our bodies do the same. 329 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:21,880 We signal the need for rest and going inward, and it also 330 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,920 encourages us to take a break from our usual activities, 331 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,920 running around and doing all kinds of things and just slowing 332 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:33,960 down, prioritizing self-care. And as we shed the the uterine 333 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,160 lining, blood and stem cells and tissue and minerals and all 334 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:40,480 kinds of stuff. Our blood is incredible. 335 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:44,640 As much as it has been stigmatized, it is a marvel. 336 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,240 Science doesn't even understand all that it can do because it's 337 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:52,720 never been studied before. Just now people are starting to 338 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,480 study menstrual blood for the first time because it has been 339 00:23:55,800 --> 00:24:01,960 stigmatized as dirty and pure, ugly, full of bacteria, all 340 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,760 kinds of stuff that's actually completely not true. 341 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:11,200 And as we shed this lining, we are actually releasing 342 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:16,120 everything from the past month, making space for the new 343 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:21,680 beginning. And this is the time to surround 344 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:26,720 ourselves with things that are very gentle, like warm baths, 345 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:31,920 nourishing food, restful activities, things that help us 346 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:35,120 honor our need for comfort and support. 347 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,400 And it's the time to let your body receive. 348 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,560 It's also a beautiful time to reflect on your life, your 349 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:48,640 emotional process, to connect deeper with yourself, to release 350 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:53,400 what no longer serves you. And I think it's also important 351 00:24:53,440 --> 00:25:00,960 to observe how you feel about your blood and about the flow. 352 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,840 Because most of us raised in this Western society and 353 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,680 patriarchal world, we've been conditioned to feel shame and 354 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,040 disgust, right? Because our period usually comes 355 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:20,520 with feelings of it's unpleasant and symptoms like cramps and 356 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:24,200 bloating and headaches and exhaustion, they're actually 357 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,360 symptoms of a bigger picture. They're not the result of the 358 00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:32,520 bleeding itself. So note. 359 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,400 What your body is. Communicating with you in this 360 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:40,440 time and some of my favorite ways to support myself in this 361 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:46,080 period is to prep food for myself, shop ahead of time, and 362 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,760 have things that are going to be really nourishing for me during 363 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,160 my bleed. If you are a partner to someone 364 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,120 who is bleeding, this is an amazing way that you could show 365 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:56,280 up for them. Hey babe, you don't have to 366 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,080 worry about shopping this week. I took care of it. 367 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:59,600 All your favorite things are in the fridge. 368 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,200 Everything that's not, it's not just junk food and stuff that 369 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:04,480 we're craving, but stuff that's actually really supportive for 370 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:07,760 helping your flow, helping your blood, helping your body, 371 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:10,240 assisting you during this time like. 372 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:14,000 That is so hot. OK. 373 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:16,800 Another thing is cleaning your space. 374 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,200 If you're sensitive to your surroundings like me, it's a 375 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:24,920 game changer to have a tidy house before you enter your womb 376 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:29,800 cave. OK, another thing is make 377 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,800 yourself a. Little period box. 378 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:34,800 It's like doesn't have to be a box. 379 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,240 It could be a drawer, could be somewhere in your closet, but it 380 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,320 might have all of your sacred items that you are going to use 381 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:44,920 for this week. Maybe it has bath salts or tea 382 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:49,720 for your cramps or hot water bottle or reusable pads. 383 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,960 Those are my favorite period panties and reusable pads 384 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,560 because you they're so soft and then you can just wash them as 385 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:58,960 soon as you're done using them. It's amazing. 386 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,360 And you just reuse them. So I literally haven't bought 387 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:06,280 menstrual products in many years because I just have the same 388 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,680 ones. It's amazing to cut down on 389 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:13,840 waste and plastic that way. And so many studies point to 390 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:19,600 things like cotton pads and tampons, even organic ones, 391 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:25,680 being soaked in chemicals and soaked in cancer causing 392 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:30,360 substances that enter through the tender tissues of your 393 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:34,320 vaginal canal. So if you can, opt for something 394 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,240 like period panties, reusable pads, or even create the space 395 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,440 in your home where you're able to free bleed. 396 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,320 Maybe you have a certain towel that you wrap around your waist 397 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,480 at this time and you can sit and lay in bed with it and you're 398 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:49,960 not going to get blood on things. 399 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:53,920 Maybe you have a set of red? Sheets that you use just during 400 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:58,280 this week that you know, on the heavy days that you don't have 401 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,840 to worry about your white sheets staining. 402 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:02,400 I think every woman I know has been there. 403 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,320 We're like, oh damn it, I got blood on the sheets again. 404 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:10,720 It's also incredibly important to communicate to your friends, 405 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:15,480 families, partners, how you're doing, how they can support you 406 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:21,960 and respect your need for space and say no to activities, to 407 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,920 going out, to working overtime, to doing things with people, to 408 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:29,480 go into parties, to showing up to no. 409 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,200 This is not the time for that. You can do that next week. 410 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:37,720 If you have kids, teach them about menstruation in a positive 411 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:41,920 and age appropriate way to destigmatize it. 412 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,080 Because there's nothing to be ashamed of and kids are so 413 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:49,080 receptive to learning new things and it's all about how we talk 414 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:53,320 about it that often informs their experience, right? 415 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,240 So we actually have the power to change the narrative of how we 416 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:01,280 teach menstruation to kids because we can shape their 417 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,880 perspective on what a holistic relationship with our bodies 418 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,320 really looks like. I would also really recommend 419 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,280 gentle movement. Like you don't have to just be 420 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,760 laying in bed for a week. I feel very creative on my bleed 421 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,560 personally. I'm doing lots of art, I'm 422 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,080 connecting with myself. I'm usually staying home for the 423 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:23,240 first like 2 days and just being with myself and I love that that 424 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:24,240 that suits me. But I. 425 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,360 Also love to have a. Little bit of movement too. 426 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:30,040 Could be yoga, could be stretching or walking outside 427 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:35,240 sitting in the sun. Save the intense workouts for 428 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,840 another phase in your cycle and and see what feels most 429 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:43,880 supportive for you here. I wrote this down in my notes 430 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:47,920 app a few months ago. I, I said as we bleed, the 431 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,920 emotions that have been held in our womb space are given the 432 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:55,800 chance to flow and be processed. When emotions are not addressed, 433 00:29:56,240 --> 00:30:00,240 they become stuck and they manifest physically our bodies. 434 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:03,640 Offer us guidance when? Our menstrual cycles are out of 435 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,360 balance, signaling that it's time to examine our thoughts, 436 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,400 feelings and beliefs. Menstrual cycles mirror our 437 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,280 physical, emotional and energetic well-being, inviting 438 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:20,200 us to reflect on how we truly feel about ourselves and our 439 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,280 bodies. There are. 440 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,200 So many. Practices as well as foods, 441 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,680 snacks, herbs, drinks, like all kinds of stuff that I'm 442 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,520 including in my Embrace Your Cycle ebook. 443 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:34,560 So check that. Out if you want. 444 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:39,000 To go even deeper into this conversation, but let's move on 445 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:45,000 from the winter months and yeah, into spring. 446 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,080 I'm not going to get too deep into this, but I do want to say 447 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:54,920 that tracking your cycle, tracking your symptoms and 448 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,040 identifying what phase you're in is so important to help you 449 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:04,120 understand your body better, to recognize patterns and 450 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:08,240 anticipate changes as opposed to being surprised and shocked by 451 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:11,560 them and feeling betrayed by our bodies, which happens so often. 452 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,280 So mark the first day of your period. 453 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,960 This is for day one of your cycle and this will help you 454 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:23,280 track the length and the patterns that you notice. 455 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:25,200 Keep it. Just keep a note on your phone. 456 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:26,760 It doesn't have to be with a fancy app. 457 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,160 Just observe your body. This is your invitation to 458 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:34,320 observe yourself and to track your symptoms and ask yourself, 459 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,960 what am I experiencing? And write them down everyday 460 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:42,600 mood swings, cramps, energy levels, emotional symptoms that 461 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,680 you experience, the heaviness of your flow. 462 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,760 Literally write it all down. Just start observing yourself, 463 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:56,560 all right, moving into spring. So after menstruation day, like 464 00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,680 567, right? We're, we're moving out of our 465 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:04,280 bleed and we start to feel different. 466 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,440 Why do we feel different because of estrogen? 467 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:10,520 She's she's our girl in this, in this season. 468 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:15,600 OK, estrogen levels start to rise, which helps to rebuild the 469 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:18,720 lining of the uterus that you just shed during your period. 470 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:24,520 So your ovaries. And This is why when our. 471 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,520 Bleed is over. We start to feel like, oh, have 472 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:31,480 an increased energy and mental clarity and I start to feel more 473 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:36,240 confident. And it really is like you are in 474 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,520 the season of spring, right? And that's, that's the energy. 475 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,840 It's a time to embrace new opportunities, set goals, 476 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:46,560 connect with your inner vision for the month ahead. 477 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,200 What do I want to create? What do I want to see happen? 478 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,400 Who do I want to connect with? Start making plans. 479 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,280 Start, you know, setting things in your calendar. 480 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,600 Get yourself some flowers in your home. 481 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:03,520 Be in natural light and lit spaces like open the windows. 482 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,160 You know, the light can really uplift your mood and and 483 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,360 energize you. Get into your art and your 484 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,520 creativity. Connect with your community, 485 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:17,600 express your needs and your desires and your dreams and your 486 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:22,120 visions, and cultivate ways in which you can go after those 487 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:26,400 things with actionable steps. With actionable steps because 488 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:30,120 you have the energy of spring supporting you like there's 489 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,840 nothing you cannot do right. This also might be a time when 490 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:39,760 you feel more like doing cardio or Pilates or strength training. 491 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:44,680 So to support this natural process of the thickening of the 492 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:49,160 uterine lining, you really want to focus on eating foods that 493 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:53,200 boost estrogen production and liver detox and production of 494 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,360 cervical fluid and support hormonal balance. 495 00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:01,040 Overall, that is is so beautiful and you will feel such a 496 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:05,800 difference eating based on what your body needs hormonally each 497 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,159 week of your cycle. I'm not saying, oh, I can't eat 498 00:34:09,159 --> 00:34:11,679 this or I can't eat this because I'm on this part of my cycle. 499 00:34:11,679 --> 00:34:14,320 Like you don't need to be regimented and strict with 500 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:16,320 yourself. I just want to encourage you to 501 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:21,600 eat Whole Foods, you know, foods that are potentially unprocessed 502 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,960 if you can, because that is a huge key to reducing 503 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:29,840 inflammation in the body because inflammation is actually a 504 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,600 leading cause of menstrual cramps. 505 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,679 So one thing you could do is not drinking coffee on an empty 506 00:34:36,679 --> 00:34:40,880 stomach. Another thing is reducing toxins 507 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:43,679 in your environment. Endocrine disrupting stuff like 508 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:47,560 skin care and cleaning supplies and perfume and air fresheners 509 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,480 and detergents and all this stuff made with synthetic 510 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,639 fragrances disrupts your hormones, which can lead to 511 00:34:53,679 --> 00:34:59,400 cycle irregularities. It's it's so funny that for 512 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,560 years I could not figure out why I had migraines and chronic 513 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:10,120 fatigue and terrible cramps. On my period, but I was 514 00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:13,520 literally using Febreeze and Lysol and Clorox wipes and 515 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,760 scented candles and perfume and body sprays and all kinds of 516 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:21,920 stuff from Bath and Body Works, scented lotions, fragrance, 517 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:26,960 deodorant and so many other things and I didn't understand 518 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,000 that this. Build up actually made it. 519 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,720 Hard for my liver. Which is your the filtration 520 00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:37,160 system of your body to process hormones like estrogen which 521 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:41,880 cause imbalances and literal dis ease in my body disease right? 522 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,440 Inflammation being the root of all disease. 523 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,400 These things as endocrine disruptors create inflammation 524 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:54,920 in the body, which again is a leading cause for cramps and 525 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,760 feeling shitty during your cycle. 526 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:00,920 OK, so. I'm not telling. 527 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:04,720 You to regulate everything that you eat and keep track of it and 528 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:06,360 all this. Like this is not about. 529 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:10,840 Micromanaging yourself. This is about observation and 530 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:13,520 support. How can we observe what we feel 531 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:18,960 and then how can we pivot and support based on what our body 532 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:23,880 is telling us? These symptoms are not a result 533 00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:28,000 of just being a woman and just having a period and just they're 534 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,080 the result of our environment. There is a result of our mindset 535 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:34,400 around these things and the result of what we are putting in 536 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:40,080 or putting on ourselves that can be contributing factors to the 537 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:44,280 intensity that we feel these irregularities. 538 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:49,120 OK, so estrogen is on the rise. We're starting to feel good. 539 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:50,400 We're starting to feel more confident. 540 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,120 Our skin is getting more clear. Our eyes are getting brighter. 541 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:58,040 Our body's feeling extra curvy, extra fun, extra flirty. 542 00:36:58,240 --> 00:37:01,000 We're moving into summer. This is ovulation energy. 543 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:03,200 This is when you want to take your thirst trap pictures. 544 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:09,320 OK, this is. Vibrant, expansive, full of 545 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:14,520 life, reflecting peak vitality, creativity. 546 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:19,240 Connection. This is the most fun time for a 547 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:21,000 lot of women, for a lot of women. 548 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,520 I obviously can't speak for everyone, but traditionally 549 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,960 speaking, and it's going to be different for everyone, of 550 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:31,440 course, but typically this is between days 15 and 20. 551 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:37,320 So what makes us feel so good is if we look back at spring, we 552 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:39,920 were just in spring, right? During spring, as our estrogen 553 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:43,040 was rising, it was also preparing an egg. 554 00:37:43,720 --> 00:37:47,360 And this egg is about to be released during ovulation. 555 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:50,240 This is when we're our most fertile, our most fun and 556 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:52,920 flirty, right? But also when we have the 557 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:55,200 highest chance of getting pregnant, our only chance of 558 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:57,320 getting pregnant. Did you know that you can only 559 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:00,680 actually get pregnant like 5-6 days a month? 560 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,720 That's it. Most people that I've told that 561 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,720 to have not believed. Me, they've been like, no, you 562 00:38:07,720 --> 00:38:09,320 can get pregnant anytime, all the time. 563 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:13,000 Like, no, you can't. No, you can't. 564 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:17,560 That's a lie. So during the spring where we 565 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:22,000 just were the week before. Your body is preparing an egg. 566 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:27,240 To be released during ovulation. And so now we're in the summer, 567 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:32,640 that egg is being released and you might also notice cervical 568 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:36,320 fluid at this time, which is a great indication of your 569 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:38,240 fertility. It's actually an amazing thing. 570 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:41,680 We used to call it discharge and it sounds like gross. 571 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:48,320 But this actually helps the sperm travel up to meet the egg. 572 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,440 Like it's like creates a. Super highway and if 573 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:55,680 fertilization doesn't occur, then the egg dissolves and your 574 00:38:55,680 --> 00:39:00,240 body begins to prepare for going back into winter and starting to 575 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:04,600 bleed again. This is an amazing time to flirt 576 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:07,520 with your life. Dress. 577 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:11,360 Up, go out, take pictures, be with your friends. 578 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:13,160 You're going to have more energy. 579 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:17,600 So maybe even longer days, you might even feel like a 580 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:25,400 completely different person than you do in spring or in fall or 581 00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:29,040 in winter. Like ovulation is a very special 582 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:33,680 time can also be so much energy that sometimes for me it even 583 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:35,800 gives me a bit of anxiety because I'm like, Oh my God, 584 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:37,440 this is. This is a lot happening. 585 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:42,360 It's a lot happening. Which is then a little bit 586 00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:46,000 jarring sometimes when we move from this into fall. 587 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,480 And fall is what we call the luteal phase. 588 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:52,880 It used like it's a really bad reputation because this is when 589 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:56,320 our emotions feel really big and overwhelming. 590 00:39:56,800 --> 00:40:01,720 And progesterone like rises. That's the hormone that rises at 591 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:04,640 this time to support your body in case you're pregnant. 592 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:07,840 But if that doesn't happen, then it begins to drop. 593 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:12,640 And as progesterone drops with it, our mood sometimes does too, 594 00:40:12,720 --> 00:40:18,120 and our tolerance for things. But this, this phase is not a 595 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:23,320 problem to fix, OK? It is a messenger to you. 596 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:29,240 And this single handedly shifted my relationship with my cycle so 597 00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:33,760 much because my sensitivity even on a regular day is. 598 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,720 Really high, but especially in my luteal phase where I'm at 599 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:39,400 right now. It is. 600 00:40:39,600 --> 00:40:40,960 It's very, very, very. High. 601 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:44,080 It feels like the veil is very thin between worlds. 602 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:48,000 It feels like the things. That I've been ignoring 603 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,680 throughout my other weeks of my cycle might come up. 604 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:56,440 Maybe things that irritated me or brushed off earlier in the 605 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:58,760 month when I'm looking through the world through rose colored 606 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:02,480 glasses and my follicular face and my ovulation and now it's 607 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:07,840 like staring at me. You're not crazy during this 608 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:14,120 week, but you are the most honest version of yourself that 609 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:16,120 you can be. Because. 610 00:41:17,320 --> 00:41:18,680 Your. Body is. 611 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:22,200 Less. Willing to tolerate what is not 612 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:25,600 aligned for you, the. Sensitivity that you. 613 00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:31,040 Feel is not a flaw. When you learn to work with it, 614 00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:34,880 the luteal Phase I. Think can be your most 615 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:41,160 clarifying time because it helps you to reassess your boundaries, 616 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:46,040 your truth, your desires. And it's not a time for pushing 617 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:53,000 yourself, it is a time to listen closer, to tend to your inner 618 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:56,840 world and to make space for what feels nourishing. 619 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:02,560 So for me, for example, this morning, I am on day 24 of my 620 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:05,600 cycle, so I know I'm going to start and probably about four 621 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:08,640 days. So I'm feeling extra tender, 622 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:13,120 extra non energetic, like I don't want to see anyone. 623 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:15,320 I don't really want to do things, so I'm not making any 624 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:17,280 plans. I might see one or two friends 625 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:19,920 that feel nourishing to me, that don't require a lot that I can 626 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:22,920 unmask with. We might have really chill time 627 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:27,280 together, right? And I'm also going to be doing 628 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:30,840 grocery shopping in the next day or two and stocking up for 629 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:32,520 things I want to have on my bleed. 630 00:42:33,240 --> 00:42:37,280 I'm also preparing to make sure that I have all my pads and my 631 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:39,920 my period panties like everything is set, everything's 632 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:42,520 ready for me so that when I enter that kind of womb cave, 633 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:48,840 I'm supported. And to me this is the phase 634 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:52,720 where when things are not working, it becomes very 635 00:42:52,720 --> 00:42:56,560 obvious. It's when you're. 636 00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:00,440 Body and your emotions start like waving little red flags and 637 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:03,920 saying like hello, I'm really overwhelmed or like I need more 638 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:10,360 rest I need more space or this dynamic is not serving me again. 639 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:12,840 It's when we are our most honest it's not because we're 640 00:43:12,840 --> 00:43:16,600 irrational. It's because the mask comes off. 641 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,960 We stop people pleasing. We see the cracks in our 642 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:23,440 relationships or in our routines or in the way we treat 643 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:26,640 ourselves. And when we don't understand 644 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:30,360 this, we shame it and we resist it. 645 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:37,720 But when we welcome this honesty and what it's trying to show us, 646 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:42,400 it becomes a really sacred time for boundary setting, for 647 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:46,120 preparing to release in our bleed next week. 648 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:51,000 And instead of gaslighting yourself for being like, oh, 649 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:52,960 this is too much, this is oh, it's just because I'm about to 650 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:55,000 start my bleed. I guess I'm just feeling so 651 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:56,880 irrational. Like I hear my friends say that 652 00:43:56,880 --> 00:43:58,880 sometimes and I'm like, girl, you are not irrational. 653 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:06,040 You're honest, you're not crazy. You're just unmasked, right? 654 00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:12,000 What do I need to say no to? How can I simplify my life? 655 00:44:12,520 --> 00:44:18,680 What is this anger showing me? What is this sensitivity showing 656 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:23,360 me? Where am I out of alignment with 657 00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:26,720 myself or with something that my soul is calling me to do and I 658 00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:31,480 am not doing it right? I made myself pancakes this 659 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:34,520 morning and I watched Love on the Spectrum, which is one of my 660 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:37,080 favorite, favorite shows. And it's so wholesome and it's 661 00:44:37,120 --> 00:44:41,080 so pure and so wonderful. And I just let myself cry at 662 00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:47,040 9:00 in the morning eating my pancake that is the literal 663 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:50,240 face. That's part of it anyways. 664 00:44:50,240 --> 00:44:54,200 But I also journaled a lot this morning, sitting on my roof in 665 00:44:54,200 --> 00:44:57,280 the sunshine, getting my early morning light in my eyes, 666 00:44:57,280 --> 00:45:00,880 balancing my hormones. And I connected with myself. 667 00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:04,200 And I looked in my myself in the mirror today and I thought, I 668 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:08,120 don't really feel my best. I don't really look my best. 669 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:10,240 I feel like a few weeks ago I looked better. 670 00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:15,120 It's so funny how our literal perception of our self can 671 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:21,320 change based on what week of our cycle we're in and based on what 672 00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:25,080 hormones are present. It is wild. 673 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:27,120 It's wild. I'm if you're listening to this 674 00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:29,680 this far, I'm sure you have experienced that at some point 675 00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:30,760 and you know what I'm talking about. 676 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:36,680 Your luteal phase holds such deep wisdom, and especially when 677 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:41,920 we have reference for her, it feels like she really she is 678 00:45:41,920 --> 00:45:46,000 that like sacred. The the archetype for the for 679 00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:50,280 the ludial woman is the sorceress, the priestess. 680 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:53,160 She's mysterious, she's a little bit edgy. 681 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:55,560 She comes in when you least expect it. 682 00:45:56,080 --> 00:46:00,080 And then we sink into the next archetype when we start our 683 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:02,320 bleed. She's the Crone, she's the wise 684 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:06,880 woman, the wise elder, and she has so many truths to show us. 685 00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:10,760 After the Elder, we move into spring, and the archetype for 686 00:46:10,760 --> 00:46:15,040 this woman is the Maiden. She's young, she's vibrant, 687 00:46:15,040 --> 00:46:17,400 she's excited for life. She is spring. 688 00:46:18,120 --> 00:46:23,840 And then into ovulation we have the Goddess, the woman who is 689 00:46:23,840 --> 00:46:25,920 fully. Awakened and alive in her 690 00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:29,840 potential, she feels like everything in the universe is 691 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,480 saying yes to her. She is invited into every space 692 00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:35,920 she's in. She's welcomed all through 693 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:38,800 nature. She's going after what she 694 00:46:38,800 --> 00:46:40,280 wants, right? And then? 695 00:46:40,280 --> 00:46:43,600 We dip back into this sorcerer's priestess. 696 00:46:44,200 --> 00:46:48,840 So the archetypes are beautiful, the energies are beautiful. 697 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:53,200 So no matter where you are in your journey, whether you've 698 00:46:53,200 --> 00:46:57,120 been doing this for years or you're just now remembering that 699 00:46:57,120 --> 00:47:00,960 your body moves like the moon, which also. 700 00:47:01,560 --> 00:47:05,640 On that note. So many women throughout history 701 00:47:06,240 --> 00:47:09,280 have been connected to the moon cycle, have been bleeding with a 702 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:13,080 new moon or bleeding with a full moon because the moon and women 703 00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:20,280 have 28 day cycles typically, and it's so powerful to look up 704 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:25,120 at the sky and see a physical representation of you. 705 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:31,840 When I am ovulating and the moon is at her fullest, I see her and 706 00:47:31,840 --> 00:47:36,200 me. When the moon is dark and still 707 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:43,960 and quiet and new and I am starting my bleed, I feel so 708 00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:47,800 deeply connected to her. And it's also interesting 709 00:47:47,800 --> 00:47:52,600 because the root of the word lunatic is Luna, which means 710 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:55,800 moon, right? So literally women who were 711 00:47:55,800 --> 00:47:59,400 connected to the moon were called lunatics. 712 00:47:59,920 --> 00:48:05,920 We, they started to stigmatize our connection to the cycles 713 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:11,920 outside of us. And so when we do this work and 714 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:17,680 we reclaim the territory that is ours, the space that is ours, 715 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:23,560 the blood that is ours, it's our way of reminding ourselves that 716 00:48:23,560 --> 00:48:28,520 we belong to the earth, that our rhythm is not sinful, it's not 717 00:48:28,520 --> 00:48:32,840 wrong. How can it be sinful when our 718 00:48:32,840 --> 00:48:36,520 menstrual blood is the elixir with which life itself is? 719 00:48:36,520 --> 00:48:39,360 Created. How can it be dirty? 720 00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:42,680 How can it be shameful? Your body is. 721 00:48:42,680 --> 00:48:46,320 Not. A machine and she is not a 24 722 00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:50,240 hour cycle, she is like a garden. 723 00:48:50,240 --> 00:48:56,880 And when we are taking care of her with curiosity and presence, 724 00:48:57,120 --> 00:49:00,520 everything begins to change. And. 725 00:49:00,520 --> 00:49:02,920 There is so much I could say. About this I literally I'm 726 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,640 considering creating a whole course around this just. 727 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:09,040 Teaching women from my personal experience and perspectives and 728 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:11,760 the trainings that I've done and the teachings and the workshops 729 00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:13,720 and everything that I've personally been a part of, I'm 730 00:49:13,720 --> 00:49:17,160 like, OK, I've been collecting this information for so long and 731 00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:20,760 I know this was just a brief overview of everything. 732 00:49:21,120 --> 00:49:25,760 I kind of want to create a course that is more in depth. 733 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:28,120 With everything that I've been talking about here because I 734 00:49:28,120 --> 00:49:31,280 know I can go so much deeper, but I wanted to keep it easy to 735 00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:34,880 understand quickly, applicable to our own lives. 736 00:49:35,360 --> 00:49:39,360 And you know, able to reach people no matter where they are 737 00:49:39,440 --> 00:49:41,640 in in their journey with their cycle. 738 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:46,280 So maybe I will make a course. But regardless, I I hope that 739 00:49:46,280 --> 00:49:51,600 this can be your permission to slow down, to listen in, and to 740 00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:54,480 build a relationship with yourself that honors every 741 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:58,600 season, every feeling, and every version of you without shame, 742 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:03,520 without stigmatizing yourself for anything that you've ever 743 00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:07,600 heard about the cycle. Let's start to rebrand our 744 00:50:07,600 --> 00:50:10,840 relationship with our bodies and our relationships with ourselves 745 00:50:10,840 --> 00:50:13,960 and with other women, with men, with people around the world who 746 00:50:14,440 --> 00:50:17,880 need to be reminded of the power of the womb. 747 00:50:18,120 --> 00:50:20,120 That you bleed every month and don't die. 748 00:50:20,960 --> 00:50:23,240 That is magic. That is power. 749 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:24,800 Thank you. So. 750 00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:27,320 Much for taking the. Time to be here with me today 751 00:50:27,680 --> 00:50:29,600 for listening, for sharing this space. 752 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:34,160 And if today's episode spoke to something in you, please feel 753 00:50:34,160 --> 00:50:36,560 free to share it with a friend who you think would also 754 00:50:36,560 --> 00:50:41,080 resonate and or leave a review. It helps more than you know. 755 00:50:41,680 --> 00:50:44,760 I'll be back next Tuesday with another episode, and until then, 756 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:48,400 open heart, open mind. Stay curious.