Aunt Flo is in town... It's shark week... She's on the rag... It's that time of the month... I must be PMSing...
As women we use slang and code words to refer to our periods because we are often uncomfortable talking about menstruation. From the second we reach puberty, we’re led to feel ashamed of our bodies and our reproductive cycles. Whether whispering to a friend to see if they have a tampon in school, missing out on swim days, or refusing to wear white, there has always been unspoken humiliation and embarrassment that comes with menstruation.
For years, women have struggled with their menstruation cycles. What is essentially a natural process has been considered “the curse.” Some women are now becoming more accepting when it comes to owning their yin energy. Women have been exploring their bodies and listening to their bodies’ rhythms. Constantly suppressing and denying our inner self leads to poor self esteem and complex defense mechanisms. By embracing and accepting your divine feminine, you step on a journey of self-love, self-improvement, and self-acceptance.
Spirituality and well-being – their role in a woman’s self-acceptance
So, how does one learn how to listen to their body? Get in tune with its rhythm? It’s simple, by getting in touch with your feminine being, the feminine divine spirituality. But what does divine feminine mean? Dating back to 5000 years BC and beyond, this concept can be illustrated as a trigger for ‘feminine consciousness and a new way of being in the world.’
Drawing from psychological and anthropological backgrounds, the divine feminine speaks to the role of nature and its rhythms in honoring your body. It identifies how connections with nature promote intuitiveness, further getting you attuned to your body. It says bravely that if God can be a male (as current society presumes) then so also can God be female.
According to scholar Judith Orodenker, the shame and guilt of our nature as women coupled with our patriarchal society has led to the repression of our femininity, which in turn has led to an ‘imbalance’ in not only our psyche but the psyche of society as well. If we take on this feeling of inferiority from the “sin of being born a woman” (Schaef) we discount positive aspects of femininity and instead try to conform to society’s expectations. When we learn to accept our femininity and face it, that’s when this balance is restored and the feeling of emptiness and dissatisfaction fade away. The study and respect of the divine feminine helps us understand our bodies and live in harmony with the nature of our femininity.
The connection between the moon and women’s cycles
In common archetypal symbolic language, men are related or ruled by the sun, while women are governed by the moon. As a woman, we experience a 28-29 day menstruation cycle every month, the same stands true for the lunar cycle as well.
When the moon and the womb symbolically join forces, they create a woman’s natural rhythm of life. The two phases that are most commonly celebrated by moon circles are the new moon phase and the full moon phase. Each phase of the moon is correlated to the menstruation cycle of a woman, which is why we experience different moods and different emotions.
The New Moon
The new moon represents a time of opportunity, a time to get clear on our intentions and get ready as the moon is about to swell gradually in fullness to manifest those desires “as the tides come.” The new moon is most often associated with the menstruation phase of our cycle, although of course we are not necessarily in sync with her cycles exactly.
Greek Moon Goddess Selene is pictured in this painting, who was known to drive her moon chariot across the heavens.
The Full Moon
The full moon phase represents nourishment, expansion and celebration. It can described as a time of fulfillment. Through the moon, we understand the art of living, we are given the wisdom to envision, plan, grow, reflect and manifest, thereby maintaining a steady balance in our lives. The full moon is a time for thanksgiving for what gifts we have been given and to celebrate what blessings we have reaped in the past cycle. Just after the full moon peaks we will begin anew to set our intentions for the next cycle.
History of moon circles
Moon circles draw their origin from ancient American indigenous cultures. In these moon mythologies, it is believed that women were heavily burdened by the struggles of their families. Legend has it that women derived the power of the feminine from the moon, wherein during their menstruation cycles, they channel the power of the moon and their flow is a form of cleansing. This was referred to as the ‘woman’s moon time or time of the moon.’ (More in this article from Mushkiki.com.)
In order to understand the link between the moon and women, women started exploring new methods to look inward and build this relationship. This led to sacred gatherings of women meeting together to honor and celebrate their bond with the moon, commonly known as ‘moon circles’. These circles were used to connect with their divine feminine. It was also seen as a means for grounding, centering and obtaining wisdom.
The first mention of women’s circles in psychology was by Carl Jung who provided insight on female archetypes and their role in nurturing the collective consciousness and unconsciousness. In Mexico, these circles have been present since the 16th century, however, they were suppressed shortly after their emergence. Many instances of women’s spiritual groups have been repressed through history, such as mass burnings of accused witches. Despite the opposition from society, these circles have seen immense growth in the last fifty years, welcoming all women and non-binary people.
How the moon circle helps you get in tune with your body’s rhythm
A moon circle is a safe space, a sisterhood of healing and transformation. It allows women to open up, be their authentic selves and share their thoughts freely. It is also a space to exchange experiences, in order to tap into a spiritual realm. It helps like-minded women come together and speak their truth. It aids the process of healing and transformation, helping women gain the confidence to look inward and be unafraid to express their unique selves.
For years, we have been subject to judgement, criticized and shamed for our innate nature. This safe space helps women take a step towards breaking through the many layers of discrimination and exploring their matriarchal core. This, further, helps them appreciate and celebrate their bodies and their nature, making them comfortable in their skin and more in tune with their body’s rhythm.
Find a moon circle and heal with other women
The first step to honoring your body and your femininity is to accept other women’s individuality and understand the complexity of what it means to be a woman. Once we dig deep and find acceptance of the inner space within us, we break free of the reins of society. Take time to appreciate the different life cycles that make us who we are and strengthen your bond with nature. It’s time to let your femininity prevail! Bathe your sacral chakra in this energy and feel yourself imbibe all that is necessary for you to heal and balance the chakra while letting go of all that is unwanted.
I offer online women’s circles and women’s coaching for those who are looking to take back their passion for life, their personal power and rediscover self-acceptance and their dreams. Check my events page for any circles and join my email list to learn healing practices and get first notice of events.
Resources
- Dixon, Joy. Divine feminine: Theosophy and feminism in England. Vol. 119. JHU Press, 2001.
- Mollenkott, Virginia Ramey. The divine feminine: The biblical imagery of God as female. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2014.
- Morales, M. D. R. R. Feminine spiritualities: the case of women’s circles.
- Ruether, Rosemary. “Goddesses and the divine feminine.” In Goddesses and the Divine Feminine. University of California Press, 2005.
- Schaef, Anne Wilson. “Women’s Reality.” Harper San Francisco, 1991.
- Stone, Merlin. “Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood.” Beacon Press, 1991.
- Zweig, Connie. “To be a woman : the birth of the conscious feminine.” Los Angeles : J.P. Tarcher; New York : distributed by St. Martin’s Press, 1990.
