Historically, a ritual is all about being present in the moment, giving gratitude to what is happening to you at this time, connecting with yourself and your feelings. A ritual can be a truly transformative experience that shifts your energy, thinking, and emotions in the direction you wish them to go. This means, your menstruation phase, your period, is the perfect time to create and take part in a special ritual.Menstruation is when you reassess and reset for the month ahead. You look back, you look forward and you look within to you deepest hopes, dreams and desires for your life. It’s a time to be still and to listen to your body. This is your chance to let go and your chance to make resolutions.Personally, my period-time is when I like to listen to my inner voice, my truth and let my soul guide me for the month ahead. I use my ritual to set my intentions for the next cycle. It helps me to focus, but it’s also about taking time for myself - to do something that honors my cycle, my body, and all that it does for me. It lets me find stillness, calm and peace in my otherwise busy life. It’s a little date I keep with myself, that I never cancel on and that reminds me to check back in with my body as often as I can.
Ritualizing your whole cycle
Of course, living in my Flo means that I actually ritualize my whole cycle - I have certain foods I eat, teas I drink and activities I do specifically during each phase of my cycle so as to work in harmony with my hormonal shifts. Creating a period ritual can be a good place to start this practice of listening to your body and cycle-syncing your life. Your period is easy to take notice of, it’s so colorful. Once you tune in at this time, you’ll find it easier to tune in during the rest of your cycle, to sense and feel out those hormonal shifts - from the energetic optimism of the follicular phase to the analytical determination of the luteal phase. If you’re having period problems - whether that’s cramps, heavy bleeding, headaches, bloating - paying attention to these symptoms and then really hearing your body’s requests can actually help you to understand the root causes of these issues. It can help you reassess your stress levels, diet, work out routine, work patterns and relationships. You need to know how you truly feel about your period to know if there’s something that needs to change in your life. Sometimes we need the transformative and healing experience of a ritual to make that change.
My favorite period rituals to honor my cycle
I’ll practice my period ritual at any time of the day, whenever I can make space for it. This changes from month to month. I change my ritual depending on how much time I can take to myself - which depends on the needs of my baby daughter these days, as well as working on FLO Living! I’m sure you’re in the same boat as me, so I’m happy to report that it is possible to take the time that you need without guilt or anxiety. Tea Ritual: If you have just 15 minutes If I have just a little time to spare, I’ll sit down for a quiet moment and perform a tea ritual. I’ll make myself a wonderful, hormone-balancing cup of raspberry leaf tea with nettle. Or I’ll make up a batch of my golden milk. It takes a little time, and it’s slow, contemplative, so it can feel quite meditative. Plus, you know you’re taking care of yourself in choosing to do this - that feels good. Golden milk is the ultimate hormone-balancing concoction, and it’s also warming, soothing, and delicious. The combination of turmeric, coconut oil, coconut milk, sweeteners, and spices is warming and rejuvenating, and it’s something I recommend to women with all kinds of endocrine issues. Here’s my recipe: Golden Paste Ingredients1/2 cup organic turmeric powder1 cup water1.5 teaspoons black pepper5 tablespoons virgin coconut oilDirections
- In a stainless steel pot, cook the water, turmeric, and black pepper until it forms a thick paste, stirring and cooking for about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add virgin coconut oil, using a whisk to fully mix in the coconut oil.
- Transfer the Golden Paste into a glass jar with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- You will use this paste to make your Golden Milk below.
Golden MilkIngredients:1 teaspoon Golden Paste2 cups coconut milk1/8 teaspoon vanilla (optional)Raw honey [or stevia] to taste (optional)Pinch cinnamon (optional)Directions
- In a stainless steel pot, gently heat, but do not boil, 2 cups of milk with 1 teaspoon of golden paste.
- A whisk is helpful to fully mix the paste into the milk.
- Add optional vanilla, honey [or stevia], and/or cinnamon.
Home Spa Ritual: If you have 30 minutes If I have a little more time during my period I will hold space for a more meditative, self-care centered ritual. I’ll take a nice hot, long shower and use my favorite facial and body scrubs to cleanse. This makes me feel refreshed. Perhaps only moms can know how nice it is to take a luxuriously long shower, undisturbed! Meditation Ritual: If you have even just 5 minutesSometimes, I’ll just light a candle and get comfortable in a cosy room, then hold my favorite crystal in my hand (bloodstone or tiger’s eye are clearing, grounding and blood-tonifying crystals, perfect for the menstrual phase). I’ll breathe deeply for a few moments. I’ll meditate, stay still and quiet, and listen. My intention is to connect with my soul and what it needs right now. My intuition is powerful at this time. As I listen, I’ll make notes of any thoughts that may arise in my mind that I feel I need to pay attention to, in my journal. These are the thoughts I might consider acting on once my menstruation has passed and I am in the active, energetic, get-it-done follicular phase. After you’ve observed your ritual, observe how you feel - do you feel differently about your period? Your body? How does this impact how you navigate the rest of your cycle? Let me know, I love hearing from you! Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this - the science of your body is on your side!to your FLO,AlisaGood things come in threes:
I want to hear from you!
First, do you see your menstrual week as a time for more self care? Second, do you struggle to take time for yourself during menstruation? Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social ;)
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