Menstrual phase / inner winter

Including notes on cycle tracking, the menstrual phase and menstruality concepts surrounding cycle days 1 - 6.

"Whether you’re greatly affected by your periods, or they don’t trouble you at all, they do quite literally, rule our lives. They are one of the oldest systems of measurement and evidence of our internal tides" (Maisie Hill, Period power)

Those of us with a menstrual cycle are cyclical beings living in a linear world. Menstrual Cycle Awareness teaches us how to live more cyclically by checking in with ourselves withing the context of our cycle days. Like many others I find it helpful and inspiring to relate the phases of menstrual cycle to other natural cycles like that of the moon, time of day, seasons of the year and plants. It helps me give myself permission to lean into the different phases, and especially to take a break during menstruation, which, like winter, is all about hibernation 😗. Traditional Chinese medicine has lots of original insights into menstrual cycle too. This is also where the five elements and corresponding emotions come from.

CD1: Separation*

 Cycle day 1, which marks the beginning of bleed, is described by the Red school* as "separation", which I quite like, and it relates nicely to a line from Period power, which says that /with the arrival of blood/ your ego experiences a collapse and you’re finally able to let go. And ofc since we are talking about cycles, the end is also the beginning, as cliché as it sounds 

CD2: Surrender*

Cycle day 2 is dubbed by the Red school* as "Surrender" and is connected with the release of tension, deep letting go, grief, relief and grounding to the Earth. In my experience I actually feel so grounded, as if I am almost below ground, like there's a hole in the Earth that swallows me whole. I don't really have an ego or agenda, I'm just drifting around in my own period bubble.

At this point I can't help myself but be as horizontal as possible and I try to schedule my days to accommodate it (which with a part time job is sometimes doable and sometimes it's not). Rest here is crucial, as it affects the whole cycle to come, and here's a good quote that goes with it:

"Your body's ability to destress depends on downtime, and downtime at menstruation is one of the most effective and efficient ways to soothe and repair your nervous system" Red school / Wild Power.

CD3: Renewal*

Day 3 is known as Renewal (by Red school*). If you're lucky it can be accompanied by oxytocin wash, which is behind the feelings of bliss, oneness, belonging, safety and restoration at menstruation. Oxytocin usually gets released through touch, but also when womb contracts as you bleed, kind of as a natural pain reliever. Tasks at this point of the cycle are still to rest and receive. Even though it doesn't look like it from the outside, this is a deeply creative part of the cycle. There's a lot of subconscious integrating going on and if I rest properly I tend to find lots of clarity (on basically any question I have, they call this idea "bleed on it" in the Wild power) and new ideas (sometimes fully formed, just downloading themselves into my brain).

CD4: Visioning*

Whenever I hit day 4, without exception, you will see me reaching for my planner, study my upcoming days and pencil down new activities, dates, trips, ideas✍. According to Red school*, cycle day 4 is called "Visioning" and I am not surprised. Menstruation in general is a time when intuition is at its highest, but especially after a couple of days of lounging around (if you can!), suggestions for life could pop in your lap💫. I'm pretty sure the idea for creating an intuitively illustrated cycle journal has come to me during bleed and has been broken down into doable tasks and written in my planner on day 4. Our cycles can be magically predictable like that! 

CD 5: Clarity & direction*

Cycle day 5 gives me a sense of emerging, like I'm curiously peeking out of the period cave (Red school* calls this day Clarity and Direction). I often feel a certain kind of emptiness, like I've processed everything on my plate, and I start to uncover a newborn interest in the outside world. But I can still feel quite vulnerable and in order for this transition to be gentle, I need to be cautious of what external stimuli I bring into my space. Too much too quickly and I'll end up back in my cocoon again!

CD 6: Transition to follicular phase

Day 6 for me has that rush of energy to pick things up and start moving again. I love the visual metaphor of the person walking away, still wearing their winter coat patterned with wild animals and a hint of their red dress underneath it.

Cycle 6 is where I tend to experience the transition from menstrual to follicular phase. However, amongst people who menstruate, our cycles vary in total length, which influences the length of each phase too. And of course each cycle experience is influenced by one million other things too, so the way you define and experience the phases of your cycle is totally up to you!