Menstruation at one point in my life was unwelcomed by me. I found myself with deep rooted cramps and such irregular cycles that I would go 9 months sometimes without a regular cycle. To say the least, my cycles were not honored or sacred. I would stare in the mirror with my bloated belly and rip apart pieces of myself in my despair.
I am so, so, so, SO grateful that those days are long over.
As I began to explore more about the Sacred Feminine in Guatemala, I realized just how major menstruation is in honoring the Goddess and in honoring ourselves. Respecting the sacred cycle of shedding and honoring the moon blood, or menstrual blood, is such a huge part of The Sacred Feminine that I began to work ceremoniously with just that element. What was this blood that escaped me each month that was once worshipped and seen as the Elixir of Life? The Womb, or uterus, has been called by many historians the Holy Grail. I was so perplexed at this whole process and the lost significance.
One of the first practices that acquainted me much closer to my body and moon blood was using a menstrual cup. A menstrual cup is a silicon cup that is inserted into the vagina, or Yoni, like a tampon. The cup holds the moon blood away from the body, unlike a tampon which absorbs and holds the blood inside. After a messy hike tampon-less in rural Guatemala, I stumbled upon a small hippie-esque shop that carried a menstrual cup. I can proudly say, I have never gone back. My experience with a menstrual cup was epic, to say the least.
A couple years later I sat at the Goddess Temple of Ashland in Oregon during a Sacred Rent Tent ceremony. This sacred tipi held the space for menstruation and honored the rich moon blood. The level to which these women honored their moon blood, anointing themselves with it and releasing it into the earth, was like coming home for me. It felt like an OF COURSE moment. Of course this is the way it’s meant to be!
My own practices in honoring my moon blood have evolved over the years. With each cycle, I enjoy painting with my moon blood. I pour my moon blood over my plants (they love it and grow drastically afterwards!) I bless it at my own personal ceremonies. I have come to anticipate my cycle with excitement and marvel. I have brought my menstruation closer to that of the New Moon, a time focused on shedding, renewal and rebirth.
As soon as I stopped dreading my cycle and disempowering myself, my menstrual cramps were alleviated significantly and then my cycle began to become sacred. What is sacred is simply what we honor or respect, so honor that precious moon blood each month and thank your body for being healthy enough to continue the shedding process.
I will be talking more about how to use herbs in helping with cramps and menstruation and how they can aid in the sacred process.
Excited for your next cycle yet?
One of our main goals at GoddessCeremony.com is to empower women and make menstruation sacred again! You can learn more about menstruation, moon blood, hormone balance and more in our Embodied Wisdom moon course.
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