06/03/2023
After a gentle unfolding into 2023, May ripped through me like a lightning bolt, and I’ve been feeling behind as summer blooms.
Weeks ago, I ovulated on the new moon. I cruised through my luteal phase: working on the yurt, planting the garden, tending to my brood, making new connections, and catching up with old friends. I rode those estrogen fumes long past ovulation and didn’t prepare for my bleeding phase as I usually do.
Yesterday morning, I returned home from celebrating a friend’s birthday, and as I unloaded my things I busted my toe on a rock in the driveway. When I went inside to clean the wound and use the bathroom after a long drive, I found my moon had also arrived.
All week, I knew it was coming. I’d been ignoring my body’s call to slow down. My living space was a wreck, my clothes were dirty, I hadn’t made food or even gotten groceries.
Instead of being angry with myself for not preparing for my blood, or upset with my body like I may have been years ago, I felt an overwhelming gratitude for the opportunity to reflect on how I’ve grown.
It’s been 3 full years honoring the voice of my womb. It is incredible to me how naturally my life has shifted to prioritize my well-being through choosing to surrender to the intelligence of my cycle.
I spend the bleeding phase resting, tending to my body's deepest wants and needs, grieving and setting goals for the next cycle. The rise of Progesterone in my luteal phase invites me to slow down, stock up on foods, and prepare my home for release. I willingly surrender to the pause, because I feel a sense of accomplishment through harnessing the rise of estrogen in my follicular and ovulatory phases, which supports me in being active and social, and working on creative projects.
I'm amazed by how little conscious effort this demands now that I'm settled in the flow and guided by my intuition.
On this full moon, I’m not enjoying my bleeding phase as much as I usually might, but I’m grateful for the reminder of my growth and progress. and for little seeds I’m planting for a future in which all of us are supported to surrender to the cyclical wisdom and pure magic of our bodies.