For me periods are sacred, since I suffered with oligomenorrhea. I started late (1x at 16, 17, 18, then slowly more per year, till I had one every 5 months). I only discovered around 28 that more women have this, my own GP could not explain it to me. He blamed my excess weight (I was about 8 kilos overweight!). All this lead to my feeling very insecure about myself as a proper "woman".
I am heading for menopause, and I don't find it fair! I only just started feeling like a woman since my periods became regular after the birth of my son (so for 19 years now). Of course, I exaggerate a bit here, but I believe this cleansing and cyclical time keeping does mean a lot to a "natural" woman and contributes to her womanhood. Not that you are NOT a woman without periods.... We should support each other in the complexities of these matters, so I applaud your addressing this somewhat taboo subject (especially in England and worse in America).
Hey sukhasanasister,
I'd like to tell you briefly how I feel in the menopause process.
The last five years have been one of the toughest in my life. Now I haven't had a period for 10 months and I feel very good with it.
The body and the psyche need a lot of power and energy for this cycle process of bleeding. This energy is at your full disposal with the menopause and you can redesign your life as a woman.
I can promise you that after the menopause, femininity will show itself from a completely different side. This is in no way worth less than the sexual component, which if we are honest, is what makes femininity before.
Now, in the menopause, femininity is in a certain way deeper and calmer, in its full force without distraction.
There is no need to show my femininity at the outside and its not important to be seen.
That was only a small empirical value of mine. Even if it seems to go downhill, it's worth it!
Love to you! Monja
Some fantastic and positive points made! You describe the invaluable crone, the matriarch all actually comes to rest upon! I even believe she is vibrantly dormant under the surface of the sexually feminine self (one I've never consciously experienced, myself with few secondary feminine characteristics to boot) and young women would know their path better if they became semi-conscious of this end-goal, already, when sexually mature. Otherwise they run the risk of following the men and becoming overly-sexualised. It is time women put their sexuality to higher spiritual purposes! May our sacrifice (bloodloss) testify to this.
Load of love back! Suki
I couldn't have said it better!
Hopefully the time will come when young girls will get initialisations from us old ladies again.
I see myself as being more likely to take away the women's fear of getting older.
Love, Monja
I think I have been older all my life. (Always with people up to 25 years my senior, grey for 25 years already, alone for 15 etc). Time to feel young at heart, at last. Hope osteoporosis, glaucoma, deafness and dementia doesn't get to me first!
Thank you very much for your feedback!! And so wonderful that you are telling a bit of your story. Somehow I'm sorry that it happened so fast. But you're right, being a woman is not just about the period. I hope you find your way in gratitude and the ability to let go. All the best for you!!!!! <3