Mysticism of the Menstrual Cycle: The Call to Return Home

The menstrual cycle has long been understood by many indigenous traditions to be a time of deep introspection, a moment to pause and re-connect to the womb of mother earth, and to the ancient truths of the world that can seen through the heart, ever transformed through the creative force of the womb. When a woman is in complete alignment with the cycles of nature and is grounded fully into the physical form, this can be a time of heightened awareness and expanded consciousness. This cycle does not only represent the creation of life in the form of a precious baby, but includes the process of ALL creation, ALL birth, the whole movement of life, death and resurrection. Even after a woman has moved through the great life transition of menopause, from a Chinese medicine perspective, this blood is not lost but is now retained. If there is balance and harmony in the body and life, this blood flows back up to nourish the head and sensory orifices of the eyes, nose, ears and mouth so that one’s inner sight may become more sensitive, receptive, and still.

In the Chinese medicine tradition, menstrual blood is referred to as “tian gui” or heavenly water. This blood is a combination of both the “pre-heaven qi” of the kidneys and the “post heaven natal qi” of the spleen and stomach, a merging of spirit and earth. The uterus connects downward with the kidneys via a meridian called the Bao Luo, and upward to the heart via a vessel called the Bao Mai. TCM texts say that ‘it is the Uterus, Heart and Kidneys that form the core of reproductive activity.’ In western medicine, they are a part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis, which plays a major role in regulating one’s stress responses, basic life functions, and balancing the entire endocrine system…creating, releasing and regulating the hormones associated with the menstrual cycle. When out of balance we may see anxiety, panic attacks, fright, fear, hopelessness, depression, insomnia, night sweats, etc. This axis represents our ability to trust in life, trust in ourselves, and act from the heart which knows no separation.

Just as the moon moves through its own phases, you can see this movement mirrored in the waxing and waning of a woman’s cycle as directed by the interplay of hormones, and yin and yang energetics. Each phase is generally governed by different organs and elements, bringing our focus to different aspects of life and creation. This cycle is no different from the cycles of nature we see all around us, and in just the same way, offers us an opportunity to understand the phases of our lives more intimately, as well as the different capacities and needs we have during these times.

In the first phase we have Menstruation or the Blood Phase (days 1-7). During this time, the uterus sheds its lining in preparation for the next phase, and levels of estrogen and progesterone would be at their lowest. This is a time of rest and deep introspection and can be considered a sacred time where all energy should be directed inward. This phase is governed by water and winter. Often the focus here is on supporting the free flow of qi, and the release of old stagnant blood (memory and emotion) that may result in darker menstruation and clots if there was any repression to begin with. It is the liver that courses and holds the blood in Chinese medicine, and being a wood element organ, represents the coming spring, and the birth in death, shedding, and renewal. This release of old energy is what creates space for new life to be born, in all ways. Any qi deficiency, stagnation or heat or cold trapped in these organs can lead to symptoms such as cramps, pain and headaches as the body attempts to return to a harmonious state of being.

In the second phase we have the Follicular Phase or the Yin Phase (7-14 days after menses). Yin energy is related to coolness, moisture and rest. During this time, the body is replenishing resources, gathering and pulling together what is necessary to create. The immature egg follicles develop in the ovaries to prepare for potential conception. Estrogen levels, controlled by Kidney yin, rise gradually to assist in the maturation of the eggs. In Chinese medicine this growth of yin and blood are the necessary components for nourishing life. It is these grounding, earthy energies that allow us to experience the divine in human form. The rebuilding of the uterine lining and development of new follicles, new possibilities, relates this phase to Wood or Spring. Creative energy typically flows with more ease during this time.

In the third phase we have Ovulation or the Yang Phase (the 3-5 days halfway through your cycle). This is the highest point of yang energy and can be associated with the Fire element, and the Summer – pure life, abundance, warmth, expansion, a dream brought into its fullest expression. During this time, the body is the most fertile and if there is sufficient yang and qi, the release of a mature egg from one of the ovaries is possible. Estrogen levels drop after the release, and progesterone levels rise. This phase represents action and movement, connection with others, and engagement with the world. Despite this being a yang phase, it is Kidney yin that is responsible for the creation of cervical mucus and the opening of the cervix during ovulation, reflecting the substance necessary to manifest visions.

And finally, we have the fourth phase, the Luteal/Pre-menstrual Phase or Qi Phase (days 21-28 in a 28-day cycle). After ovulation, the empty follicle, having released its egg, transforms into the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. This corpus luteum is like a temporary endocrine gland that works to produce the resources necessary for pregnancy to occur and be maintained. Progesterone can be understood as Kidney Yang energy, which puts the will of the soul into action and transforms the fear of life into embodied wisdom. This energy brings the warmth of the sun, the heart, into all the places of the body where there is trapped consciousness. If the pregnancy does not occur, progesterone levels decrease, a new cycle begins, and it is time again for a descent into the silence of the inner world. Life continues, even if in unexpected ways, and the understandings become more and more profound. This phase can be related to the Metal element, or Autumn. This element from an esoteric view in Chinese medicine is often related to sadness and grief, emotions which, when brought to their fruition, reveal to us what matters most in life, and what must be released to create space for what is both new and ancient, eternal and fleeting. It is the metal element which allows us to breathe new life into the body, and cosmic truth.

Although we do not see earth represented as a specific phase here, it is only because the entirety of the menstrual cycle is earth. Being a woman, is being personified Earth, our blood imprinted with spirit, emotion, memory and the stories of our ancestors. The body is earth. The blood is earth. All transitions and in between places are earth. That force which holds new life is earth, and it is to this element that we return during every death of our lives to be transformed in the waters of infinite potential, sight and love, carried in her womb.