THE FOUR PHASES (& INNER SEASONS) OF THE FEMININE CYCLE
‘What is wrong with me?’ I wondered aloud, tears streaming down my face and soaking into my pillow. ‘This is not normal, I must be depressed. Maybe I should go see someone...’
It was 3pm, and despite having written out a list as long as my arm of things I had wanted to achieve that day, all I’d done was lie in my bed, take multiple naps and spend hours doom scrolling. The only time I’d left my room was to eat and no matter how many times I’d tried, I simply could not muster the energy to get myself out of bed.
I was disappointed in myself for wasting the whole day and confused, because I didn’t understand why only yesterday I had been clear headed, motivated and easily able to work on my projects, but today I felt foggy, doubtful of myself and my path and barely had the mental or physical energy to leave my bed.
Why had I felt so happy and grateful for my life two days ago, but now suddenly everything felt horrible and I could barely stand to be in my own skin?
Why had it been so easy to get to the gym, complete all of my workouts and eat healthy last week, but now it was physically impossible to lift the same weights and stick to my diet plan because my cravings and appetite were out of control?
Why had I been so excited to be social and see my friends last week, but now all I wanted was to cancel all of my plans and stay at home by myself?
After experiencing these same erratic mood swings and fluctuating energy levels over and over I began to convince myself that perhaps I might have an undiagnosed mental health condition... because why else would I feel happy, optimistic and certain of my path in life one day, and then completely miserable, hopeless and lost the next? It just didn’t make sense. How could things change so radically from one day to another?
Every time I began to consider if it was time to book myself an appointment with a doctor or a therapist however, my period would arrive. ‘So that’s why I’ve been feeling so horrible,’ I would sigh with relief. ‘It was just PMS.’
Unfortunately, I continued to remain ignorant of my menstrual cycle for the duration of my twenties, which led me to continue this exact same pattern each month; experiencing a radical change in my energy levels, mood and outlook on life - convincing myself that I had mental health issues - and then realising it was just PMS as soon as my bleed started. But finally at the age of 29, I decided to educate myself on the female cycle and started tracking my period. It was only then that I was able to let go of the fear that I was losing my mind and truly began to understand myself as a woman, breaking the cycle of frustration and confusion I had been trapped in for the past 15 years.
It is now my mission to share what I have learnt and educate other women on the feminine cycle, so that they too, can understand themselves more fully, embody more of their divine feminine energy and reclaim their power.
THE FOUR PHASES OF THE FEMININE CYCLE
Up until a few years ago I believed that the term ‘menstrual cycle’ only referred to the days that a woman bleeds. What I have since come to learn is that our menstrual cycle is not just the 3-7 days that we have our period, but rather a monthly cycle made up of four different phases that we move through every 26-32 days. These four phases are;
1. MENSTRUATION
2. FOLLICULAR
3. OVULATION
4. LUTEAL
Each phase works together in preparing the body for pregnancy and has its own specific purpose and function, which are responsible for causing the physical, emotional and energetic changes we experience every month.
So what happens physically during each phase?
Phase 1 Menstruation: during the menstruation phase, if a woman has not fallen pregnant, the uterus begins to shed its lining and women experience their bleed.
Phase 2 Follicular: during the follicular phase the pituitary gland releases FSH, a follicle stimulating hormone that is sent to stimulate the growth of eggs in the ovaries. The body prepares to release an egg.
Phase 3 Ovulation: during this phase an egg is released from the ovaries into the fallopian tube where it waits to be fertilised by sperm.
Phase 4 Luteal: during this phase the body prepares the uterus for pregnancy creating a thick lining so that a fertilized egg can implant itself in the uterus, if fertilization does not occur – the body sheds this lining, resulting in a woman getting her period, and starting the cycle over again.
Like most women, I had been taught this information at school and as an adult had read about what happens within our bodies during each phase of the menstruation cycle many times, however it wasn’t until I made a connection between the four phases of the feminine cycle with the four seasons of mother nature, that I truly began to understand myself and my body.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INNER SEASONS AS A FEMININE BEING
Viewing the four phases of the menstrual cycle in correlation with the four seasons of nature allows us to comprehend what is happening within ourselves beyond just the physical changes we experience each month. Each phase holds a different energy, calling for us to think, behave and move in different ways. By working with your cycle instead of against it, you will learn how to honour yourself in each phase and flow with your inner seasons effortlessly.
VIEWING THE 4 PHASES OF THE FEMININE CYCLE AS THE FOUR SEASONS OF NATURE
Menstruation = Winter
Follicular = Spring
Ovulation = Summer
Luteal = Autumn
PHASE: MENSTRUATION
SEASON: WINTER
THEME: HIBERNATION = REST + REFLECT + RELEASE
ENERGY + HORMONES: are at their lowest so expect to feel = tired, fatigued, extra sensitive, highly emotional, low mood.
GOOD TIME TO:
+ Reflect & go inwards
+ Spend time alone & practice self love
+ Plan & organise the month ahead
+ Yoga, Pilates & walks in nature
REFRAIN FROM:
+ Social outings
+ Making big/important decisions
+ Putting pressure on yourself to be productive or get things done
+ Heavy / intense workouts
*PEACE * QUIET * SLOW DOWN * SHED * LET GO * RECHARGE * SPACE * ALONE TIME * WISDOM * SENSITIVITY *
PHASE: FOLLICULAR
SEASON: SPRING
THEME: REBIRTH + FRESH START + NEW BEGINNING
ENERGY + HORMONES: are on the rise so expect to feel = energised, renewed, curious & optimistic
GOOD TIME TO:
+ Start a new project
+ Learn + read + research
+ Try something new
+ Endurance / resistance training / hikes
REFRAIN FROM:
+ Getting stuck in planning/procrastination mode, make the most of your energised state & take action
+ Making impulsive decisions as a result of your optimistic & excited energy
* FOCUSED * ENERGISED * PRODUCTIVE * HAPPY * CURIOUS * RENENWED * OPTIMISTIC *
PHASE: OVULATION
SEASON: SUMMER
THEME: CONFIDENCE + EXPRESSION
ENERGY + HORMONES: are at their highest so expect to feel = confident, magnetic, energised, wanting to be seen by the world & flirty because sexual energy is peaking
GOOD TIME TO:
+ Be social & nurture your relationships
+ Take big action towards your goals
+ Get your hardest/most unappealing tasks of the month done
+ Heavy weight training / HIIT / long hikes
REFRAIN FROM:
+ Allowing high libido to lead you to make impulsive (& potentially unaligned) choices
+ Socialising/dating for the sake of it
+ Serving & pouring into people who may not deserve your energy
* EXPRESSIVE * CONFIDENT * PLAYFUL * FLIRTY * CREATIVE * POTENT
PHASE: LUTEAL
SEASON: AUTUMN
THEME: GO INARDS + MORE REST + LESS STRESS
ENERGY + HORMONES: are dropping so expect to feel = low, irritable, cranky, anxious, depressed – this is when the feminine experiences most of her PMS
GOOD TIME TO:
+ Isolate, nurture yourself deeply & practice self care
+ Prepare for hibernation & clean/clear out your space
+ Work on projects in silence ; edit & review rather than working on something new
+ Ease back in the gym /replace one or two of your weighted workouts with Pilates or yoga
REFRAIN FROM:
+ Committing to social outings
+ Offering yourself / services to others
+ Spending too much time on social media
+ Pushing yourself to perform as usual
* LOWER ENERGY * MORE SPACE * MOODY * LESS ACTIVE * MORE REST* ALONE TIME * LESS FOCUS / CONCENTRATION* ALCHEMY * THE SURRENDER BEFORE THE BIG RELEASE (MENSTRUATION) *
As women, we have been encouraged to neglect our cyclical nature, but by learning about our cycles, reconnecting to our wombs and aligning our diets, exercise and lifestyles with our inner seasons, we are able to regain access to our inner wisdom and take back our power, and flow through life with so much more ease and grace. Becoming acquainted with my cycle and living in accordance with my inner seasons has completely transformed my relationship with myself and the way I move through the world, and it is my only hope that this information can help to change your life too.
Trusting and surrendering to the process of life, always. Gem x