Our True Nature

Today we will discuss coming back to a more natural state.

Awakening our feminine energy is not about adding on layers or becoming something “outside” of ourselves.

It is an unraveling. A peeling back of the layers and coming back to our natural state. 

Getting in touch with nature is the process of coming back to our wild nature, our inner rhythms and harmonizing our body with the greater body of the earth.

It is becoming aware of the concept of the microcosm and the macrocosm. Everything that can be found in the universe at large can also be found within the human body right down to the atomic level and vice versa.

Our human bodies are like a tiny version of the universe. Just like the universe has stars, planets and galaxies, our bodies have cells and organs and systems. Rivers flow along the earth, blood flows in our veins. We share a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with trees through our breath. We are part of the greater web of life and we can be nourished by reharmonizing our relationship with the natural world around us. 

How can we reconnect to the natural world?

-Stargazing, lie on the ground and gaze up into the stars. 

-Spend time outside, in the mountains, a forest, a beach–somewhere that is raw and “untamed” by humans. 

-Bathe(swim,play,etc.) in natural bodies of water. Water is feminine, flowing, soft, fluid. This is interesting to consider given that we are instructed to be baptized in natural bodies of water when possible. 

-Get daily sunshine, especially in the morning hours.

-Go on walks and hikes.

-Bring the elements inside your home– plants, shells, crystals, rocks, etc.

-Grounding, or sometimes it’s called earth-plugging. It’s a pretty simple concept–stand outside on the ground barefoot. 

When it is warm enough, spend some time outside on purpose, touching the earth. Lay in the grass for several minutes. Be mindful while doing it. 

Imagine yourself emptying all of your cares and troubles into the earth. Release anything that is weighing you down. 

Feel the energy of the earth coming into your body and filling you with fresh energy and vitality. There is a reason she is called mother earth. There is a reason that it is very healing and good for humans to spend time outside in physical contact with the earth. It is very healing for us. 

Do this whenever you feel out of sorts or disconnected from your body.
The earth is full of comforting and healing feminine energy. 

-Honor your cyclical nature. 

Just like nature goes through cycles and seasons, so do we.  Being connected to your feminine energy is not about being “on” all the time–always being happy and outgoing, always being sexy or sensual, soft and sweet, etc. 

As feminine beings it is natural to go through different inner seasons and cycles. We are like the moon, not the sun, in this way. 

If we don’t allow these states of expansion and retraction, we become exhausted. But if we will honor these different “seasons” it allows us to enter and emerge from each season/energy with an added layer of wisdom and depth. Contrary to popular belief, women DO get better with age and experience!

Mother nature is happy and sunny, light and airy, stormy and cold, dark and light, hot and cold, safe and comforting, treacherous and dangerous, soft and sharp….all of these things are what make her so breathtaking and awe inspiring. 

Manifest nature is decidedly female. It nurtures us with life and promotes our growth. It is beautiful, charming, complex, mysterious and seductive. It captures our minds and senses in its ever changing ways. Few question her awesome beauty and power, whether a supernova or delicate rose, the life-giving energy of the sun or the destructive power of earthquakes and hurricanes–she is impressive and should be honored. 

-Honor your menstrual cycle(even if you don’t bleed anymore)

Don’t always be in "do-do-do" or "go-go-go" mode. Rest is needed during our different phases. Track your cycle and know which phase you are in. 

Menstruation is a time for reflection, rest, journaling, your “inner winter”.

Follicular phase is a time for new projects, creativity, your energy starts rising, “spring”.

Ovulation is for social gatherings, working out–you’re strong, sexy, the most fertile, and feeling attractive, “summer”.

Luteal phase is the time to complete tasks, self care, preparing for your next cycle, winding down “fall/autumn”.

If you are in menopause or approaching it, look to the moon!

We all know that the moon cycles mirror a woman's menstrual cycle. Even though there are no hard and fast scientific studies proving that the moon cycle affects a woman's menstrual cycle, it is still a long standing tradition that they are somehow related and very similar. 

However, our bleeding cycles rarely sync up with the moon cycles with pregnancies, childbirth, breastfeeding, hormonal birth control, and hormone imbalances that are the plague of modern society, our cycles can feel like they are all over the map sometimes regardless of which phase the moon is in. 

Menopause is the time when we can align with the phases of the moon. Scientific research does show that after menopause, even though a woman’s ovaries no longer make female hormones, her adrenal glands keep making them in smaller amounts. She still continues to cycle as before, but the hormonal swings are not as pronounced and are more flexible. As a general guideline, when a woman is no longer having her period, she can consider the time of the new moon to be equivalent to the start of her period and the full moon to be equivalent to ovulation.

I should mention here that because so many women today are imbalanced and without sufficient levels of female hormones, they have chronic stress levels in their body. This eventually leads to fatigue of the adrenal glands which are the primary source of female hormones for women during and after menopause, and this can lead to so many of the unpleasant side effects in menopause that we hear so much about.

This highlights the great need we as women have to take care of ourselves! I have spent a fair amount of time researching good ways that women can support their bodies so that the transition into menopause can be as easy as possible. If this is of interest to any of you, I will write more about what I have learned and what I do for myself.

In the mean time, remember that feminine energy thrives when we honor our cyclical nature and inner rhythms.