There have been times when I’ve felt totally lost. Really chasing something that is only the illusion of an existence. Whether it’s thinking my life will finally be together if I get that new phone, or once things are in a certain place with my partner. I think the key to many things is what is right in front of us, which many times, we are unable to see.
With all of the distractions of capitalism, all of the online demands, etc. it is easy to feel overwhelmed, depressed, or other than what we’d like to feel. One key tool, that I’ve found to be grounding, and clarifying like no other, is to be aware of the cycles in and around us, and to live accordingly.
What cycles? Well, starting from the inside and working out. As women of child-bearing age who have monthly menstrual cycles, it is a time to honor ourselves, and to fully allow the natural healing process taking place to do so without interruption, and to go within. Some of our menses lines up with a particular phase of the moon– new, or full. If you are a woman whom doesn’t have regular monthly cycles, or you are menopausal, or postmenopausal, being aware of and in tune with the cycles of the moon is equally as important, because as women, we are innately connected to this powerful energy. In Chinese Medicine, we classify female energy into yin, which pertains to a whole series of categorizations. In the case of an outer influence that is visible to us is the moon.
Working outward from there, we can notice the particular season we are in, which is itself a cycle. Ancient wisdoms have long understood that acknowledging these changes by doing or refraining from certain foods, activities, etc, can help one to be healthier and happier. In modern times, we may make some seasonal associations, like the fall with the time for a flu shot, and winter with the holidays, but there is more still. Each season has its own energy, which directly affects us all.
Further still, out from seasonal cycles, is what is happening on a cosmological and astrological level. If you aren’t into astrology, that’s fine, but know that scientifically we live on a planet that is in a solar system with other planets, and that they have a relationship and exert influence to its inhabitants. Being aware of the particular zodiac that is dominating at a particular time can give some insight into what to focus on at a particular time. Since that energy is prevailing, it can be in a sense like a gift because we can ‘ride its wave’, so to speak.
It is important for you to genuinely notice yourself – how you may feel – at different times of year and seasons. There are several things to consider. How you feel may be due to your own individual health, how you respond to a particular season’s energy, where things are astrologically for you, or specific (past) events that transpired in your life around the same time, which you may or may not be aware of.
When we are aware of our cycles and the cycles surrounding us, we have access to a myriad of tools that can help us be healthier on all levels. (CLICK TO TWEET THIS!!!)
Stay tuned for our next blog, which further explores these cycles.
Love being a woman,
Dr. Danett
