The fact I’m writing this article seems like a giant joke from the universe.
Because, truthfully, I used to HATE my womb—and my period—with a vengeance. It was little more than an inconvenience to me (and a painful one, at that). I despised being a woman and everything that came with it.
The idea of *honouring* my menstrual cycle would’ve been laughable to teenage me.
But when I discovered menstrual cycle awareness and started leaning into my body as a source of wisdom… I realised my cycle is AWESOME.
Not only is it a miracle of nature—thank you very much—it’s also the key to unstoppable productivity, creativity, and power.
In fact, when I bleed, I feel like I’m making direct contact with the divine feminine.
I often find that when I slow down and create space for myself during my period, I receive incredible intuitive “downloads” and insight to help me solve any problems I’m having and move closer towards my calling with confidence.
Sound good to you?
Here are 3 sacred rituals you can try out to experience this beautiful connection to your menstrual cycle (and change your relationship to your body forever).
1. Surrender to your womb magic
This ritual is the simplest, easiest way to honour your cycle and basically figure out what the heck you’re doing with your life.
It’s all about taking it easy and ‘clearing the clutter’ so you can receive the feminine wisdom your body wants to share with you.
(Alexandra and Sjanie from Red School call this kind of ritual “bleeding on it”. I call it “womb magic”. You can call it whatever you like!)
The best time to practice this is day 1 of your bleed, if possible.
Here’s how to do it:
- Create a sacred space for yourself. Light a candle, smudge the room, play some calming music, and get super comfy. Set aside as much time as you can to just be with yourself.
- Connect with your womb space. Start by simply feeling into this often-ignored area, before practicing a nourishing womb breathwork meditation. Notice how she responds to your attention.
- Set an intention, or ask for advice. Write down (or say aloud) an issue you need a little guidance with. Ask your womb for her take on the whole thing. Let her know you’ll trust whatever she shares with you.
- Allow the wisdom to move through you. Let go of trying to solve the issue and instead pay attention to any physical sensations, random ideas, or intuitive insights. They might come… or they might not. Stay open.
- Stay aware throughout your bleed. The answer might not come straight away, and that’s okay. Trust that it will come when you’re ready to receive it. Continue to pay close attention to any inspiration, synchronicities, or dreams you experience during your period.
To close the ritual, thank your womb for her wisdom.
If you feel called, it can also be lovely to work with plant medicine as part of this ritual, such as ceremonial-grade cacao!
2. Get creative with your blood
If you really want to embrace the messiness of our body (and our life), it doesn’t get much better than painting with period blood.
Yep, you read that right.
Painting with your blood is a gorgeous way to TOTALLY transform the way you relate to your period.
At first, I felt totally grossed out by this idea—I mean, is it hygienic? What if it goes everywhere? Isn’t this just… wrong?
But I live by the motto that I’ll try anything once.
And once I did, I truly started seeing my blood as a sacred part of myself and my experience of being a woman. I stopped seeing it as something which needed to be disposed of as quickly as possible and started appreciating it for its function.
(After all, period blood is bursting with stem cells, which makes it pretty freakin’ precious.)
For this ritual, you’ll need to gather a few pieces of equipment, such as:
- Menstrual cup (to collect your blood)
- Glass jar (to keep the blood)
- Paintbrushes (or your fingers!)
- Canvas or watercolour pad
- Water
Here’s how to do it:
- Collect your blood and transfer it into a glass jar. Try to stay mindful as you do this and notice any reactions which arise.
- Set up your creative space. Get your canvas or watercolour pad ready, pop on some music, and tune in to see what your womb wants to create on the page.
- Start painting. Stay connected to your womb space as you allow the paintbrush to slide across the surface. Notice how it feels to bring an ‘internal’ thing (which usually stays so hidden) out into the open.
Paint for as long as feels right for you. Then hang ’em up somewhere with pride!
3. Return your blood to the earth
This ritual is all about letting nature know you’re ready to truly embrace your womanhood (perhaps for the first time).
I first heard about this from Uma Dinsmore-Tuli but I believe its roots lie in Australian Aboriginal culture.
It works as a retrospective menarche ceremony to let mother earth know that you’ve ‘arrived’, as well as to mark and celebrate your first period.
This is a beautiful way to honour our cycle, since in the West it’s often seen as an uncomfortable or embarrassing issue which needs to be handled as discreetly as possible.
Personally I held this ritual in a local park, and every time I visit the park I’m reminded of my journey up until that point.
It’s almost like my life is split between who I was before this ritual and who I’ve become since (i.e. a woman who utterly embraces herself, her body, and her spiritual connection).
Here’s how to do it:
- Find a beautiful stone. My suggestion is to go out into nature and pick a stone you feel called to. You could also use a crystal, if that feels more meaningful to you.
- Smooth your blood on one side of the stone. The easiest way to do this is to use a menstrual cup of collected blood to ‘paint’ it onto the stone with your fingers.
- Bury the stone ‘face down’ in the earth. Make sure the blood-covered side is facing down into the soil. You can bury it in your own garden or choose a picturesque spot in nature. Use your intuition to pick a place that feels right for you.
Once you’ve buried your stone, you can also mark this moment in time by treating yourself to something pleasurable, like your favourite meal, a warm bath with epsom salts, or a new piece of jewellery.
Remember to let your womb be your guide!
