As sacred as our periods are, they are an actual, literal pain. For decades, women have been plying their bodies with ibuprofren and other pain killers to help us alleviate the symptoms of PMS, which works only to put a numbing barrier between our personal connections with our own femininity, rather than help us embrace the cycle as a beautiful part of the female life.

We came across LADYFLOW last summer at The Wellness Market and were immediately intrigued. With a slogan like “Feminine Essentials for the Creative Feminine” it seemed pretty aligned. Because nothing will dull your creativity more than being stuck in bed with debilitating period cramps right?

LADYFLOW is an artisanal line of natural menstrual care products that “empowers women to align with their cyclical rhythms”. The line includes pelvic oils, specially formulated teas and salt soaks that work with our bodies to balance and soothe our cycles naturally, rather than dull our bodies to them.

We spoke with Elaine Clark, Nutritionist, writer, women’s health pioneer, and founder of LADYFLOW to learn more about why she started the company, how our cycles are connected to our creativity and the moon and tips on how we can honour our periods instead of dreading them.

What made you start this company?

Over the past 10 years, I’ve been fully engaged in deep transpersonal work. I’ve spent countless hours healing deep wounds, working with nutritional medicine, managing my hormonal imbalances and training with qualified healers and practitioners. When I began partnering with my body and my health, everything changed for me. What I know for sure is that our health is one of the most important influences in our ability to create. LADYFLOW was born out of my passion to help women partner with their bodies and attune to their cyclical health so they can feel abundantly creative. I’m deeply passionate about supporting the modern, ambitious woman looking to leverage her health as the foundation to her creative journey.

How are our menstrual cycles aligned with our “creative potential”?

Women’s bodies are governed by hormonal wisdom that mirrors a kind of creative process. The monthly development of a follicle followed by pregnancy or the release of menstrual flow can be viewed like a creative process. I remember making this connection for the first time and thinking, “Wow! This makes so much sense.” Our cyclical wisdom is something to be partnered with, not combat. At the start of each new cycle, once we get past the achy first few days of our period, estrogen rises and boosts our energy and excites our brain. Estrogen makes us feel sharper, energetic, playful, and we actually enjoy tackling new creative projects. This is the best time to nurture our creativity. This is a time when we are most fertile (both physically) and energetically. Knowing when is best during our cycle (and when’s not) to produce high quality creative work allows us to partner with our bodies so we’re not living in stilted resistance. This has made such a difference in my life and I’ve seen it completely change how women flourish, creatively.

Can you break down the four phases of the menstrual cycle?

The length of a women’s cycle can vary from 21-35 days. The cycle length can change with hormonal imbalance, age, after giving birth or with oral contraceptive use. Although each women may have slight variations in the length of her cycle, the menstrual cycle can be divided into fourphases: Menstrual phase (Day 1 to 5), Follicular phase(Day 1 to 13), Ovulation phase (Day 14) and Luteal Phase (Day 14-28). Each phase of our cycle is influenced by fluctuating hormones such as luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen and progesterone.

Is there any connection between our cycles and the moon?

The lunar (moon) cycleand the average menstrual cycle are almost equal in length. A lunar month is 28-30 days and a menstrual cycle is roughly 21-35 days. There are historical and traditional associations that relate our menstrual cycle with the moon. More recently, a synchronous relationship between the moon and our cycles was confirmed with laboratory and clinical findings based on one study. When we hear about “synching with the moon” typically we’re talking about our menstruation occurring around the New Moon and ovulation occurring around the Full Moon. Some women might find they’re synched with the moon in this way while other women might experience the opposite, menstruation on the Full Moon and ovulation around the New Moon. Synching our cycles with the moon can be difficult for those of us living in big cities, since we rarely even see the moon.

How can we embrace and honour our cycles from a more spiritual perspective? I.e. rituals, practices, etc.

More and more research is revealing that we need to embrace healthy self-care practices to support healthy menstrual cycles. Stress can really screw up our cycles and cause them to become irregular. Spending more time in nature is a simple practice that reconnects us with Mother Nature. Getting into green spaces, away from bright/noisy environments, and restful sleep is extremely hormonally supportive. Adopting a mindfulness-based practice can help us down-regulate the stress response, which has sabotaging effects on so many hormonal players in our cycle. Anything therapeutic that makes us feel good, lighting candles, burning sage, dancing, singing, or engaging in some kind of creative work can be a kind of spiritual practice that is so good for our hormonal health.

Image by @digital_errors

Full Moon: December 22nd – 24th

Key Words: Pleasant surprises, new opportunities, excitement, self-care, restoration, evaluation

What started as an aggressive, tense and anxious moon cycle on December 7th is now waxing into a full moon of joy and excitement. You may have found yourself on edge over the past couple weeks as everyone around us has been assessing their own personal growth and evaluating their year-long journeys. As humans, we tend to measure our successes by the external manifestation of our work and efforts; money, career advances, relationships, fitness goals. However, 2018 for most was a year of inner growth. Big shifts happened on the inside, and over this exciting full moon in Cancer, we may start to feel or see signs of those changes as they manifest into our external world.

Embrace the Possibilities

While a tendency towards doubt, fear, anger and hostility may have gripped us in the past couple weeks/months, this full moon opens our spirits up to embrace the exciting possibilities that are present everywhere. If we open our eyes or even make a slight change in perspective, we will see that opportunities for what we have been calling in over the past year are up close and present. This full moon brings an exciting energy that lends us the strength, happiness and insight we need to perceive occurrences around us as positive pathways. In fact, sometimes all it takes is a small shift in our attitudes to allow us to attract an incredible possibility.

Take a moment to mindfully shift your perspective this full moon if you find yourself sliding into negative thinking. It could make all the difference in taking a seemingly negative situation into one that is beautifully beneficial to you.

Expect the Positive and the Unexpected 

This is a wonderful full moon for pleasant surprises in your career, your financial situation and also for romance. Expect that what you want is coming your way and embrace joyful surprises. You deserve the happiness and it is not until we accept that we deserve good that good will come our way. Cancer’s energies will heighten your intuition, which is good as you may be called to act quickly if an opportunity comes your way. Further to this, your third eye may be working in overdrive. Expect insightful flashes of guidance and direction from your spirit guides and inner being. Listen with love and trust your gut.

Surrender to Self-Care, Restoration and Joy 

Turn off your head. Sink into joyful occasions with friends and family. Let the world go on without you for a bit. Turn off your phone. Practice presence in the moment. This is a beautiful full moon for gifting yourself with self-love, self-care and opportunities for happiness. If you are able to let go of the hustle mindset over this time, you will find you are more than ready for the excitement you have manifested and called in for 2019.

Image by @digital_errors

The art of circling has been around for centuries. Traditionally practiced amongst woman, circling is a prominent ritual within our everyday lives, infiltrating the celebrations and gatherings of people of all ages and genders. In fact, many of us circle regularly, whether we realize it or not. However, as more and more women are finding their ways back to their ancestral roots and exploring how we can connect deeper with each other, our bodies and the earth, moon and stars, the art of traditional circling is starting to make a comeback into our monthly practices and routines. It only takes a quick scan of your local Eventbrite listings to see that women are circling regularly in your community. Businesses like Soul Sisterhood  and The Rock Store host regular full moon and new moon circle sessions, and there are hundreds of women in metropolis cities across the country who act as experienced and knowledgeable hosts and guides for these powerful events.

Image from Soul Sisterhood Full Moon in Taurus Eventbrite Listing. 

We spoke with C.N.H.P Reiki, Women’s Creatix and Spiritual Director Natalie Kehren, founder of Holistic World Healing to learn more about the roots of this sacred practice.

How long have women been circling and where do the roots of this practice stem from?

The art of women circling is ancient, and in my opinion, triumphant. There is evidence dating as far back as 800 CE. You can see it’s roots across every culture, old and new. Gathering around fire pits on the May long weekend, to book circles or all the way back to women menstruating in Red Tents. It’s roots rest as long as women have been alive and menstruating. The art of menstruating itself is sacred and believed to be a time of deep, authentic spiritual truth, cleansing & birthing. It is the cleansing of the old to make room for the new. And as women, we are blessed to have the opportunity, supported by universal spiritual energy, to do this every 28 days. It allows us to grow faster, house more healing energy and bring it out into the world through our consistent dying and birthing process. The learning and unlearning. The sharing and the shedding. That itself is true empowerment… it is truth. And it connects us all, each and every woman existing. It amazes me every time I think about it. 

Why do we circle on the New Moon and the Full Moon specifically?

Each moon brings something different as it is connected to the Universal sky and astrological components happening all at once. Yet, the underlying theme remains for each the New Moon and Full Moon— and often, each woman has one that is her favourite between the two.

The moon’s cycle is 28 days- and right now you connecting the dots in your mind that our menstrual cycle is 28 days as well. This is the connection and their is no coincidence about it.

The New Moon is all about cleansing, turning inward to see what needs to be released, transformed and brought to the surface. This is the very time your physical body tends to be menstruating, releasing, detoxifying & transforming- if aligned with the moon’s cycle. (Please do not worry if you do not bleed during the New Moon, your journey is blessed always). This is a strong time for releasing exercises, rituals and supporting the cleansing you and your fellow sisters are going through. It is a deeply intuitive time, therefore you may crave to be indoors and inclined to self-care-which is a great way to help you body, mind & soul through this time.

The Full Moon is all about an increase in energy and the time when your body is ovulating—you are most fertile at this point in your cycle and that is supported through the Moon’s energy. You feel sexually empowered and excited. It is a time for manifestation rituals, affirmations and using this increase in energy to magnetize what you’d like to see in your life, in yourself and in your world. It’s an affirming time. You may also be more social and crave to get out and be around people, or try new things. 

Why is this practice particularly one that is female-focused?

It is female focused because of the 28 day cycle connection. We are so deeply effected by the moon’s cycle. This was recognized long ago, has been and is felt every day.

Do our wombs/cycles play a part in circling?

Yes, absolutely. As we are aware the physical role of the womb is to grow, nurture & birth new human life. This is true in symbolic & energetic methodologies as well. The womb is the centre of our creativity, our intuition, our truth. It is where we hold the historic roots of our past and the past of all women. It burns in pain each month to release trauma and toxic energy living there from this life time, and others. For our souls and the souls of our sisters.

It is the birthplace of new ideas, of creative ventures, of our soul’s truth. It is SO important our wombs are able to be free. That they are expressed, loved, noticed & taken care of. By connecting to our wombs, we can truly move mountains at an unstoppable rate. It’s empowerment backed by universal life force. It’s truly incredible.

We are a force, connecting everything and everyone around us through the connection of our wombs and the 28 day cycle. Supporting and reenforcing our transitions each moon is so very powerful. You may be sitting in a circle in Toronto, Canada yet imagine the other thousands of circles going on around the same time world wide, under one moon.

Do you see now the power of women?

What can someone expect from their first circle experience?

This is always my favourite. I remember my first circle-it was extremely uplifting, supportive and actually, felt like home. Someone can expect to experience a level of support felt from each women in attendance, as well as the moon itself. It sounds crazy, I know- yet it is an energy that is so familiar you will feel it’s embrace and welcome it with open arms.

A circle is typically 1-1.5 hours long and each is different depending on the woman hosting it— which is the beauty of it. You will sit in circle of course, some are more talkative and social, while others can be more intimate and a private space for deep reflection. It depends on the energy of the moon that month and the woman’s lineage/style behind it. Our souls hold the roots of different cultures, therefore, find a circle of women that speaks to you! Keep going until you find the perfect one. Just set that intention and watch it come to life.

Moon Cycle: August 11th – September 8th 

New Moon/Super Moon/Solar Eclipse: August 11th 

Keywords: A new you, the next phase, bravery, courage, time to shine, self-appreciation, royalty, strength, energy, family bonds

Phew! It has been one crazy summer full of powerful celestial phenomenons. High planetary retrograde activity, combined with a series of powerful eclipses, a Blood moon, Super moons and more. If you are feeling a tad shook from it all, it’s completely understandable. In fact, this moon cycle will finalize a highly transformative summer for most of us, whether we are aware of it or not. Shifts happened within ourselves and out in our physical realm. For example; did you get a new job or big client? book a trip? have a baby? undergo a friend-group turnover? All transformations, big or small, that occurred this summer will be showing up in different ways through to the end of the year.

While July’s moon cycle called in the introspective feels of Cancer, as we step into August’s new moon on Saturday the 11th, we are invited to channel the powerful energies surrounding the brave and courageous Leo, the Lion. It may almost feel as though we have rested and reflected these past few months, set down the ground work, and really felt our way around our new roles and selves. All the while we were strengthening the foundations of our stages to ensure they are solid and firm for the next great phase in our lives. We are now finally ready to let the world see us for who we are and show what we can do.

The Solar Eclipse

Saturday’s new moon will align with a solar eclipse, a brief moment of darkness were we can finalize our intentions regarding what we want to achieve between now and the end of the year. Make sure to find a quiet and reflective moment during the new moon phase to write these intentions down clearly. Tell the universe EXACTLY what you want. Even if it may seem like too much, set the intention, and write down clearly (i.e. I want to make $5000 more a month). The universe has plenty for everyone. Play close heed to the 8 moon phases this month. Each will be extremely important in guiding you through this Lion cycle with intention and purpose.

You’re Going to Hear Me Roar! But Carefully 

The most important thing to remember for this August moon cycle is to allow the Lion within to come out. While being humble is always important, we are invited to celebrate our unique virtues and strengths this month, putting them to good use in order to get what we truly want. Embrace and channel confidence. Believe in yourself and give yourself the royal treatment. Lions are regal and strong.

But remember, Mercury remains in retrograde until August 17th, so while we are encouraged to speak our truth, do so with caution. Communication can get messy during this time. Further to that, don’t confuse bravery and confidence with pride and boastfulness as it can lead to embarrassment or loss. Practice humility, embrace discussion and evaluate all your options carefully before marching on into judgement or action.

Now go get it, Simba!

Moon Cycle: From July 12th – August 10th

Blood Moon/Full Moon: July 27th

Keywords: Transformation, Change, New Beginnings, Rebirth, Strengthening Our Foundations

This week, on July 12th, we welcome a new moon that will lead us to a Full Blood Moon on July 27th. If you’re feeling transitional, emotional and a bit unsteady, trust that this is completely aligned with the Cancer season. The date of this new moon also marks the start of a powerful solar eclipse, the first of three which will happen this summer; the second will happen on the Full Blood Moon on July 27th and the following on August 11th.

This series of solar eclipses will no doubt have a powerful effect on our sense of stability. Do not expect things to remain the same. In fact, these solar eclipses could prove to bring life-changing and unexpected circumstances leading all the way through to 2020.

We love the fact that the solar eclipses of this month align with the new and full moons. As the moon blocks our view of the sun and the world is in proverbial darkness, we are invited to come out of each eclipse with a sense of rebirth, leveraging the energies for new beginnings. Working with an understanding of the planets and their shifts helps us leverage their powerful energies with focused intention, rather than letting them rule us without a sense of purpose.

Remember in this powerful time of transition that we will likely be presented with feelings of hesitation, perhaps even fear. We cannot see through the darkness and we cannot know the ultimate outcome of what is about to happen.

This is when the practice of trust will truly come into play. You may feel a strong need in your personal life to hand your trust over to the universe on the dates of July 23rd to July 26, during the Gibbous Moon phase. Expect your questions about your personal direction to be amplified during that time. The universe may throw you some curves or challenges during this moon cycle where trust will be needed.

Leverage That Cancer Energy

Remember; this new moon is occurring in Cancer, a potent and emotionally charged period, affecting our senses of security, support, our connection to our roots or heritage, our family and of course our inner sense of self (who we are, what are we doing, our feelings, our responses, etc.).

This is a time to nourish our foundations and everything that we feel a connection to as our home. Not to be confused with strictly our personal houses or dwellings, this can include anything that is in our daily vortex; people, our workplaces, our routine and of course the “home” within, our inner foundations and strengths.

Ensure to dedicate time in July to honour your inner being, your true sense of comfort and security and every single feeling. Acknowledge, confront and release. Take comfort in your sources of security; your family and your true close friends.

Expect to be called to a new beginning of sorts, one that may require you to leave behind something valued and treasured. While this will be difficult, remember new beginnings can be an exciting blessing, it’s a matter of what we learn and how we choose to leverage things going forward.