Sentient Times Aug/Sept 2004

Sacred Menustruation
Reclaiming the Power of Our Moontime

By Julie Gauss, CCH

Menstruation has been considered sacred throughout history. The word menstruation stems from the Greek root “men,” meaning “month,” and “menus” meaning “moon” and “power.” In Sanskrit, the root word “menses” means “ritual.” History is thick with menstrual lore. Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt would call upon their priests and priestesses to create a magical elixir made of menstrual blood and wine to increase their spiritual powers. Ancient Greeks held spring festivals, mixing menstrual blood from a young maiden with corn and seeds, spreading it on fields to increase fertility on the land. There is even an old Hindu creation myth that all life was created from the Great Mothers menstrual blood.

In many cultures there were special temples or lodges dedicated to menstruating women to find retreat and relaxation during their moontime. Some believed that menstruating women had special powers during this mysterious bleeding phenom-enon. How can women bleed for days on end and not die? Family members or leaders in the tribe would make special requests of menstruating women, asking them to pray for the sick or seek visions in their dreams. Women were often highly honored during their menstrual cycle and were given special privileges, such as relief from their chores and duties, and were waited upon by their tribe or family during their moontime. The moon lodge provided time to relax, meditate, create artwork, share stories and celebrate womanhood.

When the Goddess religions started to fade with the rise of male dominated patriarchal societies, many of these ancient menstruation rites were swept behind closed doors. Menstrual rites were still practiced, but often in a hushed manner, passed on between women in the family or tribe while men averted their eyes. When early European explorers came to the Americas, they observed and noted a variety of menstrual seclusion rites for women. They noticed that many tribes believed that the transformative power of a menstruating woman was so strong that she could alter the elements and therefore was forbidden to interact outside her hut or lodge. In many cultures men avoided casting eyes upon a menstruating women in fear she may steal his power. If an item such as a weapon was handled by a bleeding woman it was believed to be rendered powerless and needed to be buried or burned. Though it appeared to the male European observers that these menstruation rites punished or stigmatized women into seclusion, these ancient rituals were actually honoring women and acknowledging the great power of menstruation.

Historical records of menstruation rituals for Native American tribes during the early 19th century showed that menarche, the first menstrual period of a young woman, was of crucial social importance. Elaborate rituals were planned, led by the girl’s mother, grandmother, and tribal elders, where the girl would stay in seclusion for one week up to several months. In the Wintu tribe, located off the California coast during the 1800’s, a girl would notify her mother that her first blood had begun. A brush shelter was made behind their home where the girl stayed in seclusion for a month or longer. She was not allowed to sleep the first five days of her menses (similar to the puberty rights of passage and vision quests for young men), putting her into an altered meditative state. The girl was not permitted to be seen and could only leave her hut at night, using a basket to cover her head. The mother and grand-mother cooked simple foods for her everyday, visiting her hut and talking in hushed tones through the walls giving her advice about becoming a woman. Later, other people in the tribe would visit her hut at night, singing and dancing outside the lodge, often with sexual connotations. When it was time for her to emerge, a special feast was planned where the girl would wear an elaborate costume she had made during her seclusion. She was then considered a woman of the tribe and was expected to fulfill new roles and duties.

Modern Day Menstruation Rites

Modern day women can recreate the sacred moon lodge and seclusion rights by establishing a “Moon Day.” Schedule some time off during the heaviest day of your menstrual cycle to honor your moontime and nurture yourself. It helps to coordinate with housemates or nearby friends to provide meals, childcare or to cover a shift at work. Try to make the day stress-free: no chores, business phone calls, errands, housework or responsibilities that keep you from completely relaxing. Take some down time to read a book, watch a sappy romantic comedy, nap or just sit and daydream. It is an excellent time to create art, journal, dance, play music and sing. Pay attention to your dreams, as they are often more powerful during menstruation and can provide needed insights to problems or bring visions of the future. Eat nurturing organic foods, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, and drink plenty of pure water and herbal teas. Be open during your moontime and allow yourself to receive the nurturing you desire.

There are many ways that families can celebrate a young woman’s first period. Modern day menarche rituals usually occur within one month of the girl’s first blood. Some group menarche rituals take place annually at special festivals and gatherings for maidens who have come into their moontime within the last year. The maiden invites her closest friends, relatives and older women in the community that she trusts and admires. By having a strong support system beyond her mother and grandmother, the maiden can turn toward her other female mentors for guidance on intimate issues such as love, sex, sensuality and the role of women in today’s society.

Different rituals can take place during the ceremony, reenacting the transition from childhood into womanhood. Often a special alter is built with little goddess statues, seashells, red roses and other symbols of menstruation and womanhood. Sometimes the girl will choose a favorite childhood toy to throw into the fire, symbolizing the release of her child-like ways, and receives a special piece of jewelry as a token of her new role as a menstruating woman. The girl can also be tied together to her mother with rope or ribbon, representing the bond of mother and child. The maiden then wiggles free or is released by the grandmother and runs to a special place away from the party to sit in seclusion and reflect on her new role as a young woman. When she returns, the older women take time to recall their own first periods, share stories about the joys and pains of menstruation, offer advice regarding sex and sensuality and have many laughs and tears about being a woman. Gifts are given to the young maiden such as chocolate, jewelry, fancy clothes and menstrual products. Parents sometimes offer the girl special privileges, such as a later curfew or permission to wear makeup or get a body piercing. After the ceremony is over, a great feast takes place with song and dance late into the night, followed by a slumber party with her closest friends.

Healing Menstrual Discomforts

Modern western society’s view on menstruation has greatly shifted since the old days of the moon lodge and the women’s temple. Nowadays the dreaded “curse” or “the period” is something that many women find inconvenient and downright annoying. Feminine sprays are marketed to hide “offensive smells;” tampons have been invented to plug up the flow so that women can carry on with their normal activities; disposable pads fill the landfills and leach toxic chemicals into the earth and our bodies. A woman will use on average 13,000 disposable menstrual products in her lifetime. There are a variety of blood catchers available on the market nowadays that are healthier for women’s bodies and the environment. Disposable pads and tampons made by companies such as Naturacare and Seventh Generation are processed without chlorine bleach and are more readily biodegradable compared to mainstream brands. Washable cloth menstrual pads are gaining popularity, made with breathable cotton that can be reused again and again. Most women find that cloth pads are more comfortable than disposables, noting that cloth pads reduce chafing, rashes and yeast infections. Using washable cloth pads greatly reduces the impact of waste in landfills from the disposable feminine hygiene industry and is more affordable in the long run.

Dr. Rosita Arvigo, an American doctor trained by a Mayan Shaman in Belize for over a decade, has brought back a healing uterine massage technique passed on from woman to woman in the Mayan culture around the time of menarche. Dr. Arvigo explains that many reproductive disorders are due to a tipped and fallen uterus, which restricts the flow of blood, lymph, nerve impulses and chi energy throughout the body. When the Arvigo Technique™is practiced on a daily basis the uterus is gently guided back into place, relieving menstrual pain, PMS, infertility, hormonal imbalances, tendency towards uterine and ovarian cysts, bladder and yeast infections, difficult pregnancy and birth as well as reducing the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. To find a registered Maya Abdominal Massage therapist trained in the Arvigo Technique visit www.arvigomassage.com.

There are many herbs that have been used for thousands of years to heal reproductive issues and minimize pre-menstrual discomfort. Raspberry leaf (Rubus spp.) has classically been used as a female reproductive tonic, relieving menstrual cramps, increasing fertility and aiding women through all stages of maternity. Raspberry leaf can be combined with Nettles leaf (Urtica dioica) and Red Clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense) as a super nutrient rich female tonic, packed full of easily assimilable vitamins and minerals known to benefit the female reproductive system. It is suggested to make a medicinal strength herbal infusion of these herbs: put 1 ounce dried herbs in a quart jar, fill with boiling water, cover and steep for 4-6 hours. Strain and drink daily warm or as iced tea. A spoonful of Peppermint leaf (Mentha piperita), which is cooling and aids digestion, adds a delightful flavor to the herbal infusion blend. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a warming tropical root that eases menstrual cramps and helps to bring on a stagnant menstrual flow. A washrag can be soaked in a warm bowl of ginger tea and placed on the abdomen or lower back to reduce cramps and bloating. A hot bath with a few drops of Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) essential oil added to the water is also a relaxing remedy to ease menstrual difficulties.

Take time to consider what menstruation means to you. How can you honor your body and moontime in a more sacred way? Next time the pangs of menstruation get you down, ask yourself: How can the discom-forts of menstruation serve as my ally for healing and transformation? How can I create more time and space to nurture my body? Men can also consider their role in sacred menstruation: How can I honor and support my partner/friend/relative when she is having her moontime? In what ways can I recreate this sacred event in my own life, such as fasting, sweating or spending some time in seclusion? Women are born with a sacred gift to bear children and experience the ebb and flow of menstruation on a monthly basis. Reclaim the power of menstruation by staying open and receptive to nurturing and healing during your sacred moontime.

Julie Gauss is a certified clinical herbalist, work at home mother, dancer and homestead wife from Williams, Oregon. She enjoys sharing her passion for herbalism and sacred menstruation by writing, teaching, and making herbal products for her business, Earth Mama Goods. For more information about menstruation, mother-hood and family care please visit www.earthmamagoods.com or write to PO Box 493, Williams, OR 97544.