Over time, menstrual cycle awareness builds what we call your inner vessel, or ‘container’. This helps you establish boundaries and feel more stable in your self. You become more adept at recognising the signs that you’ve overstepped a boundary, or that you’re people-pleasing instead of meeting your needs.
As we explore in our Cycle Power course, each inner season of the cycle supports us to clarify and hold the boundaries that keep us physically and mentally well. And in today’s article, we’d like to explore one of the seasons in depth, in all its boundary-setting glory: the inner autumn.
Inner autumn (the premenstruum) and boundaries
In the premenstrual phase of the cycle, you tend to feel more permeable as your energy shifts inwards and your inner psychological boundaries fall away, and you may notice a fiercer need to strengthen your outer boundaries with the world. The truth is that they must be strengthened if you are to forge through this time and make the most of your premenstrual powers.
Many of us find we’re very creative at this time. You can be a pure channel, calling down inspiration, insight and knowing that seeks to be born into the world. The power here is one of deep embodiment, using the aliveness of your own presence to sense and feel what’s beyond everyday awareness; to be a tuning fork for the subtle forces that shape the material world and to ‘see’ the energetic precursors and past patterning that underpin everything.
Your animal nature is enlivened and your instincts are sharper. You have heightened intuition and the gift of ‘sight’ that can both illuminate and unsettle as we detect bullsh*t and see through the facade.
You’re the truth-speaker now and what you have to say probably isn’t going to go down well. Your tolerance is at an all-time low and you’re going to call it as it is. Who was ever loved for pointing out flaws, lies and hypocrisies? However, this energy is your ally in discerning what’s in and out, both within and outside of you.
You’re rooted in your authority and aligned with your truth – a straight-shooting arrow. You’ve got the power now to catalyse deep change, and if it’s your intention, you’ll be able to clarify, name and hold your boundaries more than ever now.
The power of ‘no’ is gold and it’s readily available now. Use it to edit, clean up and refine your boundaries – prune your life so you can come back in the next round with more growth, definition and vigour.
How inner autumn can help you to claim menstrual rest
One of the most beautiful fruits of your premenstrual boundary strengthening is how it empowers you to claim menstrual rest. (Which in return is one of the keys to creating more emotional ease in the following inner autumn).
Menstruation is your natural retreat time. We all yearn for it, and long for the total permission to let go of cares and worries.
In inner autumn, as you hone your capacity to be with your truth-speaking power and assert your boundaries, you grow the muscles of claiming the rest that is your birthright. Before long you’ll be pitching your Red Tent and bolding claiming your full right to menstrual retreat.
Would you like to clarify your boundaries?
If you’d like to clarify your boundaries, we invite you to join our Cycle Power course, where we look at the natural boundaries of each inner season of the cycle, and the self care practices that help you stay true to them.
(And if you’re thinking about joining us for the next round of the Menstruality Leadership Programme, Cycle Power is a great way to prepare for the course).
