The menstrual cycle is a boundary and a container in and of itself. The moment you practice Menstrual Cycle Awareness you step into that container, and it becomes an immediate natural boundary.
The cycle “holds you to yourself”: it helps you know who you are (and who you are not), and brings you back when you have strayed from your authentic shape.
This is a huge gift in a world which regularly invites us to overgive, override and overstep our boundaries. The more intimately we understand our cyclical ebb and flow, the more readily we can access the power of NO that can set the stage for wellbeing, healthy relationships and fulfilment in life.
Linda, in our community hub said it best:
“I have noticed that when I miss setting a boundary (to myself or others) it tends to be a downhill snowball effect. Not setting a boundary gets me straight back into old patterns of running over myself, stemming from lack of self worth. It can take a long time before I get back on track, before I find my boundaries (and needs) again. Every boundary crossed lessens my connection with myself and my body. A lifelong journey. MCA helps me to stay closer to my needs and my worth and therefore it is also easier to sense and set boundaries.”
There are some NO's that can change everything. Perhaps you’ve been sensing that there are some big NO's that may want to be stated in your life? Whether the boundaries that you need to claim are big or small, we want to share this story to uplift and inspire the power of NO in you today….
It’s from Aubrey in our community hub, and it’s a potent illustration of what becomes possible when we are able to hear our boundaries, and implement them in our lives:
“The most impactful ‘No’ in my life happened when I finally said it to the man I loved.
Our relationship lasted for seven years and by the end was emotionally and verbally abusive. He struggled with drug addiction and I had totally forgotten the importance of my own needs. By the end, I was terrified, uncertain, lost and full of self-doubt but I did it anyway! I said ‘No’ and left him! And it completely changed my life.
Before that ‘No’, I didn’t trust myself, thought my sensitivity was a burden, and worked a nine-to-five that was slowly pulling me away from my Wild Power. When I rediscovered my courage and left him, I reunited with my intuition, my needs and my life’s desires. Not right away but slowly, magically - saying ‘Yes’ to myself was the key.
When I said ‘No’, my sensitivity became my superpower again and now, I am more connected and proud of it than I ever have been in my life. It is powerful tool in the work I do now.
When I said ‘No’, the other ‘No’s’ in my life became clear and I found the courage to leave my job and start my own business. Now, I guide others through setting boundaries, reconnecting with desire, and creating the life of their dreams.
Because I said ‘No’, I cleared some of the unworthiness, the guilt, the uncertainty that clouded my life…and created space for newness and hope. And now, I’m with a man who loves me as I am, I love what I do for work, and it feels like I’m falling in love with myself more and more each day.”
Would you Like Cycle-Aware Support to Claim Your ‘Power of NO’?
It takes time to be able to hear how our cycle is nudging us towards the boundaries that will keep us healthy, well and on track with our lives. And it helps greatly to have like-minded community around us.
If you’re looking for companionship on this journey, we warmly welcome you to explore joining us for this year’s Menstruality Leadership Programme. Each year an extraordinary circle of support forms itself made up of people who are passionate about living from their cyclical intelligence.
This year we have an amazing circle of teachers, therapists, creatives, mothers, grandmothers, activists, culture-shifters and wisdom-keepers, and there’s a still a few places left - there’s a seat with your name on it!
This kind of circle not only creates a potent, generative and emboldening container for the three-month journey we take together, but also builds the foundation for life-long friendships that can support us to live our cycle wisdom in the years to come (some listening partnerships are still going a decade after the programme).
You can find out more about the Menstruality Leadership Programme
