{life reflections} Being a Woman! + Emotions & Health

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{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

Entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; the release of thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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Being a Woman! + Emotions & Health

It's tough being a woman. It's also intensely magical and amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. My husband has asked me before, on days where I'm clutching my stomach with cramps of death (of course he waits until they subside before asking) if I would not trade all that to be a man. I wouldn't. It's not because I don't like men or don't find them deeply fascinating as well, it's just that I love being a woman. Being a woman is such an opening experience, as if we can feel more deeply and wildly and enter depths and bonds amongst fellow women that perhaps men don't get to enjoy. I just love the feminine energy. There's something magical about it; like free gypsy souls, empowered goddesses, and/or soulful fairies. 

I saw this meme on Facebook yesterday (see below) and it made me giggle because I've been talking about similar things with other women in my life a lot at the moment to which the image made me relate. For instance, I keep describing myself as trying to "get my fire back", and we as women in general tend to like using these whimsical metaphors to describe our energies and feelings and passions that can't be put so bluntly into "logical terms." Sometimes it's as if women have their own dialogue--and studies have down that in some ways we do because of the way our brains are wired. These are things that if you tried to explain to (most) men, you'd probably get an arched eyebrow and a look to suggest you might have lost your marbles. "You're fire back??" But… women get it. They just get it. You'd only need to half explain yourself and women would just get it. "Ah, yes, your fire back! Of course!"

The experience of being a woman is one I wouldn't trade for anything. Being a woman is fun, and we are strong, compassionate, fiery beings that have so much to offer each other and the world around us. So, I'd take cramps of death any day and still be a woman. 

The truth is that our society is very uncompassionate and detached when it comes to women's health and women's bodies. I realize this more and more as I dive deeper into learning about my own body, about our cycles, hormones, and the emotions that Directly affect our health. And yet we're meant to believe that our health has nothing to do with our emotions. This is another topic that has been reoccurring lately: Emotions and Health--but I'll get to that when I'm done talking about the awesomeness and trials of being a woman. 

Being a woman should actually be a lot easier than it is. Every part of it! But society has suppressed women for centuries. Feminist talk? Absolutely! How about we stop shying away from being "feminists" because every single damn person on this planet should be a feminist! Feminism doesn't mean hating men, it means equality. I also feel that it is much more than that, I feel like it's about getting back in touch with our roots, with each other, and with men as well. Becoming open to Love in all areas of life. Our attitudes towards men has developed into one of tension and separation. Separation is everything to do with feminism (in my opinion) because women have been pitted against one another creating separation amongst our own gender and the opposite gender--leaving us feeling utterly alone for much of our lives. I think it's so eye-opening and important to realize this so that women can stop being so catty towards one another and finally love and support one another instead. You'd have to be pretty blind not to have noticed, or not to have felt, (once you're paying attention) the level of cattiness women have towards one another--feelings of jealousy, envy, and all around bitchiness. It's absolutely mad that women should be this way! But it's absolutely intentional, because it came with the territory of suppressing women all that time ago. What better way than to pit women against one another? Now, feminism has continued because of our society, because of the mentalities of both men And women. We can no longer blame it on the opposite gender, as many men are also feminists, and most women are a part of continued suppression (simply because it's embedded in our society). 

I've been reading Christiane Northrup's book "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdoms" and it is absolutely fascinating and every woman should read it! I bring this book up because reading it is like one long moment of "Wow! That is so accurate! I wish I'd realized this sooner!" However, one bit in there really stuck out to me that I wanted to share: that women are constantly apologizing for their very existence! It is so so true, and on such a deeply embedded subconscious level that it really becomes no surprise women still face such oppression. The mentalities of our society keep women in check; we grow up apologizing for being here, we grow up feeling badly about our bodies, about our appearance, about our periods and hormones, and everything else imaginable. We have a constant feeling of never being good enough. It's no wonder we have PMS, hormone imbalances, health problems and relationship drama. If we are constantly apologizing for our very existence how can we possibly hope to feel love, feel good about ourselves, and thrive and flourish as the fullest awesomest versions of ourselves? 

Back to emotions and health… when women are constantly apologizing for their very existence, then that creates some awful emotions towards our bodies, minds, and souls, and thus, health problems result. The connection is absolutely undeniable (between emotions and health) but it is something never taught in the medical field or in society. This connection makes the issues of PMS and other women-related health problems no surprise at all--because we're practically taught that our bodies are foreign objects that give us pain and bleeding every month and that this is simply something we must accept and deal with. We don't! If we start to fix the way we Feel about our bodies and ourselves then we start to see improvement within our health and all of those PMS syndromes can finally go away. Of course, this is such a deep and complicated issue, which is why I recommend picking up Christiane Northrup's book, because this woman is brilliant and highly educated and I feel as if she could help every single woman on this planet with her information and insights and intellect. 

My husband also picked up this amazing book the other day that has this chart connecting certain body parts to the emotional significance. Going down this chart, we were both blown away by the accuracy. Completely and utterly blown away! I wish someone had made me realize all of this sooner. My health has had it's turbulences forever now, but it makes so much more sense knowing that it all began (and continues) from emotional blocks. I feel much better knowing now that if I want my health to improve then it's time to dive deep emotionally. 

As it happens, I had a large breakthrough a while back, which has only been more and more solidified by all these new insights. I feel very fortunate to know these things now, which is why I felt like rambling about such subjects today. I mean, what amazing things to know and understand that we have not been told about?! The truth is that a lot of my time and thoughts have been taken up on these subjects at the moment (women's issues, emotional trauma and health). But, for today, that's all from me. 

I wish you all the courage in the world to tackle your own emotional blocks and to get your own health to all that it should and deserves to be!  

   

So Much Love from my heart and soul to yours!     

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{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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As I sit here with a heat pad on my stomach and my femini tea brewing, I can't help contemplate what it is to be a woman. Yes, today I'm going to talk about women, our amazing yet debilitating cycles, and what it all means… well, my thoughts on some things anyways… and how we all need to be nice to one another…  

Women. We are such amazing wonderful beings. The life-force of human life. We have the ability to destroy life, like most other creatures, but unlike our male counterparts, we also have the ability to create life. Not just take part in the creation of life, I mean literally Create Life! How amazing is that?! And frightening. As a woman who has never given birth, nor plans to, I find the whole concept so fascinating, empowering and terrifying. I mean, let's face it, you don't too often hear the stories of women giving birth gently and calmly and loving the experience, it's usually some variation of a horror story. Yet, when it's all said and done, the beaming smile and look in a mother's eyes as she holds her newborn is one I've seen many times and seems to wipe away that pain. I am so blessed to be surrounded with amazing women in my life; strong, inspiring women. All around me. And you are too. Even when we women seem crazy and hormonal with what feels like the flick of the switch, holy are we ever strong kick-ass things! 

I think a lot of the negative attitudes towards women and our cycles feeds the continuation of that negative outcome. We look at our periods as this terrible thing we dread once a month. We look towards other women with disattachment, cattiness, and jealousy, instead of loving, welcoming, appreciating and looking out for one another. It's a sad cycle. Truly. I feel like it needs to change, that we must become aware of this and start supporting one another. Women have gone through a lot, and continue to do so. The world is sexist, quite often in a very subliminal way. I mean, you hear people make the remarks like "your throw like a girl" or "play sports like a girl" all the time. Even when this comment is made jokingly and innocently, it is still putting women down. It is hurtful, is it not? Truth is that society still fears and puts down women and continues to do so whether we are fully aware of it or not. I'm not this huge feminist. I've read the book "Cunt" and have felt inspired by it, awakened by it. But I'm not this huge feminist. Maybe I'm starting to… I'm not going to slap a label on it because I hope that all women are feminists in one way or another. I just feel as if I, too, am awakening to the reality of how sexist the world still actually is. Not just sexist though. I think society still has many subliminal put-downs to things it fears. For instance, I watched this video the other day of this amazing woman talking about our use of the word "gay" and how we use it so liberally, and even though we may not think about it, it is a hurtful word to the gay community. Watch the video, you won't regret it. 

Anyways, I think my point (if I indeed I have one in today's ramble) is that the world needs to show more kindness, love, and appreciation for everyone and everything. Yes, I think that's my point today. Appreciation and love and positivity. (Isn't it always? ;))

This goes for the vegan front too or whatever your beliefs might be. I try not to be a preachy vegan, I share information when I can but I do so in a more positive and inspiring way. Because I think being vegan should be a positive thing and if you want to encourage others to go vegan you're not going to do it by being pushy or condescended towards others. The truth is we can all live in harmony with one another and be nice to one another. I've turned so many people vegan, and I am proud of that and will continue to do so. But I also get along with my fellow non-vegans and don't make them feel badly. I may open some thinking doors, or open their eyes to some realities, but I'm not going to make them feel badly. And what I do works. Trust me. And my life is beautiful and it encourages others to live their lives beautifully as well. We Can all get along. It just takes some respect, understanding, and often taking a step back to see all sides. And admitting when you might be in the wrong and fixing that with an apology and positive action. It's not rocket science, it's common decency. 

So be nice to one another. The end. ;) 

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☺ Inspirational: Respecting Body-Mind Wisdom☺

We have been given these beautiful wonderful bodies that are smart beyond our willingness to comprehend. They tell us what they do and don't want and need, what is healthy or unhealthy to us, and when something is wrong or beneficial. We see these things in our health, our stomachs, our skin, our moods, our energy levels, and our general well-being. If only we would pay attention and listen. 

I have spoken about this topic previously, but this time I'd like to focus a bit more attention into the subject that governs much of the female life (and by associate, male life). Yes, you know what I'm talking about, our moods and cycles. While much of this article is in regards to the phases of a woman's cycle, a lot of the actual details can be applied to anyone, so guys you may want to have a read as well. Plus, relationships are a lot smoother for both partners when there is a level of understanding from both sexes. 

In today's society, a woman's cycle is too often viewed as this diabolical torment that exists only to cause trouble, wreck havoc, be a nuissance, and turn women into these crazy things that no one around can bare. It is one of the most commonly misunderstood health issues for women. So what if we paused for a moment and stopped viewing it this way? What if we accepted this part of our cycle and learned to work with it instead of against it? We have wonderful bodies and they do actually know what is best for us. We just need to listen and be more understand, accepting, and respectful of our bodies' wisdom. 

Okay, so granted, no woman enjoys the monthly massacre that goes on in her pants (sorry male readers), or the mood swings, or the sore boobs, can't forget the cramps, and the onslaught of other uncomfortable symptoms, but what if we look at it for what it is and accept it instead of complaining about it and viewing it negatively? Our bodies are preparing us for childbirth, for one. Our cycles also coincide with the moon and have a deep wisdom and connection to nature and the natural flow of life. Women are the most amazing creatures on the planet (in my humble opinion) because we do possess that incredible miracle of life. That is certainly a positive thing to start right? So what of the rest? 

"What would your life be like if you learned how to respect your body as though it were a precious creation—as valuable as a beloved friend?"

Dr Christiane Northrup takes an empowering approach to women's health and wellness, acknowledging the unity between mind and body, and helping women (and the men who love them) everywhere. She contains years of deep insight and personal experience and education into women's health, observing and analyzing it from all angles. Dr. Northrup understands the messages our bodies give, and the beauty and care required and already existing within us to fully enjoy being a woman, encouraging women to see their life as a wonderful gift full of challenges to embrace. 

"The menstrual cycle governs the flow not only of fluids but of information and creativity. We receive and process information differently at different times in our cycles."

Too often we dismiss, ignore, or accept that the premenstrual and menstrual phases of our cycles are a miserable drag. PMS, however, is a number of valuable things. As mentioned, a woman's cycle is strongly influenced by the moon, and like the moon, it is natural for us to enter a period of "darkness" each month. But we shouldn't be afraid or feel as if something is wrong or think we are sick if our energies and moods naturally ebb for a few days each month. This part of our cycle needs to be respected, taking the time to slow down and rest more. Many of women's stress-related illnesses and problems (including PMS and osteoporosis) would be greatly lessened if we simply followed our body's wisdom. 

Our bodies are usually informing us that something is out of balance when we experience those strong hormonal symptoms--especially during our premenstrual and menstrual phases. It is usually a sign that something requires our attention or that we are not being respectful to our bodies' natural needs and wishes. Yes, symptoms of PMS usually occur in every woman, but the severity is more often than not a message from our bodies. When we have horrible cramps it is a sign of our health, perhaps something we are eating that we shouldn't or something that we are lacking in our diets. When our moods are horribly out of balance it's the same thing, often having more to do with our mental-state, something is emotionally wrong, whether it's minial stress or some deep-routed problem we refuse to resolve. But our "time of the month" need not be a time of torment if we learn to be receptive and open to incoming messages, if we can accept it for what it is, and, most of all, be respectful to what it is we need at certain phases. Remember that this phase of our cycles is usually a time of rest, of reflection, self-work, and being self-intuitive and respectful to the unity of our minds and bodies. 

Throughout our entire cycles there are messages to be heard, not just during our visit from Aunt Flo. At different parts of our cycle we also require different needs and attention. Our bodies and minds go through natural phases that are in alignment with our reproductive cycles and therefor have different interests and needs during those different phases. We are not crazy, our bodies are simply trying to function on a level respectful to that natural process. But in today's busy society we've lost the time to be respectful with the natural way and flow of our bodies, minds, and spirit. We need to learn to listen to what the body wants and needs in order to have things work with us instead of against us. 

There is a lot of negativity towards many of our bodies' wishes so we ignore them, while we frown about it. When we need space, we jump to it being anti-social, but sometimes it is simply what we need at that time. There should always be a balance between work, play, and rest. Does it mean we don't enjoy spending time with certain people in our lives just because we need a bit of space? Does it mean you love that person any less? Certainly not. We shouldn't feel badly or jump to something being wrong with us. Sometimes we are more sexually active and lustful, other times we want nothing to do with sex. At certain times we are more social, at other times we seek out solitude for self-exploration or creativity. Some times we are more productive, other times we need more rest. Sometimes we need things super tidy and clean, other times we could care less about a messy home. There is nothing wrong with any of these things and the sooner that we can accept that we simply have different peaks and interests at various phases of our cycles then the sooner we can get on with the natural way of life and actually enjoy it. It is what it is. Resisting these natural parts of our selves diminishes the potential for progress and self-growth. Don't resist what your body, mind, and spirit tell you. Be self-intuitive. Pay attention to your health, body, and mind. Listen to the signals. 

There is no reason you can't have a perfectly pleasant experience throughout each phase of your cycle. Remember the power of a positive outlook? It applies here too! 

I also highly recommend checking out Dr. Northrup's website for a greater understanding of each phase and how the female body coincides and works with these phases for maximum health, understanding, and peace of mind. She is incredibly insightful and provides a great deal of wisdom and love, and understanding and light, into the topic of a woman's body and cycles that I couldn't possibly cover in this article. Her website has tons of in-depth and incredibly helpful, insightful, and empowering information that I am still exploring as I am writing this article. She also has several books, including one of her most well-know; "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom."

We could all learn a lot from her wisdom. 

“When you move toward that which is most fulfilling, pleasurable, and life-enhancing, healing follows regardless of what your health is like in that moment.”

Accept your body for what it is and love it. Our bodies are smart and know what it is we need. So pay attention, listen, and be open and receptive so you can fully experience the collective capacity for growth, freedom, joy, and balance.

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