By Alison Heyerdahl

Everything is cyclical, ever-evolving, and ever-changing. No moment in our lives is the same as any other. As women, we are more prone to experiencing these changes than men.  Women’s bodies ebb and flow, and each menstrual phase brings with it a transient set of emotional and physical qualities.  This constant flux gives rise to a cascade of emotions – from sadness, frustration, and depression during menstruation – to feelings of elation and optimism when we are ovulating.  Understanding the fluctuating nature of our bodies and hormones can help us better harness these emotions and empathize with where we are in our monthly cycles. 

How does meditation help us cope with hormonal fluctuations?

Although we have no control over our hormone cycles, we can change our relationship with them.  A powerful way to achieve this is by becoming more aware of your inner state.  All too often we look outside ourselves for the reason we may be feeling a certain way.  We try and pin it on the immediate circumstances in our surroundings, and attempt to solve external problems rather than looking inside ourselves.  Meditation urges you inwards and allows you to chart your feelings, thoughts, sensations and recognize how these may be affecting you.  Over the course of a couple of months, meditation can help you to pre-empt your emotions so that they no longer take you by surprise.  You can then take measures to treat yourself with kindness and self-love.   

We often respond to negative emotions in the same way we do to bodily pain – by resisting them and pushing them away.  The problem is, these emotions won’t be ignored.  They continue to resurface until we recognize and accept them.  Meditation allows you to center in on these emotions, to feel their full range, and then let them go.  It helps us recognize that life is constantly changing – breath comes in and flows out; sensations arise and pass, and thoughts pop in and fade out.  Every moment is therefore irreplaceable and precious.  This unique moment will never come again, and by the same token, our pain and stress will not last forever – they are momentary emotions having their time in the sun. 

Meditation also helps us to view our difficult emotions with acceptance and curiosity. The famous mystic and poet, Rumi wrote a poem called ‘The Guest House’, and he refers to emotions as passing guests that are there to enlighten us and enrich our experience on this earth.  They serve to slow us down, help us reflect and practice self-love.  

Furthermore, our monthly cycles allow us to appreciate the impermanent nature of life.  There are phases when our emotions run high, and moments when our inner waters are calm and still.  Being aware of our hormonal cycles means that we can better anticipate the highs and lows we may experience with each phase. We can then work with them rather than against them. For example, you could structure your diary to take advantage of each state -  scheduling challenging meetings for times when you are likely to feel assertive and energetic, and focusing on tasks that involve less interaction when you are feeling more withdrawn.   

With more awareness and respect for our cycles, we will be able to hold each fleeting state of mind and emotion more lightly, as we allow them to flow without resistance through us.  In addition to helping us cope with the range of emotions we experience during menstruation, studies have found that a mindfulness-based meditation practice can also help change your attitude towards period pain, thereby reducing its severity.

Take-Aways 

As women, our menstrual cycles mean that we are physically and emotionally in a state of constant flux.  Although we have no control over our hormones, we can change our way of relating to their presence in our lives.  Meditation allows you to go inwards, recognize your emotions, and even help you to pre-empt them so that they no longer take you by surprise.  By bringing awareness and acceptance to our various states of being, we are better able to experience them and then fully release them.

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