Sacred Menstruation
Ancient Wisdom For Healthier Modern Women
Mensuration and wellbeing are synonymous. A healthy menstrual cycle indicates good health and is not limited to childbirth. It’s more common than not to come across women who associate mensuration with negativity and treat it as a painful hurdle that they must go through every month. This monthly occurrence provides feedback on the state of health of the female body. A smooth cycle indicates the smooth functioning of the bodily systems. Sharp cramps, heavy bleeding, or irregular periods are all signs that the body is not functioning optimally.
The memory of the first period can trigger a similar response in the brain in later periods. If the experience of the first period was negative and stressful, later periods would likely trigger that same subconscious stress response. The interconnection between physical and mental health, especially regarding mensuration, is well understood in Ayurveda. In India, the origin place of Ayurveda, all efforts are made to ensure that the first period is a happy one and that the young girl feels good during that special time. In cases of unpleasant menarche, a conscious effort is made to replace those negative memories with positive ones.
Download the ‘Four Seasons of The Female’s Cycle’ sheet to start syncing your diet, lifestyle, relationships, and career with your body’s natural rhythms
Celebrating Becoming a Woman
What is Menarche?
The word menarche comprises the two Greek words; ‘Mene’ (moon) and ‘Arche’ (beginning). Menarche marks the beginning of the female’s moon cycle, her first menstruation. According to the ancient scripts of Ayurveda, Artavadarshana, or menarche, occurs at an age ranging between 11-15 years old. However, over the past couple of decades, the age at which girls are getting their first period is gradually declining due to changes in nutrition and environmental conditions.
Why Is It Important to Celebrate Menarche?
in Hindu culture and some other cultures around the world, menarche is celebrated when a young girl attains puberty. This rite of passage ensures her a soft landing into womanhood and arms her with a comprehensive ‘Menstrual Education’ manual, presented in the most loving and caring way. On an emotional level, these rites are meant to embrace the girl and make her feel special and supported as a woman. On a physical level, these practices are designed to build immunity and boost calcium and iron levels in her body while she’s bleeding.
Let’s Get A Little Scientific!
To understand the subtle changes during menstruation, we must understand the cellular changes in the female’s body during her menses. Free radicals are molecules that are known to cause cellular damage, resulting in disease and aging. During menstruation, the female body produces more free radicals than usual. This excess may lead to oxidative stress, which is responsible for menstrual pain (Dysmenorrhea) and infertility, if not countered with antioxidants. Understanding this process will help you understand some of the practices of menarche.
Download the ‘Four Seasons of The Female’s Cycle’ sheet to start syncing your diet, lifestyle, relationships, and career with your body’s natural rhythms
Decoding Menarche Rituals
Menarche rituals are passed down between generations, and they may vary from region to region, yet they all share a similar purpose. Stated are few of the primary practices; some might seem odd, absurd, or controversial, but try to understand and perhaps even implement some of these rituals so that you too can experience their impact on your menstrual and reproductive health.
– Feeding the menstruating girl specific foods, which include sesame seeds, Jaggery, coconut, lentils, Kitchari, ghee, and turmeric
To support the body against free radicals, a diet rich in antioxidants must be consumed. Micronutrients such as vitamins A, C, E, D, and B12, as well as iodine, selenium, magnesium, zinc, and iron, are extremely helpful in combating period pain, supporting digestion, and strengthening the body. While sesame seeds and coconut are taken for their high content of essential fatty acids and nutrients, Jaggery (unrefined sugar) increases saliva secretion to aid digestion. Kitchari, a dish made with rice, lentils, ghee, and spices, is possibly the most nutritious food a girl can eat while menstruating. Lentils are rich in B vitamins, magnesium, and dietary fiber, turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and ghee nourishes, lubricates, and promotes healthy elimination.
– Not touching menstruating women
As harsh as it sounds, avoiding physical contact with a female on her period, or having to take a shower right after touching her, has a convincing explanation. Generally, a body with more negative ions (good ions) is considered healthy, while an increase in positive ions (bad ions) indicates a compromised immune system and potential for disease. During menstruation, the body produces more positive ions due to the high levels of oxidative stress and low estrogen levels, a hormone and antioxidant found in the body. Why is that a bad thing? Well, positive ions tend to neutralize the charge of anything they come in contact with.
Similarly, anyone who touches a positively charged woman while on her menstrual cycle puts their body at risk of oxidative stress (weakened immunity). Understanding Ayurveda’s concept of Prana will help you understand this restriction better. Prana is the vital force in all living things, and the life energy that keeps things alive is lost during menstruation (loss of ions). A woman deficient in Prana due to her bleeding tends to absorb the Prana (vitality) from those around her.
– Avoiding intense situations that can lead to disturbance in the nervous system
It is not uncommon that women who experience trauma, prolonged grieving, or a sudden shock can sometimes miss their period. Stressful situations like war, rape, or an accident, or even mild stressors like excessive crying, talking, laughter, anger, or loud noise, will cause some level of distress to the nervous system and may affect the female cycle.
– Not washing or brushing the hair while menstruating
Menstruating is stressful for the body, and we know that stress causes hair fall, so avoid combing, washing or coloring your hair during your bleeding phase.
– Avoid physically demanding activities on your period
The bone tissue (Asthi Dhatu) is compromised during menses due to losing nutrients, making the bones more brittle and prone to injuries.
– Abstaining from activities that disturb Apāna Vāyu (the downward flow)
Apāna Vāyu, the downward force responsible for the natural flow of menstrual blood (amongst other things), shouldn’t be disturbed. Any Apana aggravating activities during menstruation will result in pain or more severe conditions such as endometriosis or even infertility. Such actions are perfectly healthy to perform when not menstruating. These include:
– Sexual intercourse
– Abhyanga (oil massage)
– Inverted positions in Yoga, or in general (any position where the heart is lower than the pelvic)
– Applying Bandhas (energy locks) in Yoga and Pranayama
– Jumping, running and lifting heavy things
– Excessive traveling
Information based on the book Ṛtu Vidyā: Ancient Science Behind Menstrual Practice, by Sinu Joseph