Menopause… a fragile ecosystem of change and vulnerability. A hint of imbalance sends ripples of unwellness like seismic rings tsunamiing throughout the body. Heat waves and cold waves like a storm that won’t settle. Sleepless nights and tired days. Hormonal changes make us more sensitive to stress, making it even more difficult to stay even tempered and happy. According to Wikipedia the word crone entered the English language around 1390 as insult meaning cantankerous, disagreeable, ugly old woman. But since the mid 20th century the word has revamped itself in a more positive light to mean a wise, mature, and powerful woman. In the tumultuousness of our change there is wisdom that emerges, deep and rooted in decades of lived experience.
Even with the menagerie of shifts, we can feel into this time of life with a fresh opportunity to discover ourselves anew. As children embark on their own life path and our nest empties we may wonder what now? A woman I knew threw herself into so many activities with her newfound time she exhausted herself and yet still felt an empty, unsettledness in her transition. Spending time, allowing our meaningful purpose for this final quarter of our lives to unfold is not only important, but necessary.
Mindfulness can help manage and ease the menagerie of menopausal chaos as well as provide a framework of self discovery that is imperative at this point in life. Studies suggest a potential association of practicing meditation with alleviations in menopausal symptoms and changes in blood chemistry (link). Breathwork for example has a direct effect on hot flashes according to recent studies (link). Who would think spending time with a body we may not be so happy to be inhabiting could actually help but the science suggests it. Pains that ache in joints that have carried us through a lifetime of embraced joys and sorrows may be quite happy now to sit in mindful practice. In addition to assisting with our physiology, embodied presence practices can help us find our sense of fulfillment and purpose again. As we give ourselves the luxury of time and attention we would have done anything for when our children were little, we have the opportunity to fulfill ourselves and our aspirations in ways we could have never imagined. It is there, in the midst of embodied presence practices that we can discover how the fruits of our crone wisdom can truly come of age as we age.
Need assistance in your discovery? Eileen is alternative healing and meditation coach. Her practice of Vision Questing enables her to be a clear and effective conduit for your personal growth needs. Visit womanshealingcircle.com to learn more.