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Friday, 15 April 2011

Natural Shaman on Facebook

For those of you on Facebook who want to join me in a small group, to share experiences, grow and learn together....

CLICK here to go to Facebook Group

xx

Tuesday, 12 April 2011

The Spiral Goddess

The Spiral Goddess represents our internal feminine power.  It is quite common to find statues or pendants of a goddess shape, with a spiral in her belly.
This spiral represents the creative power within, that rises from our sacral chakra, the chakra that corresponds to our menstrual cycle, our desires, our sexuality, and relationships.

Spirals can rotate two ways, similar to the direction a chakra spins.  If a chakra spins constantly and at a good, even pace, it is functioning correctly.  If it slows down, stops, speeds up, or spins irregularly, the chakra is dis-functioning and this can lead to problems in this area i.e. menstrual/sexual problems, creative blocks, relationship difficulties.

When our inner spiral is spinning out, it is ever growing, ever expanding.. it is infinate.  This is when we feel good, when we smile because we are alive and a beautiful day awaits us.  This is when we create, paint, draw, cook, spend a day just being.. and being fine with that.  The outward spiral wants us to connect with others, share and absorb new information.

When the spiral turns inwards, and spirals into the centre, we are knocked off balance.  This can happen with the changes in our cycle.  The spiral inwards, should be a healing journey, a journey into who we are and what we want from life.  It is when we begin to feel deeply, all the energy is heading inwards.  We disconnect from life, become spacey, get ratty with people because they want the same of us all the time, when we actually need some quiet time.  Many women, become disorientated, and the inner spiral brings up all our past mistakes, or guilt, or negative thinking.  We can become obsessed with the past, and bleak about our future.
The inward spiral is is difficult for some.  Especially women who are sensitive to their bodies changes, on a spiritual path, or if the sacral chakra is blocked or dis-functioning.

Learning how to use these energies, so they benefit us, rather than hinder our development is the key to living life more fully.  As women, we have had a lot of mixed messages and persecution over the years.  The balance between male and female has been weighing far heavier on the male side for far too long.  Women's cycles, even in 2011, are still a taboo subject... menstrual problems are still being overlooked and misdiagnosed.  Women all around the world have never thought to be aware of the different energies during their cycle, but this was very different during older times and in tribal communities.

Native American women had Moon Lodges, where all the women would stay together during their moon time.  As women all living together, they would have probably menstruated at the same time.  This was sacred time.  The women would share stories, create, sew, craft.  They would support each other and tap into the psychic visions.  Far from the popular belief that they were banished there by the men because they were dirty, the menstruating woman was seen as a huge source of power.  The natural female Shaman, or Shamanka.  Imagine the power of a group of women all menstruating at the same time...  Imagine the visions, insights and creative power they tapped into, in a collective way.  The life blood was honored, women's power was sacred and something that could never be matched by a man.

I have suffered menstrual problems from the age of  13, when I got my first moon.  I have PMDD - Pre Menstrual Disphoric disorder.  I write a blog about it, which you can find HERE.
I have cursed it, I have hated it.  I have wished I was a man!  I have been dealing very badly with my inward spiralling, and have been 'ill' for so many years.  I have tried lots of different medications and even seriously considered a hysterectomy (I even began the process by trying out a chemical menopause - not nice).  This year, however, after a long and drawn out winter (I also have SAD) I began reading more and more about honoring the menstrual cycle, about the different energies we experience, and how to use them more positively.  Something clicked, and I am feeling better than I ever have.  I feel like I can improve my life, my disorder, and all it takes it seeing it differently, thinking differently and learning how to love my cycle rather than loathe it.

I hope you will join me on my journey, and start thinking about how you are honoring your femininity, your cycle and getting the most out of being a Woman.