What is it about menopause that strikes fear into the hearts of 40 year old women, most of whom will enter peri-menopause without even noticing it?
According to ancient Indian wisdom about life and health, menopause is simply the third phase of life, after childhood and pro-creative years. Our bodies move out of productive mode for making children, and move into creativity of another sort. Often, in the transition, women are letting go of their primary role of caretakers and turning within to ask themselves questions about where they want to go from here. And how they can give back to the world with their special talents. (or discover what these talents are).
Menopause is a reflective time, a time to slow down and go within for the answers. All our lives, we've been doing what's expected of us, fulfilling our roles as spouses, mothers, workers, and relationship-keepers. Now, we feel a strong urge to reassess, re-examine, reflect on our relationships as well as our jobs and parenting roles.
Instead of fearing old age, and breaking out in cold sweats (or hot flashes) at the very mention of this Change, we can welcome the shift in focus from outer to inner, and help it along. If we've been burning the candle at both ends, short-changing our bodies and our self-care, there will be a wake-up call. If we have been ignoring our emotional needs and relegating our inner life to the back burner, there may be the smell of smoke as burn-out hits, or depression, or accumulated anger and tears.
But the closer we are to self-knowledge, to understanding and accepting what we feel and what we need, the smoother our shift or transition will be.
Now is the time to bring a sense of balance, serenity, and harmony into your life. Stop doing whatever makes you crazy, make the choices that you've been putting off. Accept the call to slow down and enjoy your life. Put yourself on your "to do list", somewhere near the top, not at the bottom.
Remember the oxygen mask on the plane - put in on yourself first, then on your children, spouse, co-workers.
Savour the wisdom of life, taste the pleasure of knowing who you are and what you want. If you're not there yet,, ask the right questions of your self, and wait for the answers - if you feel restless, and can't sleep at night, don't reach for the anti-anxiety medication until you've looked inside for the answers.
And if you need help, by all means, check out the different options available; there are so many books out there now on the pleasures of menopause,& the herbal allies for menopause. Ayurvedic medicine has a very natural approach to this stage of life, and is one way of finding balance through diet and lifestyle, without medication.
Be well,
musemother
ps check out previous entries by clicking on the labels to the left.
Highly recommend The Wisdom of Menopause, the Secret Pleasures of Menopause by CHristiane Northrup; also Susun Weed's New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.
