DAY 3
Today was a beautiful day. I managed to rest, having not too much on my to-do list, with the only significant activity planned for the day was trekking to Ubud to attend a Kinesiology workshop in the late afternoon.
From Canggu (where I am currently located) to Ubud, it's a good 45-minute drive. Although I have become quite comfortable driving a scooter around town, I decided that driving back at night would not be within my best interest. And so, I went to Ubud, and because I was supposed to be resting during the first 3 days of menstruation, I thought that it would be a great idea to go for a pedicure before the workshop!
CONNECTING WITH YOUR INTUITION AND HIGHER SELF
I had a relaxing time, and boy is it accessible to practice self-care when in Bali- the islands of gods! I had noticed that my flo wasn't really flowing. And a bit disappointed, I just let it go. I haven't had a period now for a year, even though I was stoked to bleed yesterday, I realized that I needed to be patient with myself. I also reminded myself that my body is now going to start to detox itself of all of the artificial hormones that have been hanging around for 5+ years now.
During the workshop, I had a great time connecting with my intuition and recognizing the responses within my body that is, in essence, connected with the higher Self. Your higher Self is basically an extension of yourself that is connected with cosmic consciousness, which is this super cool infinite source that everything derives from. It's really amazing once you're able to experience this, and that's one of the main reasons as to why I love Transcendental Meditation! But I'll get into that at another time.
Sarah Armide, who had led the workshop, was magical, and incredibly down to earth. It's always so special to connect with women that are there for you and your healing journey, and are so ready to support you in your endeavors in life. I wish I had these amazing women in my community growing up, but alas, I did not. It was so healing being at the Yoga Barn again because once you step onto the property, you feel like a weight is being taken off of your shoulders.
Before the workshop started, I had an amazing raw cacao drink with coconut milk, and let me tell ya- it was exactly what my body needed. After the workshop, I had been connected to these really amazing ladies from Canada and England, and the reason why we got connected by a mutual friend, Rebecca May, was because Rebecca knew I was an expert when it came to IUDs! And so the new friendship flourished and we started chatting about all things birth control.
ACCEPT YOURSELF WHERE YOU ARE, RIGHT NOW
An important highlight of the conversations I had: birth control can be so freeing to menstruators based on what stage of their life they're in. In addition, I also want to mention that there is certainly a lack of representation of young menstruators speaking on the importance of cycling naturally. Most women don't search for this menstrual wisdom until they are much farther in life, and while everyone's journey is different, it's so important that we do amplify the voices of women that we can relate to, and identify with. This is why I find my work to be that much more important because I acknowledge the value of sharing my story, and in specific, my healing journey.
I want to stress that it is very freeing to go on birth control, and that happens for menstruators everywhere! I also acknowledge that everyone is going at their own pace, and when they find themselves ready to take the next step in their menstrual journey, I'm here, along with a worldwide community of bleeders, to welcome you with open arms!
Remember, health isn't about following a fad diet, trying out the newest way to get abs in 20 days, or restricting yourself by not listening to your body. Health is what you make of it, and it requires having an honest and non-judgemental conversation with your body, realizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We have to get to the root of the problem in order to heal the symptoms that create whatever disorder, condition, or illness we're currently dealing with. The better able we are in listening to our intuition, the better off we'll be. The human body is incredibly intelligent, and we're all connected at the end of the day. It's just a matter of removing those blockages, starting to tune in, and realizing that you can fall into a warm, kind, and unconditional love, that's not found outside of yourself, but within. All you have to do is surrender.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to Dr. Donn Brennan, who is the founding President of the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association of the United Kingdom, and one of the first western medical doctors to train in Ayurveda in India, recommends that every menstruator rests for the first 3 days of the bleed. Or period. Or "time of the month". Or Aunt Flo. Whatever term you prefer to reference the start of your menstrual cycle. Check out my talk with him on our instagram live series: meditation + PMDD!
With love,
Nat