February of this year I turned the big 40. I celebrated by having dinner with some close friends and family. I remember when my Mom turned 40, and we threw her a big surprise "Over the Hill" party, black cake frosting and all! I always thought 40 was kind of old, but now that I am attached to that number I feel differently. I think that is one of the obstacles of aging. While our body isn't what it used to be, our minds always feel young at heart. The mirror betrays us....
A couple months after my 40th birthday I experienced my first "hot flash". I was taken aback, thinking, " NO, I can't be having these already! I just turned 40! What the fucking hell!" Then a few months ago I went 46 days between periods, which never happens. I am a 28 day cycle kind of woman. At first I thought I was pregnant, but thankfully testing was negative, and I started a few days later.
Fast forward to last week. I was cleaning downstairs and I noticed a book on my shelf. A book that I had given to my mother, and she returned to me. It was by Susun S. Weed- New Menopausal Years, The Wise Woman Way, Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90. I opened it and started to read, and I want to share a few words from the book with my cohorts who may be in the same boat. It can be a scary, frustrating, annoying, sad, or plain weird place to be because it is the unknown, But take solace that you are not alone, and you have the power to steer the boat.
From the Preface
Great Granddaughter, it is time to prepare for your journey. I am Grandmother Growth. I, my plant friends, and my stories have come to guide you on your menopausal journey, your metamorphosis to Crone, woman of wholeness.
Is this Menopause?
Preparing for the Journey
Is today not the best day to begin? asks Grandmother Growth. If you are old enough to ask 'is this menopause?', you are old enough to plan your journey to the old woman you are growing into. Let us gather what we need. It is time to begin your journey to Change.
Is this menopause? In linear time, in the minds of many MDs, and gynecologists, menopause is a single event, a definite end: the last menses. Everything before that last drop of blood is called "peri-menopause" and everything after that last drop of blood is "postmenopausal". To this way of thinking, there are no menopausal women. This is like defining puberty as the first drop of blood and nothing more.
To the wise woman, to the woman experiencing menopause, menopause is a spiraling process over time. One that changes and shifts even as it courses through us, so we never know what to expect day to day during the Change.
You can purchase the book here.
I am going to try to be my own ally, and not fight this. I will do my best to embrace this part of my life, however long it lasts. As we know Change, in general, is the only true constant in life.
Happy Spiraling!!!!
~ Stacie
A couple months after my 40th birthday I experienced my first "hot flash". I was taken aback, thinking, " NO, I can't be having these already! I just turned 40! What the fucking hell!" Then a few months ago I went 46 days between periods, which never happens. I am a 28 day cycle kind of woman. At first I thought I was pregnant, but thankfully testing was negative, and I started a few days later.
Fast forward to last week. I was cleaning downstairs and I noticed a book on my shelf. A book that I had given to my mother, and she returned to me. It was by Susun S. Weed- New Menopausal Years, The Wise Woman Way, Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90. I opened it and started to read, and I want to share a few words from the book with my cohorts who may be in the same boat. It can be a scary, frustrating, annoying, sad, or plain weird place to be because it is the unknown, But take solace that you are not alone, and you have the power to steer the boat.
From the Preface
Great Granddaughter, it is time to prepare for your journey. I am Grandmother Growth. I, my plant friends, and my stories have come to guide you on your menopausal journey, your metamorphosis to Crone, woman of wholeness.
Is this Menopause?
Preparing for the Journey
Is today not the best day to begin? asks Grandmother Growth. If you are old enough to ask 'is this menopause?', you are old enough to plan your journey to the old woman you are growing into. Let us gather what we need. It is time to begin your journey to Change.
Is this menopause? In linear time, in the minds of many MDs, and gynecologists, menopause is a single event, a definite end: the last menses. Everything before that last drop of blood is called "peri-menopause" and everything after that last drop of blood is "postmenopausal". To this way of thinking, there are no menopausal women. This is like defining puberty as the first drop of blood and nothing more.
To the wise woman, to the woman experiencing menopause, menopause is a spiraling process over time. One that changes and shifts even as it courses through us, so we never know what to expect day to day during the Change.
You can purchase the book here.
I am going to try to be my own ally, and not fight this. I will do my best to embrace this part of my life, however long it lasts. As we know Change, in general, is the only true constant in life.
Happy Spiraling!!!!
~ Stacie
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