Kate in Luteal & Kate in Follicular: We are not the same people.
Luteal phase: the phase in a woman’s menstruation cycle where the uterus is preparing to shed when pregnancy is not achieved.
Also known in today’s pop culture world as: Shark Week, PMS week, ‘throw chocolate at me and run week’, ‘ am I loosing my fuckin mind?” week.
I’m sure there are more that come to mind, but for the sake of adopting more positive language…. let’s adopt Kristi Norman’s phrase of “Burn Week”.
This is the luteal phase. “BURN WEEK” The burning away of “that which is not serving you”.
Just as the uterus is getting ready to shed the lining that is not needed when pregnancy is not achieved, you can also experience an energetic “bubble up” that needs “release” to start the next cycle.
For the sake of your time, and the depth of this topic, just note that we all have energetic womb space, so regardless of “who you are” you can tune into the wisdom of these cycles.
Image source: simple good search
I invite you to find some images that you can resonante with. Visualization helps connection.
End of Menstruation/ Follicular Phase: the phase in a woman’s cycle where physical symptoms subside, energy returns, and new inspirations are drawn in to prepare, build, and create.
Much like the uterus is preparing to receive an egg and house a fertilized embryo you are energetically gaining momentum and motivation for creating.
Note: we are just talking about the natural purpose of a natural cycle. You may not be preparing for pregnancy, but your body is every month regardless and also depending on where your are in your cycle journey.
Follicular Phase can be likened to spring. Renewal. Or perhaps a “return to feeling normal”.
An uptick of energy and motivation becomes present, and many of the very heavy or uncomfortable feelings of the luteal phase are gone, and you are left feeling slightly unhinged and wondering how we swing through so many ranges as we flow through our cycle and not actually hurt anyone… and maybe we do.
There is power in awareness. There is power in knowledge.
Let’s re-wind my personal journey several years back to a place of disconnectedness.
I was out of touch with my body and spirit.
My mind and the chatter along with countless untrue stories and thoughts were running the show.
Long story short, I quit drinking and started to take back control of my life, only to have emergency surgery 2 months later. Little did I know, that surgery would lead me down a path of deeper healing and discovery.
A path that I’m sure I would have eventually come to, but found out of necessity. Tools were was placed in my hands by Divine guidance.
I received a positive diagnosis of endometriosis, and left the hospital without my left ovary and fallopian tube. I was completely unprepared for the energetic shift that happens when a physical organ is removed or altered. I finally had the experience of KNOWING that everything is energy, and all the layers of our being are interconnected and affected by the other.
I started unlearn the stories, listen to the wisdom, and recognize the innate power and creation held within my womb space. Imperfect as it was and as much excruciating pain my condition may cause me at times, my womb space is a divine source of life in many forms, and a wellspring of creativity waiting to be tapped into. And I have created and gave birth to three incredible humans.
The magic really unfolded as I started to love my womb space.
I started to do the hard work of letting go, grieving, and integrating charged emotion.
I received Maya Abdominal Therapy sessions from Kristi.
I received the 13th Rite of the Karpay Womb Keeper’s transmission and now am able to share this healing with others.
I dove into the mysteries and wisdom of duality and the divine feminine/masculine archetypes.
I took countless workshops, read numerous books, and immersed myself into containers that helped me find the true essence of my incarnation as a woman with a womb space.
I am starting to get really good at tracking my cycle, recognizing the shifts in energy that each week brings, and nourishing each week to create a better ‘whole’.
I continue to unlearn stories and align with my own innate wisdom and truths that were within me all along.
I wrote a book and journal companion all about how to get to know this incredible and potent cyclical wisdom within.
I am so passionate about shining a light for others to find their way back to the treasure trove of divine gifts that come with the bestowment of the ability to create life.
It is a gift to be a source of creation. We ALL are a vessel through which creation and life force energy flows.
We do not honor it as it should be honored, because it is powerful beyond comprehension.
(another rabbit hole, for another day.)
Everything is energy.
“The womb is not a place to store fear or pain.
The womb is a place to create and give birth to life.”
-13th Rite Mantra
Ok, so circling back to one of the most interesting parts about having a connection with cycles.
Specifically speaking to the connections between each week of the menstruation cycle and the emotions/thoughts/symptoms etc. that arise with them as a result of our ever changing body chemistry and environmental factors.
(It is SOOO hard not to just geek out on this, but it gives me so much inspiration for future blog posts!!! GAH!!!! I love this shit!)
Here’s some insights that I have come to that might shed some light on things for you too:
Each week of the moon cycle carries a different energy. The more I can lean into that and flow with that energy, the easier it is for me to flow through my week and stay in a state of responsiveness and grounded-ness.
In my luteal phase I can be extremely destructive if I do not stay aware about NOT projecting my “discomfort”. I have learned to lighten my schedule around this time, I don’t attend to anything that poses an intense challenge, and I typically start to allow myself to nap here and there without guilt as I feel fatigued.
I’ve started to hold my bleed sacred, and will typically take the first and or second day to just fucking rest. We are talking literally loafed in bed, surrounded by liquids, books, blankies, heating pad, and my dog Lola because she won’t leave my side. It’s makes such a difference during the rest of the phases of my cycle when I just hold myself in really comforting space as I honor my bleed and my body.
We all can tune into the moon cycle (the physical in-the-sky-moon) and sync into a natural rhythm that is there to support us. This is awesome for anyone who is irregular, hasn’t started bleeding, is past the phase of bleeding, or just wants to tune into a more feminine charged cycle of living and awareness.
Because we are each unique, the way you track, sync, and honor your cycle gets to be exactly what you need and want it to be.
Understanding that we have different “flavors” of energy during different phases of our cycle can be extremely helpful when planning work and life events, making decisions big or small, and reassuring ourselves that we are in fact not bat shit crazy but also empowers us to not expect ourselves to mask with a stagnant, constant state of consistent single emotion or energy in order to appear balanced, normal, or sane.
So No,
Kate in Luteal and
Kate in Follicular
are not the same person.
They aren’t supposed to be.
One of them is the fire energy of righteous anger, coupled with despair for the human plight, mixed with crashing waves of emotions that sequester tears of deep grief, release, and healing.
One of them is the fire energy of passion and inspiration. This energy of me was formerly overcommitting to things for all phases of the cycle, but now utilizing this illuminating energy to really listen and be led to what it is that needs to be created through me. I use the inspiration to create a riverbed in which to flow with the rhythm of the cycle and life becomes easy as I have learned to ebb and flow instead of bump and grind.
Both of these energies are valid. Both of them have space. (Is my sun in Aries showing?! LOL)
Understanding these variations within myself have empowered me to create a life of ease and peace.
I have created a connection within and cultivated a practice of faith, trust, devotion, and awareness that is a powerful wise guide leading me in the directions I am meant to be going.
Honoring my womb space and my cycle has improved the health of my mind, drastically reduced the symptoms of my endometriosis, reduced the intense pendulum swing of uncontrollable emotions, improved the quality of my relationships, expanded my ability to lead and trust myself, and increased the overall quality of my experience as I take in this beautiful life.
You can too…..
That’s why I created Cycle Freedom: Finding Empowerment and Joy Within Your Feminine Cycle
After I wrote the guide book, I was immediately inspired to created a companion journal that is a great accompaniment to the book or an excellent stand alone ‘pen and paper’ tracking option.
The full color, 40 page guide book is a combination of inspiration, information, and illumination. Each week of the menstrual cycle is paired with the phases of the moon cycle so that ANYONE can learn to follow the rhythms of their “lunar cycle”. Each week is full of suggestions for body mind, and spirit germination!
The journal companion was a labor of love and displays my love of esthetic as it matches the guide book week for week. The journal is divided into weekly check-ins with prompts and plenty of space to “do you boo”. There are also monthly reflection pages to wrap up the cycle, and big picture reflection pages at the beginning and the end of the journal. This journal is designed to follow you through 13 moons.
After recently facilitating an incredible womb healing ceremony as part of a day long retreat of feminine connection, I was reminded of this incredible tool I created, and how I was not valuing my own work. I was so inspired and motivated after being a part of an incredible experience that I allowed the muse to move through me.
I have re-structured the Cycle Freedom page on my website to be a tool beyond the hard copy pages of the guide, and will be soon adding short, accessible, movement practices that pair with each week of your cycle.
Go check it out and bookmark the page NOW!
Subscribe to my email list to be alerted when new cycle content drops!
2023 will hold opportunities to dive into the magical mysteries of womb energy and healing so stay tuned!
Titties up! We got womb work to do!
Come along sisters!
Let’s channel chaos into creation!