the yOni menstrual tips board

yOni's menstrual tip board

Many thanks to Felicity Oswell, creatrix of the Wombmoon Calendar, and to Susun who makes the Wemoon Natural Menstrual Pads for their input. If you have a good tip to add then please e-mail it to us and we will put it on the list.

Cramp bark tea really helps me. The first day of my period always used to be very painful until I read about this tea in a book on natural healing. I find that if I start drinking it the day before I begin to bleed, I often don’t have cramps at all, and the time that I bleed seems to be shortened.	Use your pre-menstrual energy to clean the house and prepare food so you can relax and not have to take care of others while you are bleeding.	H o o o w l at the moon Wear red. It stimulates the circulation and replaces the red you are losing from the aura.
To avoid cramping and menstrual pain, try not eating or drinking cold foods and drinks during and up to 5 days before your period.	Try massaging the thumb, first and second finger especially around the joints and in the junction of the thumb and first finger (Colon 6) for menstrual pain. Massaging the top of the pubic bone, the two points either side of the spine at the base of the skull (Bladder 10), and the small hollow, 3 finger breadths above the inner ankle bone (Spleen 6) can also bring relief.	Spend time by the ocean. Use the beauty and power of nature, especially water, to cleanse, clarify and wash away the old and no longer useful thoughts and feelings. Long, hot, perfumed soaks in the bath are great. Clary Sage and Rose oils are lovely.
Often, our rage at this time can be seen as a way of driving people away, so make sure you spend time alone. Use this energy to clear up unfinished relationship difficulties.		Screaming in the car is highly recommended.
Celebrate your womanhood	All things grow with water. Release your tears and fear not the murky depths of your unconscious. Use your menstrual time to bring the mind home and contact your true nature.	Take care of your diet and try to avoid fatty foods, coffee, drugs and alcohol in the second half of your cycle.
Have a day off. ~~~ I've found this to be my best medicine. Meditate, dance wildly, be creative, have orgasms, watch the moon, sleep more, read, do nothing, do whatever turns you on.	For sore breasts, massage in circular movements, up, in, down and around the breasts. Also try using a crystalized salt deodorant instead of conventional ones.	Be selective about how and who you spend your time with
I have just discovered, with the help of my boyfriend, that he can alleviate alot of the pain that I get with my period. We both get naked (not for sexual purposes, last thing I want is a poke at that point), I lay on top of him and get as comfortable as possible. Then he runs his fingertips up and down my back, thighs and hips very lightly. This can get so relaxing that my cramps are gone before I even notice it. It's also a great way to fall asleep. Thank god not all men are assholes :-) For those women who don't have somebody to do this for them or that have partners who aren't willing to do it: Evening Primrose Oil (HIGH doses) and St John's Wort oil capsules have helped me immensely. Lessens the severe cramping I was getting as well as the depression and rage. I'm not nearly as psychotic as I used to be, period or not :-)	I TRY TO TAKE A MOON LODGE DAY SOMETIME DURING MY FLOW, PREFERABLY THE FIRST DAY. I FIND THAT TAROT READING IS ESPECIALLY INSIGHTUFL DURING MY MOON TIME ALSO. I TAKE VITEX EXTRACT REGULARLY AND IT HAS EASED MY HEAVY FLOW. ALSO, RASPBERRY LEAF TEA IS WONDERFUL. HERE IN CHARLOTTE, NC THERE ARE PLENTY OF WOMEN'S MENSTRUAL TEAS AVAILABLE, OR YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN. THE BOOK "SISTER MOON LODGE," WHOSE AUTHOR ESCAPES ME AT THE MOMENT, IS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE. IT HAS SUGGESTIONS FOR HONORING YOUR FLOW SUCH AS CREATING A BLOOD JAR FROM YOUR (CLOTH) PADS AND USING THE BLOOD WATER TO NOURISH YOUR HOUSEPLANTS. TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE AN ESPECIALLY ROUGH TIME WITH YOUR PERIODS, MY OWN CHANGE IN ATTITUDE ABOUT MY BODY AND ITS MOON CYCLES HAS MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE. BLESSED BE! THANKS FOR THE GREAT WEBSITE! SUSAN	Try switching from paper pads and tampons to natural cloth pads. Choose a color or pattern of flannel and make your own if you can, or there are sources for them (yOni recommends Wemoon Pads . Ed). Soak them in a closed bucket with a bit of detergent, or, if you have a garden, skip the detergent and use the water for your plants. Judy Grahn in an article entitled "From Sacred Blood to the Curse and Beyond," argues that it was the ability to add our blood to the seed that first "fertilized" the grain and domesticated it. (She rests the whole of women's original claim on spirituality upon our sacred blood, our being "She who bleeds but does not die." An interesting article!) Our culture is programmed with disgust at women's blood. One way of maintaining that disgust is to require "sanitary" napkins filled with chemicals that take blood and turn it into something with a nauseating smell and look. Using cloth reminds us that blood does not smell bad, nor look disgusting. Using pretty, soft cloth affirms our willingness to touch and address our blood with honor. It also is more respectful of Mother Gaia not to fill her with destructive chemical, plastic and paper substances, but to return what we receive with care.
One thing that helps a lot to relieve menstrual tension is a really good back massage, especially focusing on the pressure points and tender spots between the lower shoulder blades and the spine. A flexible woman can do this herself fairly well. It is easier with a friend though. Massage should be deep and slow, with a lot of pressure but not so much that it hurts. Jenny	Eat lots of chocolate, drink lots of coffee Stay in bed for a week, watch soap operas on TV. You don't have to pretend you feel fine when you don't. Just do whatever makes you happy!! Sarah	Flaxseed oil every day. Natural progesterone (from yams) eliminated my menstrual migraines. What a relief! Carolyn USA
Zinc relieves cramps--eat dark green veggies like spinach!--and potassium relieves bloating, so eat those bananas too. Both need to be eaten in the second half of your cycle. Works for me!	One time I had horribly bad cramps. Luckily, my boyfriend was there for me. He filled the tub up with hot water and put some nicely scented bath salts in and I sat in there and relaxed. After about 20-30 minutes, my cramps were better! Try it :) -Bianca	Drink hot red teas, especially no caffeine herb teas, like Cranberry Apple. Savor the colorful flow as it spreads into the water, while it steeps. I also like to tell bad taste, bleeding jokes, like "What do Vampires use for tea bags?". But only when I'm feeling really bad. Holly USA
I made myself a menstrual coloring book from images in books that were powerful to me- copied them onto heavy watercolor type paper at the local copy shop and punched holes in the edges and bound with red ribbon. Every month when I am on my heaviest bleeding day, I light candles and sit in front of my altar, meditate, take time for me, and paint in my coloring book with my menstrual blood. I squat over an empty film canister to collect my bloods, but a menstrual cup inserted into the vagina works better. You can buy these at the drug store. (But I don't like putting plastic into my Yoni.) After the blood is collected, I use a special brush that is for nothing else, and paint a sacred picture in my coloring book, sometimes two or three depending on how inspired I am. I make them into spells by adding words and my intentions. Anothertip: A friend of mine told me that she read somewhere that there are four phases associated with the four days of bleeding- First day is Reflection (looking back on the month), second day is Projection (your plans for the month ahead), third day is Purification (the heaviest blood has usually passed by now and it is time for cleansing), fourth day is Celebration (need I say more?) Thought this was a nice way to be with your cycle. Enjoy! Karen
An orgasm will not only relieve tension (emotional and physical) but can ease cramps as well. Have one with a friend or alone!	At night, nothing beats my old hot-water bottle! Wrap a towel around it and put over the cramp... Mmmmm....! Emelie	since menstruation is a time of release, use it to free yourself from the things that bind you, literally as well as figuratively. wear your hair down. take off your rings, and, in the house, most of your clothes. exercise only if you love it, not because of the calories burned. don't volunteer for anything out of a sense of duty. get a massage. in short, think of yourself first for a while, and at the end of your cycle, you can pick up your burdens relaxed and refreshed. lilith.
I get severe cramps, like so severe that untreated I would be vomiting,passing out, crying and unable to walk for up to 5 days. Things that help me are: a lot of massage, hot water bottles, prescription medications such as Naproxen, Ponstan, Idorac 400, Tylenol 3, herbal remedies such as Dong Quai, fish oil and evening primrose oil, and dietary changes such as absolutely no salt, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, etc. I exercise every day except the ones where my cramps are severe. I still get cramps but usually now only for 1 day.	A tip on working with cramps: I have had bad cramps for years and have shifted in the way I work with them. I used to totally disconnect from my bleeding by taking strong painkillers & using tampons. I now do neither. I use cloth pads (which are wonderful) & instead of shutting down the pain I am learning to allow myself to feel it to the fullest extent. When I allow myself to embrace this fear of pain & merge with it, it changes. I place my hands one on top of the other over my womb area & breathe gently in the nose & out through the mouth. I listen to my body. Sometimes I cry or howl whilst doing this and at times it feels as if the pain is not mine alone. I cry as I allow myself to feel the pain of a global community of women, who I am connected to through my bleeding. I cry tears for those who will not give themselves the space to feel. "You can't heal it until you feel it" a friend once said to me. It's true. My cramps are much less now & I actually don't mind them. They remind me to take time out to feel,breathe & connect with the wisdom of my body.
For several years, I have practiced the spiritual discipline of isolating during my menstrual cycle, to pray for vision and my Relatives and to honor my body by giving it time for rest and renewal. This is by far the most powerful single thing I've ever done to create a positive and beautiful experience where there once was pain, irritation and discomfort. See The Void . Part of my spiritual work this time around involves letting women know about this wonderful tool for balance, wellness and spiritual strength. Also, I take a fabulous Women's Formula (I make my own) Tincture out of Red Raspberry, Cramp Bark, Squaw Vine, Catnip and Black Cohosh. Terrific for cramps, relaxing and even good for muscles spasms elsewhere (like sore neck and shoulder muscles from too much computer work!)
Gather a group of women together, the more diverse the group the better. Tell them in advance that you'll be getting together to talk about your moon time. Have everyone bring food. Make herbal tea. Share stories about your menses and what it has meant to you. It's so empowering to be able to share these stories with other women.	Exercise is great for me, but not only during my rags. I'm a karate student and the martial "bloodsport" thing helps me reconcile my feminine and masculine sides and I'm getting right into the androgene, 21st century thing. I feel really empowered by this. Also, I'm, a veggie so my cramps aren't so bad. Even if you aren't veggie, I strongly suggest not eating meat of any sort for about four days before, and right through your rags. I find also that I'm absolutely neurotic for about two days at the beginning, so I find it cathartic to wallow in self-pity for this time, and look back on it and wonder at the shift in consciousness when it's all over. Try it. Namaarie!	I recently purchased some small tube shaped pads that fit in between your inner labia for low-flow times. I thought it was brilliant and then discovered that if I rolled up two squares of toilet paper it works just as well. (Best to use unbleached.) Sticking a piece of toilet paper in your underwear in a pinch just never works. It creeps up the back as we all know. Our labia works great for holding that TP in.
I have come along way from denying the powers of my womanhood and goddess connection. From following society's answers of tampon, and drugs like Premsyn and Pamprin, now I have discovered Yoga, Goddess, Earth and faery faeth, and the natural gifts of herbs, teas, oils, and meditation. It is recommended not to us tampons, especially during the first 2-3 days of your flow, as well as to refrain from taking baths during this time, as it inhibits your body's natural downward flow of blood from the uterus. Take warm showers and treat yourself to warm sesame oil massages, especially over your lower back and womb center; and an added treat is to rub warm sesame oil into your hair and leave for several hours before washing out. Get a facial, burn aromatherapy oils and incense that reflect your "red" time...for me, I like rose, cinnamon, and cleansing scents like sandalwood. Rose hip and hibiscus tea is also a wonderful treat, not only can you connect with the lovely red flow of the tea swirling in the water, but it also gives your body an added boost of vitamin C. Primrose oil supplements have helped me greatly, as well as Stinging Nettle capsules (1 or 2 daily); these are especially helpful for women who are anemic or have allergies...blessed may we be in the light and flow that is inherently ours!
Here is a great menstrual massage that rmakes cramps disappear. Lie on your stomach on the floor and have your partner use the heel of the hand or foot pushing downward just above your pelvis on either side of the spine.Also raspberry leaf tea throughout the month helps me.I do iced tea in the summer.	Tips for cramps: flannel jammies and a hot water bottle are a must. The best remedy I have found for when I can't stay in bed with the above items is cramp bark tincture. I can actually still feel my uterus contracting but it doesn't hurt! Combine all this with love & insight into your cramps.	Try not wearing pads or tampons. Just let your blood flow, fill all of your folds and run down you legs. Obviously, the price of laundry detergent means you can't do this too often, but it's incredible - the warmth, that heady smell, being bathed in your own lubrication...this is womanhood!
laugh with your best girlfriend.	Gather a group of women together. The more diverse the group, the better.Tell them in advance that you'll be getting together to talk about your moon time. Have everyone bring food. Make herbal tea. Share stories about your menses and what it has meant to you. It's so empowering to be able to share these stories with other women.