The natural rhythm of your menstrual cycle is like a wave – a continuous flow of building up and letting go. The uterine lining builds up and then is released as menstrual blood flow.

Emotions are carried in the blood and when you bleed you are naturally releasing some emotion every cycle.

All of nature’s cycles including the menstrual cycle are a delicate balance between yin and yang.

Estrogen promotes yin which is quiet, still and cool and rules the first half of the cycle.

Progesterone promotes yang which is loud, active and warm and kicks in in the second half of the cycle.

There are times when you are called to be more yin - from menstruation until ovulation.

And there are times to be more yang - from ovulation to menstruation.

Progesterone builds in the yang part of the cycle. It creates movement in your body - just think of the egg moving on its journey from the ovaries.

And it’s progesterone that pulls emotions up to the surface as its levels rise.

If there are emotions that have been unexpressed during the cycle, these will be pulled up for expression as the wave rises to its highest point and can no longer hold these suppressed emotions under the surface.

If emotions continue to be held down and not allowed to flow they’re likely to go on and disrupt the smooth contraction of the uterus and release of menstrual blood. Pain is an indication that something isn’t flowing.

In our society we tend to think of the expression of emotions before menstruation as being a problem, something that is wrong, an inconvenience to be hidden away behind closed doors.

I recall a former boss who only wanted to employ women who didn’t ‘get moody’ before their periods because it was an inconvenience for the office.

What if instead of seeing the emotions that bubble up in yang phase of your cycle as something that is wrong or bad, women were given tools and an understanding of how to express their emotions in a healthy way ?

What if the key to balancing this delicate cycle within us was learning to express emotions as they are felt ?

Imagine if emotions weren’t stuffed down and your cycle could flow smoothly without resistance and pain…