Maybe It's Not The Hormones

(A poem)

Can perimenopause please take a pause
So I can find the cause 
Of this periodic depression?

And just one more question…

Why has compassion
gone out of fashion
when it’s the only right action
not something to ration?

It seems our lack of kindness
Is a kind of blindness
That keeps us from seeing 
the true love that binds us 

So maybe it’s not a loss of estrogen
maybe it’s a loss of connection
a hindrance of our soul’s expression
a suppression of our heart’s intension
and a barrier to our spiritual ascension

Maybe it’s not the progesterone
maybe it’s a feeling in our bones
that we’re all walking alone 
when we should be walking eachother home 

Maybe it’s really not the hormones at all
maybe it’s that we’ve been muting God’s call 
while we all play victim to the bequest of our very own fall 

***
As a 41 year old woman, I didn't expect to have perimenopausal symptoms quite so soon. 

While it is an inevitable part of a woman's life, I can't help but feel that it wasn't meant to feel this extreme. 

Indigenous women knew their cycles were linked to the phases of the moon and the rhythms of the earth, and tended to their bodies during each phase of their cycle accordingly.

They also lived in villages where they could actively support one another through each phase of their journey from their first bleed to motherhood and beyond. 

Today, most women are raising their families and working full time in silos with very little outside support. And many have lost their connection to the earth, and to one another entirely.  

We live in societies that prioritize productivity over rest, profit over health, personal wealth over kindness and compassion, and social media over genuine connection. 

We've been given synthetic hormones in the name of bodily autonomy, and a false script that we can have it all, failing to mention that we'll also need the funds to pay for the support we need to "do it all." 

And when we fall short, we beat ourselves up, leading to more stress, more burnout, and ultimately more hormonal chaos.  

Even the most health-conscious among us cannot fully escape the hormone disruptors that can be found in food packaging, and in personal care items such as lotions, shampoos, makeup, and household cleaning supplies. And don't get me started on the chemicals found in tampons!

So perhaps, as this poem suggests, the extreme symptoms that many women endure throughout perimenopause and menopause, aren't because our bodies have betrayed us. Maybe it's because we've unknowingly been led to betray our own bodies-- with the food and products we consume, the screens we spend our days on, and the slow erosion of meaningful connection and community that are necessary for a healthy life. 

My hope in sharing this, is that more women will reclaim their connection to the moon, the earth, and to one another before it's too late.

Fortunately, there are many holistic practitioners leading this charge. Two such women are Dr. Aviva Roma and Flo living founder, Alisa Vitti. 

If you're a woman or someone who loves one, please consider sharing the resources below. 

Knowledge is truly power, and you don't have to navigate your hormonal health issues alone. 

In gratitude and solidarity, 
Stephanie 

https://avivaromm.com

https://floliving.com/about