Today, we embark on a voyage exploring the profound importance of Earth and Water for those blessed with a uterus. At Steady + Free, our mission is to illuminate the path towards ending period problems, perimenopause woes, and menopause mysteries. So, gather your radiant energy, for we are about to uncover the secrets of feminine power and unlock a sumptuous, luxurious way of being as a result of leaning into our innate superpowers. Let us begin this captivating voyage through the elements that shape our existence.
Embracing Feminine Energy
In a world that, by default, values masculine qualities and traits, it's essential for individuals born with a uterus to recognize and embrace the innate strengths of their feminine energy. By honoring and tapping into the power of Earth and Water, we can find a deeper sense of alignment with our natural selves, which brings the shift to ending period problems within reach.
As women, our bodies are intricately connected to the cycles of the Earth and the flow of water. Just as the Earth provides stability and grounding, and water represents fluidity and intuition, these elements are our constant companions on this journey. By acknowledging and embracing them, we can unlock a wellspring of power and wisdom that resides within us.
Embracing our feminine energy means honoring our intuition and embracing our emotions. It means allowing ourselves to feel deeply, trust our inner knowing, and take action accordingly. Despite being encouraged to second-guess ourselves and our hunches, when we align ourselves with the majesty of Earth and Water, it becomes easier to respect the inner knowings that show up.
Imagine a river flowing effortlessly, carrying with it the power to shape the land it encounters. Similarly, when we are in alignment with the Earth and Water elements, our energy flows effortlessly. We become more holistically attuned to our needs (physically, emotionally, intuitively, mentally) and we find a sense of calm and stability amidst life's ups and downs. This calm pervades our outer life, inner life, and reflects back to us in pain-free, PMS-free, consistent cycles.
By embracing our feminine energy and aligning with Earth and Water, we can experience a myriad of benefits. We become more resilient, adaptable, and grounded. Our intuition becomes sharper, guiding us towards choices that align with our true selves. We become more in tune with our bodies, allowing us to better care for ourselves and address imbalances that may arise. These micro-awarenesses result in ending our period problems--it doesn't require a pill, a special diet, an elaborate workout regimen, a specialized doctor, hormone supplements, surgery, or any other risks--just a willingness to listen to your body and respect this source of knowledge as you would the doctor. Doctors don't have a means to end period problems, just a way to mute the symptoms; we have the power to end our suffering the easy way.
Leveraging Earth and Water
Harnessing the Power of Earth and Water
As individuals born with a uterus, we have a unique connection to the elements of Earth and Water. These elements represent existence by default (by being), unquestionably constant, strength, stability, and mass, nourishment.
In contrast, individuals born without a uterus, are more powerfully connected to the elements of Wind and Sun/Fire. These elements represent existence by doing, consistency, power with extremes, facilitating creation rather than serving as the elements through which creation occurs.
I lovely example of these elements reflected in humans? Pregnancy and the birth of babies.
The Inherent Qualities of Earth and Water
Earth is steady, grounded, and nurturing. It represents stability, foundation, and the abundance of life. When we align ourselves with the energy of Earth, we can tap into our own stability and find a sense of rootedness in the world. Water, on the other hand, is fluid, adaptable, and intuitive. It represents emotions, creativity, and the flow of life. By embracing the energy of Water, we can access our intuition and navigate life's challenges with grace and ease.
The Power of Presence
Benefits of Aligning with Earth and Water
When we consciously align ourselves with Earth and Water, we can experience myriad benefits in our lives. Physically, aligning with Earth and Water, also known as grounding, is becoming a popular form of intuitive nourishment. In moments of frenzied chaos, rushing, disconnection, we can seek the counsel of these elements by choosing stillness and pause.
Take a moment with Earth energy: by honoring the nurturing energy of Earth. What can you nurture in your life right now? One of our clients at Steady + Free, now very joyfully pregnant, recently noted: "Now that I'm pregnant, I am willing to use the bathroom when I feel the first sensation from my bladder. I'm willing to eat, when I feel the first sensation of hunger. I know that I was nurturing myself before getting pregnant because my period problems had ended as a result of Fierce Gentleness™, but now I realize how much more nurturing I can be for myself now and after this pregnancy".
We, as people born with a uterus, have been groomed to defer to others (the clock, the calendar, other people in our immediate space) for when and how we give ourselves permission to nurture ourselves. In contrast, Mother Nature, activates processes when on her schedule for the greatest benefit of all--we need every season!
...and feel: into the the intuitive flow of Water. Our breath, the fluid movement and exchange of oxygen into the body and carbon-dioxide out of the body, is a very easy way to find out right now, when/if we are in flow. When you find yourself choking often, or consistently breathing from the lungs rather than diaphragm, you can take those awarenesses as symptoms that you are not in flow.
These are just two examples of how we can use the essence of our guardian elements to inform how we live and move through the world. These are ways of beings that pervade each of our four phases, help to bring us "home" to our bodies, and help our bodies find inner peace regardless of the outer circumstances. This is why we, at Steady + Free, can happily affirm that aligning with these elements--taking the cues they inspire can also help address conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD, and fibroids, allowing us to find relief and healing.
Practical Applications
Using Earth and Water to Achieve Pain-Free Periods
Earth: It's what we eat and interact with: from eating food that directly comes from the earth to eating the animals that eat the food that came from the earth, one of the most practical ways that we can honor our earth element is to honor what we put in our body and how we interact with the earth. This includes eating nutrient-rich foods and taking time of gratitude by honoring grace outdoors.
Water: on the other hand, symbolizes fluidity, intuition, and emotional healing--especially the emotional healing that comes with exercising the right to change our minds. Water is powerful in her willingness to be ever-changing because she flows to goodness and to what will keep her powerful. This means that water is not going to flow to a desert and kill itself because the desert lacks water. Take that vey basic lesson! We don't have to give our attention to things that don't nourish our greatest good. During menstruation, it is essential to honor our emotions and allow ourselves to flow with them, rather than suppressing or ignoring them or over-sacrificing and depleting ourselves.
The Hendricks Institute describes the phenomenon of "Matching": "when we align our inner experiences (feelings, sensations, thoughts) with our outer expression. Taking the lead of water: clear, flowing, dynamically reactive is "matching". Try it--it is thrilling!
Addressing Conditions like Endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD, and Fibroids
For individuals dealing with conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD, or fibroids, the pain and disruption caused by these conditions can be overwhelming. However, by considering the example that the Earth and Water elements offer, it is possible to find relief and regain control over our bodies.
Let's zoom in on Earth and consider the natural growth process, to see how we can slow and stop these disorders that even surgery and strong medication have never remedied: only that which is nurtured can grow. Do trees grow in the Great Salt Lake? Do sharks swim in lakes? So how are we feeding the various growths and gains characterized by Endometriosis, Fibroids, and PCOS or the extreme emotional consequences that result from PMDD? That is a bigger conversation, but here is the short answer:
- stop deferring our immediate physical needs like rest or high-intensity activities,
- stop deferring our emotional needs like excusing a micro-aggression or masking a feeling with its opposite in order to avoid conflict,
- stop deferring our mental needs like continuing to work in a messy shared office space or working with cluttered formats that make cognition difficult,
- stop deferring our intuitive needs like waiting to pitch a great idea because it came on a hunch or running it by someone else to get them to co-sponsor the idea in order to feel safe--you are enough.
Grounding and Healing
We've mentioned Grounding a few times in this article, let's deepen the conversation:
In 2021, I moved to Tenerife, one of the Spanish islands that make up the Canary Islands just off the western coast of Africa. My dog and I lived in a remote part of the island and spent almost the entire day in touch with the earth in the courtyard of our home, doing work or outside of our home with the ocean and rocks that make up the volcanic landscape.
Then, just a couple months later, we moved back to Germany, to a city. Suddenly, we were living 100 feet above the ground in a place where we could hear other people, cars, sirens, trams, and all of the other sounds that make up the cityscape. My dog, found himself in a state of distress and was suddenly acting out more than ever. I brought it up with a fantastic healer, Marianne Betts, and she immediately responded, "Whitman needs grounding, craves grounding". She prescribed one-hour minimum per day of sitting in a field to solve Whit's distress. Of course, we followed her advice, what did we have to lose? It turned out that we had everything to gain from the experience. We (Whit and I) were grounding on a daily basis and my holistic being was better for it. The coolest part: I never had to lead Whit out to the field for grounding, regardless of how our evening walk began, it always ended with the field.
So what were doing?
Grounding is a practice that involves connecting with the Earth's energy to rejuvenate and rebalance our own energy. It allows us to release any excess or negative energy that may be holding us back and to replenish ourselves with the Earth's healing energy. By establishing this connection, we can feel more grounded, centered, and at peace.
The act of grounding can be as simple as taking off your shoes and walking barefoot on the grass or sand. As your feet make contact with the Earth, imagine roots extending from the soles of your feet, reaching deep into the ground. Visualize any tension, stress, or pain being released into the Earth, while simultaneously drawing in the Earth's nourishing and calming energy.
By practicing grounding regularly, especially during your menstrual phase, you may begin to notice a profound shift in how you feel. The Earth's energy can help to alleviate period pain, reduce inflammation, and promote a sense of calm and balance. It can also help to regulate your menstrual cycle and support overall hormonal health.
In addition to the physical benefits, grounding can also have a positive impact on your emotional and mental well-being. It can help to reduce anxiety, ease feelings of overwhelm, and enhance your ability to focus and be present. By grounding yourself, you create a solid foundation from which you can navigate the challenges and joys of life with greater ease and resilience.
Nurture that which serves your greatest good
At the core of every individual born with a uterus lies a seed of potential, waiting to bloom and flourish. This section explores the nurturing power of Earth and Water in unlocking this potential and empowering us to embrace our true selves.
Embracing Growth and Transformation
Life is a journey of constant growth and transformation, and those born with a uterus possess a unique connection to this natural process. Just as the Earth supports the growth of plants and trees, so too can we nurture our womb and our lives through the power of Earth and Water.
By embracing the grounding stability of Earth and the fluidity of Water, we create the ideal environment for our mission to take root and thrive. This involves honoring our bodies, minds, and spirits, and allowing ourselves the space and time to grow and evolve.
Honor = saying "no" when we need to...
Allowing ourselves the space and time to grow and evolve = saying "no" when we need to...
Cultivating Self-Care and Self-Love
Self-care and self-love are essential components of nurturing our womb, but they are not slotted sessions of time that happen once a month at the spa. For those of us born with a uterus, these practices need to be front and center until they become habits. This is why using programs and environmental curations like those found in the Collective are extremely useful. Like the Earth, we must tend to our holistic bodies with kindness and compassion, nourishing ourselves with what each body (physical, mental, intuitive, emotional) needs, according to each Menstrual Phase.
Water teaches us the importance of emotional well-being. Just as water flows effortlessly to what will enable it to sustain itself with the greatest amount of ease, we must allow all of ourselves to flow freely, acknowledging and expressing ourselves without judgment--it is a huge service to the world because it gives "permission by example" for others to express their truth. This self-acceptance and awareness create space for healing and growth--that will save the world.
Connecting with Intuition and Creativity
Earth and Water are intimately connected to our intuition and creativity.
Earth grounds us in the present moment, allowing us to tap into our inner wisdom and make decisions that align with our true selves. Embracing the Pause to allow the "new" to surface.
Water, with its ever-changing nature, stimulates our imaginative spirit, inspiring us to explore new ideas and possibilities while shrugging off the horribly stifling shroud of perfection.
Ready to transform your period from a painful inconvenience to a powerful catalyst for change? Say goodbye to period problems and hello to a luxuriously sumptuous life with our empowering strategies. Take control of your well-being and embrace the boundless potential that comes with harnessing the power of your cycle. Join our community of empowered women and start your journey towards a pain-free, transformative period today. Let's rise together!
Next Steps
It is abundantly clear that the power of Earth and Water holds tremendous potential for individuals born with a uterus. By embracing them, we are embracing our feminine energy and can fully tap into our innate strengths and align ourselves with our natural selves. The constancy and inherent qualities of Earth and Water provide us with a solid foundation for harnessing the power of presence effortlessly.
Moreover, the benefits of aligning with these elements extend far beyond our periods. By consciously working with Earth and Water, we can achieve pain-free periods, and address conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD, and fibroids. The practical applications are endless, and through personal experiences and strategies, we can learn to fully embrace and leverage the power of Earth and Water.
On a more personal note, I discovered the incredible impact of grounding through direct contact with the Earth. As I managed anxiety with my beloved pet, Whitman, I came to understand the importance of this practice for both humans and animals alike. The Earth has a profound ability to bring about healing and restoration, and it is through grounding that we can find solace and inner peace.
I encourage each and every one of you to experiment with the conscious use of Earth and Water in your lives. Embrace these elements, and let them guide you towards a life filled with joy, ease, space, and grace. I invite you to share your own experiences with Earth and Water, as together, we create a community that supports and uplifts one another on this empowering journey.
May your path be illuminated by the radiance of Earth and Water, as you step into a life that is thriving and abundant.
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