Awakening to the Wisdom of Menstruation

This book helps you:
Understand how cultural attitudes affect women's health
Identify the different phases of your period
Learn natural ways to relieve menstrual symptoms
Develop your ability to process premenstrual feelings constructively
Understand the menstrual altered state of consciousness and how it supports your spiritual and psychological development
Create space in your life for self-renewing retreat each month

"Re-integrating a truly feminist, woman-honoring perspective on menstruation means turning a whole system of thought upside down. It means saying that a cyclical change in feelings and body sensations is valuable and interesting; it means saying that the emotions women experience premenstrually carry useful information and should be paid attention to; it means acknowledging that a menstruating woman has access to sacred energy, and that if she wishes, she should have space and time to explore this dimension of experience.
The ramifications of such a shift would be truly radical. For many reasons, including ecological and cultural survival, I believe the system of thought which has caused women to adapt to a non-cyclical reality needs to be turned upside down, for the good of us all.
We menstruate more now than at any time in human history. Girls are starting to menstruate earlier due to protein-rich diets and hormones in food; women are less likely to die young; we have fewer children and therefore spend less time not menstruating. Increased work and family stresses, in addition to more periods, mean that women are more physically and psychologically vulnerable to negative attitudes to menstruation. So it is more important than ever that we investigate ways to make our periods physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy."
Contents Include
Part One: Beliefs and Attitudes
1: A Brief History of Bleeding: Menstruation in Western Culture
2: Moon, Blood, Earth and Snake: Eternal Archetypes of Menstruation
3: Sacred Power: The Beliefs of Menstrual-Positive Cultures

Part Two: Reclaiming the Cycle
4: Healing the Wounded Woman
5: Menstrual Power and Menstrual Symptoms
6: The Sabbath of Women: Spirituality and Menstruation

Part Three: Rituals and Recommendations
7: Conscious Menstruation: First Steps
8: Going Deeper: Rituals, Practices and Meditations
9: Natural Remedies for Menstrual Symptoms

Part Four: Waking up to the Power - The Stories of Three Women
10: The Scientist - Wendy Alter
11: The Educator - Tamara Slayton
12: The Priestess - Hallie Iglehart Austen

Part Five: Living Your Power
13: Menstruation, Relationships and the Family
14: Bleeding with the World