Rhythm 2: Monthly Rhythms

In this lesson, we are going to talk about our monthly rhythm or our menstrual cycle. This image is a basic overview of the three primary phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. We have a Vata phase of the cycle, which is the bleed. It's when we get our period, and it shows how our hormones shift and change throughout this cycle, and also our nervous system. We have a Kapha phase of our cycle, which is from the end of our bleed to ovulation. This is the follicular phase. Then we have the Pitta phase of our cycle, which is the luteal phase from the end of ovulation to the beginning of our bleed. I'm going to go through each of these phases of the cycle and talk about how our body shifts and changes through each. Days one through five to seven is the Vata phase of our cycle. The theme in this phase is release and cleanse. Vata is the air and space element, so the emotional themes around this are detachment, stillness, restoration, purification. Our body is going through a phase of purifying and cleansing: ecstasy, envisioning forgiveness of self and others, intimacy and union, and inner guidance. During this phase, our hormones—estrogen and testosterone—are at their lowest point. From a doshic perspective, we have mostly the air and space elements, so we can think about being sensitive to the subtle realm. There is more introspection. It's a phase of letting go. During this phase, we have less stamina than during other phases of our cycle. Our nervous system has more of a sympathetic baseline, meaning we don’t recover as well when dealing with stress. It requires more energy for us to deal with the stressors coming our way. We have less resilience, more rigidity, and higher levels of sensitivity during this phase. We might feel a need to withdraw, more fatigue, because we’re purifying and cleansing. We have lower ojas, which is the storehouse of our vital energy. We can be more fatigued during this time. We can experience more self-doubt or a desire for solitude. We may struggle with being outwardly productive, and this can feel at odds with what is valued in a society where productivity equals worth. During this phase, we are more naturally drawn inward. We can fall into self-judgment, believing we’re lazy or weak. How you can support yourself during this phase is to prioritize rest, sleep, and downtime. That doesn't mean laying around the whole time; it’s about recognizing how much your system can take in and digest during this time. Can you limit how much you’re taking in through all senses? Not overloading with social media or stressful news, and recognizing when your system begins tipping into a stress response. Can you create a boundary with what you're taking in? Your body will not have the resilience to rebound well during this phase. It's about protecting the container that is cleansing and purifying physically, mentally, and emotionally. Warm, comforting foods are important. Digestion is not strong in a Vata phase. We want easy-to-digest foods. Gentle movement is important—light stretching, walking, and supporting emotional space: journaling, meditation, quiet reflection. Riding that line of destruction without falling into self-destruction. There is a theme around cleansing and purifying, and a literal destruction happening in the body. Can we allow that to happen without turning it inward on ourselves? Next, after our period ends, we move into the follicular phase, which is the Kapha phase. The theme here is radiate and connect. Kapha is water and earth, especially water. This includes the follicular phase and the beginning part of ovulation. We have more of a parasympathetic baseline during this phase. The emotional themes are tenderness, innocence, curiosity, containment, imagination, assertiveness, playfulness, desire. During ovulation: outward focus, loving others, visibility, optimism, taking charge, mastery, gratitude, pleasure. This phase is about being in the body, feeling sensuality, pleasure, being assertive, feeling confidence to put ourselves out into the world. Hormonally, estrogen starts to climb. It is the yin, juicy, building hormone. We have a lot of stamina from the Kapha phase. It boosts mood and energy, peaking at ovulation. With Kapha energy we think growth, stability, connection, radiance. In the nervous system, we have more of a parasympathetic baseline. We can handle stress and rebound more easily without tipping into aggravation. We have more capacity to be active and productive, and it’s easier to self-regulate and transition between tasks. We may feel optimistic, energetic, confident, creative, social, attractive, with a stronger libido. This phase can also feel overwhelming because we have so much energy we don’t know what to do with. We can support ourselves through pleasure—activities that bring joy, celebrating the body and sensuality, setting boundaries, starting new projects, channeling creativity into something new. We can connect with others, spend time with loved ones, express our ideas and passions. Then we move into the luteal phase, which is about tuning in and nurturing. This is the Pitta phase of the cycle. Emotional themes are insight, being the critic, editing, holding tension, truth-speaking, losing it, drifting, discernment, abandoning responsibility, intellectual sharpness. There is a sharp, heated quality. Pitta is fire. We can have mental clarity and more discernment. We can have less tolerance for injustice and a desire to express truth. There is always a bit of tension in Pitta. Hormonally, progesterone rises and both estrogen and testosterone decline. Progesterone is a more yang quality. With the doshas, the fire element becomes more dominant: intensity, sensitivity, sharpness, introspection. In the nervous system, we have sympathetic dominance in response to lowering estrogen and testosterone, which helps us have energy. More sympathetic dominance means less resilience, more rigidity, higher sensitivity. We may feel a fire of clarity to purify what is not aligned. This is the gift of this time. The agitation and activation can give information about what is aligned or not. This can feel difficult psychologically when resisted. We may feel more critical of ourselves. Pitta by nature tends to be judgmental, and we can turn that inward. We may feel anxious, irritable, or fatigued. If sensitive to hormonal shifts or have depleted progesterone, the luteal phase can feel debilitating. It can feel like PMS or PMDD, and we may need help stabilizing. When running on stress hormones, the body pulls from progesterone. If progesterone doesn’t rise, we become further depleted. Estrogen can also become depleted. If we are healthier, we have more neuroplasticity and capacity for trauma healing during the Pitta phase. Support includes slowing down, prioritizing rest and relaxation, creating space, limiting input, taking small breaks, checking in with capacity. We want to limit stimulation, nourish ourselves with healthy meals, and practice self-compassion. The antidote to Pitta is compassion. Where do we start? Always with Dinacharya—daily rhythms. That is what we're doing every day. Start with daily rhythms and seasonal eating. Then you have a steadier baseline for observing your body throughout the month. During the Kapha phase, you may have more capacity to exercise and be consistent with routines. During other phases, you may need more gentleness, rest, and sleep. Finally, regarding birth control: not every woman experiences her cycle naturally. If you want to get off birth control, take a few months to get consistent with daily rhythms and seasonal eating to address root causes behind symptoms. When coming off, your body will be more supported. If you're taking birth control for birth control and want to see how your body functions naturally, talk to your doctor and decide how to wean off. It’s important for women to understand their body without interference at some point in life. The menstrual cycle shows us so much about health. In Ayurveda, digestion is the root of health. How we digest, eliminate, and move food through the body gives information about the doshas. The same applies to the menstrual cycle. When we move through it naturally, it gives information about what is happening in our system and what to address. Many women believe it’s normal to suffer with cycle-related symptoms. It has been normalized, but it’s not natural. We should not be suffering so much during the cycle.