Blog Posts Tagged Planning

Honoring the Divine Feminine: Shifting the Mindset Around the Monthly Cycle and Taming the Pain-Body

This morning, a young woman I work with walked into the office and casually said she had “received the woman’s curse.”
It was meant as a lighthearted comment, but it struck me how easily we’ve inherited that language — that being a woman, and experiencing our natural cycle, could be seen as a curse.

I smiled and gently offered a new perspective:
“What if, instead of feeling cursed, you celebrated this as a sacred time — a reminder of your connection to the Divine Feminine?”

Her face softened.
And it reminded me of something Eckhart Tolle once said in The Power of Now:

“The pain-body in women tends to become activated particularly just prior to and during the menstrual flow… If you are able to stay present and alert at that time, every old emotion that arises in you will be transmuted into consciousness.”

That passage has always stayed with me — because it reframes the menstrual cycle not as something to dread, but as an opportunity for presence, purification, and power.

The Pain-Body and the Power of Presence

According to Tolle, the “pain-body” is the emotional residue of past pain that lives within us — a collection of old wounds, trauma, and suppressed emotions. For many women, this energy awakens cyclically, often around menstruation.

When we resist it — by labeling it as “bad,” “unfair,” or “a curse” — the pain-body grows stronger. But when we meet it with awareness and compassion, it begins to dissolve.

That’s where presence becomes medicine.

Instead of reacting, we breathe.
Instead of resenting, we listen.
Instead of numbing, we feel.

This is how we transmute pain into power. Each month offers an invitation to deepen our connection with our body, our emotions, and our inner wisdom.

Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine

Our cycles mirror the rhythm of nature itself — creation, release, renewal. The moon waxes and wanes; the tides rise and fall; the seasons bloom and rest. We, too, are cyclical beings.

The Divine Feminine invites us to honor that rhythm rather than resist it.

Menstruation isn’t a punishment — it’s a cleansing. A physical and energetic release of what’s no longer needed. A reminder that we are powerful creators capable of bringing life — not just biologically, but energetically and spiritually.

When we begin to see our cycles as sacred, our relationship with ourselves begins to heal.

From Curse to Ceremony

Imagine if every time your cycle began, you saw it as a time to slow down, journal, nurture your body, and reconnect with your intuition.

What if instead of saying, “I got my period,” you said,
“I’m entering my renewal phase,” or
“My body is asking for stillness,” or
“I’m shedding to make room for what’s next.”

This mindset shift transforms the experience from something we endure into something we honor.

Even a small act — like lighting a candle, wearing comfortable clothes, or placing a hand on your womb and saying “thank you” — can shift the energy from resistance to reverence.

Taming the Pain-Body Through Love and Awareness

Here’s how to begin working with your cycle as a spiritual practice:

Be Present with Your Body.
Notice sensations without labeling them. Pain, fatigue, emotion — they are messengers, not enemies.
Release Judgment.
Stop calling it a curse. Stop apologizing for it. Instead, speak words of gratitude for your body’s intelligence.
Create Space.
Use this time to rest, reflect, and listen. The insights that come when we slow down are often the whispers of the soul.
Transmute Emotion into Consciousness.
When irritability or sadness arises, breathe deeply and remind yourself: This is energy moving through me. I am safe to feel.
Celebrate Your Divinity.
Whether through ritual, journaling, or self-care, use this phase as a reminder of your cyclical nature — and your power to renew.

The next time someone refers to their cycle as “the woman’s curse,” maybe you’ll smile and say —
“It’s not a curse. It’s a ceremony.”

A monthly return to your divine feminine essence.
A chance to tame the pain-body through love, awareness, and presence.
A sacred reminder that being a woman is — and always has been — a gift.

I have been thinking a lot about financial goals lately. Mostly, because I realized that i have a lot of work to do in that area.

Back in early 2020, when I decided to leave my husband, I was not in the best financial shape. Then I acquired a lot of debt with the divorce that followed. Followed quickly by a sizeable pay cut when I decided to quit my job, pack up everything and move to Florida.

I have been in Florida now for two years, and while my finances have improved, it has been a very slow process (damn finance charges!!). Now that I feel as though I am coming out of survival mode and breaking into thriving mode, I think it is time to set some financial goals that are both safe and challenging.

Safe because I am 48 and don’t want to gamble too much with my retirement. Challenging because I want to figure out how to get the biggest bang for my buck (literally).

When thinking about financial goals that you could set for yourself, consider these five examples:

Save for an emergency fund: Start by saving a safety net of $1,000 so you are able to stop using credit cards for emergencies. Aim to save three to six months' worth of living expenses in a separate, easily accessible account. This fund can provide a safety net in case of unexpected events like job loss or medical emergencies.

Pay off debt: Focus on eliminating high-interest debt first, such as credit card balances. Set a timeline and specific amount to pay off each month to gradually reduce your debt burden. Use the snowball method to help pay off debt faster.

Invest for retirement: Contribute regularly to a retirement account, such as a 401(k) or IRA. Take advantage of employer matching contributions if available and consider consulting a financial advisor to determine the best investment strategy for your goals.

Save for a major purchase: Whether it's a down payment on a house, a new car, or a dream vacation, setting aside a specific amount each month can help you reach your goal without resorting to credit.

Build a diversified investment portfolio: Research different types of investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. Diversifying your investments can help spread risk and increase the potential for returns over time.

Setting clear, achievable financial goals can pave the way to a secure and prosperous future. Remember to review and adjust your goals regularly to reflect changes in your life circumstances and financial situation.

Do you have any financial goals that you want to share?