Pushing Through The Pain
My experience of moving house on the eve of my bleed
New Moon, New Home
I’ve spent the last week of September and the first few days of October moving house. If you’re into astrology, you’ll know that the moon was in a waning phase during that time. I usually bleed a few days before, during or a few days after the New Moon, so I knew my bleed was due, but I was sure I’d manage to move before she came full force.
After this experience of moving right before my bleed, I felt inspired to write an essay exploring the relationship between moving house, my feminine monthly cycle and energy/productivity levels. Please bare in mind that this is highly individual. What resonates for me might not for you. It’s important to do your own explorations and be aware of how you experience these different phases.
From Aversion To Appreciation
My relationship to my body and monthly cycle has grown considerably over the years. Gone are the days when I used to be grossed out at the tedious affair of bleeding every month; hiding the fact that I was bleeding by maintaining high productivity levels and saying yes to more work, even though my body was screaming for me to stop and rest.
Headaches, backaches — all normal at this time of the month. Not at all something I viewed as a sign of imbalance and things going awry. I considered myself brave as I worked through the pain — extra proud of the fact that I also braved through it without taking any painkillers. Painkillers… more like suppression pills, as they don’t actually ‘kill’ anything… I never liked taking pills anyway.
Looking back on that experience, I wouldn’t call my then-self brave. I was just living in a system that didn’t fully honour the cyclical rhythms and nature of women. I internalised the culture of masculine productivity and felt proud of my ability to push through no matter what. I didn’t know any better.
That’s until I met women who were versed in the ebbs and flows of nature. With the help of these women, I was slowly initiated into the beauty and sacredness of our monthly bleed. Observing the moon became part of my ritual. I’ve always enjoyed staring at the night sky since I was a little girl. Now, stargazing has taken on new heights.
I became aware of the phases of the moon and what stage I was at in my own cycle. I bled with the half moon for the most part, then with the full moon (Red Moon). Eventually my bleed aligned with the new moon, (White Moon) and has been for quite some time now. This might not be the case for everyone as ones cycle is greatly influenced by many factors, including the myriad of stressors of everyday life.
Moving house on the cusp of my bleed
As I mentioned in the beginning, I wanted to move before my bleed and I was quite sure I’d accomplish my goal. What I failed to realise at the time, is how my energy levels were already decreasing. It required a lot of effort on my part to get things done, as opposed to days when I’m ovulating.
I found myself sleeping in longer than I had intended. Everything I did was at a much slower pace. I didn’t at all feel motivated to do anything that required physical exertion. My body was calling me to rest, read and do creative stuff like playing my instrument or colouring. It took an act of sheer willpower to get me to do anything at all.
I love music, so I ended up using music as my motivation tool. I put on a feel-good playlist I liked, cranked up the volume and began the tedious process of packing boxes and moving. I was fortunate enough to have one of my best friends offer to help. Truth is, had she not offered, I wouldn’t have asked! I have this whole do-it-myself attitude sometimes.
I certainly don’t recommend moving house when you’re nearing your bleed. For me anyway, it feels like a time to go within and do less. Moving puts quite a strain on the body. The whole process, including the energy that is required, seems to go against the body’s natural inward focus during this time of month. You can accomplish so much more if you can time your move to match the phase after your bleed. I certainly will be keeping this in mind on my next move.
Energy levels during ovulation
When I’m ovulating, which is usually during the waxing moon, my energy is at an all-time high. I am much more motivated to be out in the world, socialising and completing tasks. Being productive comes naturally — it’s even welcome. I’ve also noticed that I require much less sleep during this phase than any other phase.
If you bleed with the full moon, then you might have a different experience, as you most likely ovulate during the waning moon. I remember when I used to bleed during the full moon — I felt split between needing rest and wanting to be productive.
If I had moved during the peak of ovulation, then I’m pretty sure things would have happened much quicker — I probably would have required less days to move than I did now. Unfortunately, during that phase my interests seem to be elsewhere — fun and socialising are more of a priority than dealing with serious affairs like moving!
Your body knows best so pay attention
One important thing I also learned recently is how easy it is to fall into the habit of hiding behind ones cycle. I did this for a time. Whenever my moon was approaching, I would use it as an excuse to go into my cave and not meet people.
What I learned from this is — as wonderful as it is to take time out to nurture oneself, it’s even more important to listen to your body. Sure, I was becoming better at paying attention to my body’s needs, but at some point I went astray. What I was being called to do was to really go deeper. Was I really feeling tired or was my body okay with low level activity?
After intuiting, I discovered that when my bleed arrives I thrive when I give myself a few hours or a day to rest. However, the next day or two I am usually okay to do other things if I so desire. I realised that body literacy is about tuning into how you feel everyday; that way you are more prepared to meet your body’s needs — whatever those may be.
The best thing to do, no matter what you hear others say, is to listen to the wisdom of your body.
If you can move house while bleeding and feel no strain at all, then do so! If you’re like me and need to have the bare minimum of activity, then you’d probably benefit from taking things slow and avoiding any big projects that require your level best.
Always do what’s best for you and remember to be kind to yourself during your monthly bleed.
~Chantell~
