The four 'inner-seasons' of the menstrual cycle.
Seasonal blueprint, cycle physiology and hormonal phase energies.
Have you every noticed that you intuitively know the energy vibe of the outer seasons that surround you? You may not have consciously thought about it or articulated it before, but you have it in you. In the English language we have the 4-part grouping system that marks the pivotal points of the earth’s tilting and alignment with the sun. Spring, summer, autumn and winter. The earth natually goes through the birth, growth, full-bloom, harvest, decay and death cycle, every year. All parts of the world experience seasonal changes differently, but the beautiful, innate blueprint remains the same.
The female body or the earth of our being, holds the same cyclical pattern within the menstrual cycle. Some of the menstruality heralds of our time, created a simlar organisational system where the 4 hormonal phases of the menstrual cycle are categorised into ‘inner-seasons’ to make understanding psychosocial, spiritual and physical observations and changes more accessible. Symbology all the way, our brains love it! Of course so much happens within the menstrual cycle and it could have been labelled the 6 inner-seasons or 12 inner-seasons but English is western society’s predominant language at this time for better or worse and 4 inner-seasons is easy and relateable to most, though many cultures use different grouping systems for labelling internal cycle patterns.
Paying attention to where you are in your menstrual cycle and making mental or written notes, on what your body is asking of you, is deeply empowering. Fitting these observations into the 4-season framework makes tracking easier. Menstrual cycle awareness is a your personal flavour of embodied cyclical mindfulness. It’s literally being mindful or aware of what is happening in your soul/mind/body, according to what point of your cycle you are in. Radical menstrual mindfulness = empowering self-dat and liberation! Noticing, for example, that you get angry in your premenstruum when your boundaries are broken, helps you to know what your emotions are commuicating to you and how to support yourself during this time. Gentle inquiry into cyclical anxiety around ovulation times, may offer insight into a fear around being seen and a personal, intuitition-fueled how-to remedy, to supporting yourself there. Notice you are kick-ass creative during your inner-spring? Perfect, now you know that’s the time for you to begin your new project! The inner-seasons framework can help you to understand the energy vibe of what is naturally emerging within you during the 4 hormonal shifts of your cycle and guide you into your unique flow.
Your cyclical wisdom speaks through embodied, intutitve listening; to your soul stirrings, your mind, your emotions, physical body and any symtoms you may experience. This wisdom is in your blood and bones and has been there since the moment you were conceived. There is so much magic within you that is waiting to be explored, start tracking and unleash it!
Inner-spring
Inner-spring is the pre-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. Here your femm hormone oestrogen with follicle-stimulating-hormone (FSH), are rising in concentration in your bloodstream. FSH literally stimulates the growth of several ovarian follicles, which contain a potential ovum or egg. As the follicles grow they secrete oestrogen, which triggers the brain to slow down FSH production and proliferate the luscious lining in your uterus in preparation for pregnancy.
The energy here is truly different for everyone but the archetypal experience (which no-one really fits perfectly into) follows the general feeling of outer spring. So what happens in spring? The world emerges from the cold, hibernation state of winter and new growth starts to emerge. Fresh, bright-green scatters the landscape as new shoots form and life in general is burgeoning in an outward, moving trajectory. Trees are budding, flowers are waking and the playful curiousity of baby animals is infectious. In your inner-spring, physical energy is returning and it’s very common to feel as though you are tenderly emerging from your period cocoon cave and are re-exploring your post-menstrual world. The child-like untainted-ness of this space can help you to see the seeds that are growing within you that are uniquely yours. Here you can draft a course ahead for the next cycle, that is infused with your personal brand of real-ness and soul-essence.
Inner-spring vibes;
Emergent
Playful
Curious
Innocent
Creative
Tender
Inner-spring self-inquiry questions;
What is naturally emerging within me?
What am I creating and bringing into the world?
How do I need to nurture my dream-seeds’ growth?
Are my creations truly mine?
What is my intention for the cycle to come?
Click here to see the full blog on Pre-ovulatory power and potential.
Inner-summer
Inner-summer is the time around ovulation, about mid-way through the menstrual cycle, though we don’t all ovulate on day 14 as the tracker apps suggest! Just before ovulation, high levels of oestrogen from the dominant follicle, stimulate the pituitary gland (in the brain) to release huge quantities of luteinizing hormone (LH). This LH flush triggers ovulation, which is the release of a now mature egg, from the follicle, into the fallopian tube. Voila, fertility!
In the outer summer, it’s hot or hotter than the usual! We swim, we dance, we play! We revel in the glory of the sun and the warmth, wear mini dresses and enjoy longer days and the company of others. This phase in your cycle is where the ego-self reigns as you step out and sing ‘hello world, this is me’, with those seeds from inner-spring whimsically blossoming in self-celebration. It’s your time to speak and it’s your time to shine. Ish. Inner-summer is NOT the same for everyone, I am only describing the archetype. There are so many things that prevent someone from feeling like a sexy socialite at this time, including not liking the heat (metaphorcally speaking), introversion, trauma or histamine excess in the bloodstream. Honestly this is so variable!
The inner-summer vibe if we all completely fitted inside the box, would feel like;
Energetic
Social
Vibrant
Productive
Sexual/sensual
Self-celebratory
Inner-summer self-inquiry questions;
How can I invite more pleasure into this time?
What makes me hide away from being seen?
What is getting in the way of my honest self-expression?
What would I wear if I didn’t care what people thought?
If I were to contribute to the collective consciousness, with my most magical me-ness, what would that look like?
Inner-autumn
After ovulation, the luteal phase or premenstruum begins when the burst follicle (who launched out the egg!) transforms into a newly created corpus luteum, which is a temporary cluster of cells that secretes high levels of the hormones progesterone and oestrogen. Progesterone is a big player in this phase, thickening the uterine lining and making it more glandular and receptive to a potentially fertilised egg.
The outer season autumn, marks the slowing down of nature’s cycle as the days get longer and darker. Leaves colour and begin to fall and the world is shedding layers of growth from the previous year, to conserve energy as she prepares for the cold of winter. So naturally, the pace of life starts to decelerate with less activity and social engagements. Inner-autumn doesn’t happen so graciously for all, sometimes the slower pace of the body can feel like a harsh brake after the height of summer, when she screams at you through agitated moods, anger and energy slumps, to get your shit together before menstruation. With lowered physical capacity and shifting brain activity, your critcal inner voice can amp up and feel over-bearing. Take note though, that she has a natural place here in your cycle and can be a guiding voice of uncanny wisdom and perception, if you can cut through the bullshit and reach the heart of the matter that she so loudly verbalises.
Inner-autumn vibes;
Moody
Insightful
Discerning
Sensitive
Boundaried
Badass
Inner-autumn self-inquiry questions;
What is my ‘inner-critic’ trying to tell me?
How can I slow down even more right now?
What does my greatest strength feel like at this time?
How do I need to prepare so I can rest during my period?
What does boundary mean?
How can I deeply care for myself right now?
Inner-winter
The inner-winter phase is of course the final or first phase of the cycle, menstruation. If you are in your bleed then pregnancy did not take place and in the absence of fertilisation the corpus luteum collapses, which causes a sharp and shocking decline of progesterone and oestrogen. This hormonal withdrawal causes the uterine lining to shed, initiating the start of a new menstrual phase and the beginning of a new cycle!
Outer winter is very different everywhere but the sterotypical Mid to Northern European winter, which fits the archetype, is icy cold and dark and potentially very difficult. In nature, sunlight cannot offer trees sustenance from photosynthesis and so they rest in a dormant state, spending energy on protecting against the cold and staying alive during the period of scarcity. This seasonal thing doesn’t work everywhere, it’s kind of a one-size-fits-all approach but the blueprint of nature remains the same. Winter-y death follows harvest and decay in the natural world and this can be seen a million times over in a million different ways.
From a bio-chemical perspective there is a lot happening in the body during menstruation and you genuinely need to rest. It feels deeply right to go so slowly and perhaps be horizonal for a while, while your body is doing her thing and releasing the build-up from the cycle past. She needs, rest, care, nourishment and time alone, so she can revive and tap into her inner magic and soul-knowing, in preparation for the cycle to come.
Inner-winter vibes if your body is relatively ‘balanced’ and you are privileged enough to tap-out;
Slow
Restorative
Intuitive
Present
Expansive
Aware
Inner-winter self-inquiry questions;
What do I need to let go of so I can rest more deeply?
How can I love and accept myself more radically?
What is my deepest knowing asking for right now?
What is brewing in my soul’s cauldron, waiting to manifest?
What could my life look like if I rooted into my dreams?
That’s the 4 seasons of the menstrual cycle, there and back again! Do you have personal experience with the ‘seasons’ of your cycle? Can you define them? Do you vibe in alignment with the archetypes or do you have a beautifully unique pattern? If you haven’t starting tracking yet, feel free to use my cycle mapping guide and chart in the link below. This self-knowlege is empowering and it will change the way you see your body and how you live your life. Happy charting.
Sending love,
Keisha xx
