Another YTT weekend down and I am torched. I realized halfway through Sunday that I was getting tired, really tired. Wait, what time of the month is it?
I wake up Monday morning and I’m still feeling lethargic, so I go to the bathroom. Oh, it’s THAT time of the month, no wonder I’m zapped of energy. Feeling achy and crampy I do what I always do to honor my moon cycle. I celebrate it fully by engaging in self- care.
During my moon cycle, I skip my regular CrossFit workouts. Instead of donning my T-shirt and leggings and heading to Strongside, I sip more coffee and schedule an afternoon pedicure. I leisurely go through some email, since I avoided it entirely during the YTT weekend. I notice the sun looks strong outside, I head out and bask in it, getting some much needed Vitamin D.
My stomach starts growling, oh, it must be 10:30 already. I head inside and open the freezer. Yes! There are tater tots! I get out a baking sheet and put two handfuls on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven. I chop up some veggies we have on hand; carrots, bell pepper and grape tomatoes. I put them in a pan to saute. I heat some water in a small saucepan and prepare two eggs for poaching. Normally, I don’t eat eggs, but often crave them this time of the month. I find some cinnamon raisin bread in the fridge and lightly toast it in the toaster.
I grab some salsa and Tabasco out of the fridge. About 20 minutes later my homemade Waffle House breakfast is complete. I sit at the kitchen table and eat it, it feels so luxurious and indulgent.
Time for a long, hot shower. I take my time, shampoo, conditioner, face scrub and shower gel. I braid my hair and get dressed. After all, I do need to teach some yoga today. It’s virtual, so at noon, I open my Zoom Room. Luckily it’s a gentle class. Even though I practice with the group, it’s not too disruptive to my moon energy.
After I say “namaste”, I jump into my Jeep to head to my pedicure. Once in the car, I realize that it would be even better to be sipping on a Pumpkin Spice Latte while having my toes done. Of course Starbucks is close by.
Grande, decaf, PSL, coconut milk, no whip in hand, I arrive on time to my pedicure. My feet soak for a while, I turn on the massage chair and get comfortable. Anna gets started, trimming and shaping my toenails. My eyes wander over to a chandelier in the middle of the nail salon. It dangles down from the ceiling, lots of crystals in various shapes circle down towards the floor. The light dances off the surface of the faceted crystals. It’s so pretty it mesmerizes me. I think to myself “if that rotated I could stare at it for hours”.
Anna asks me what color I want for my nails. I have no clue. I pick up my phone and start looking for fall 2021 pedicure trends. Metallic evergreen? Why not?
Anna scrubs, massages, exfoliates, wraps and applies a paraffin treatment to my feet. I love to pamper them, I spend so much time barefoot and on my feet, I forget to thank them. Oh wait, monthly, I do by getting a pedicure during my period. Yay!
It may seem unnecessary to some to act this way. However, I’ve reframed my thinking. I realize that it’s essential to my well being. I follow my natural rhythm, instead of ignoring it. I embrace it fully, slowing down and scheduling much needed self-care. Instead of dreading my menstrual cycle, I treat it as a celebration of self. An opportunity to care for the body I have, connect to it in different ways and treat myself. This beautiful body manufactured two amazing children. Having children is challenging. Why not thank my body by spoiling it every month?
The more I engage in this ritual, the more I realize that it is not only important to honor this monthly energy, it’s important to honor all energy, everyday. Finding my natural rhythm so I can best utilize my prana. Aligning tasks best with energy that will get it done with joy and presence.
I’ve started mapping my energy levels throughout the day. I am finding a wonderful pattern has emerged. Morning is best for me to hang with kids, get them off to school and practice meditation, pranayama and asana. Late morning into early afternoon is best for hard workouts, teaching, creating and my “to-do” list. My energy naturally dips between 3 and 4 pm, so I take a break and nap. Around 5 pm, my second wind emerges, time to teach, create and finish “to-do’s”. Best for me to relax with a book or Netflix around 9 pm, asleep not too long after that.
Armed with this knowledge, I have been astounded by how much I can get done in a week, day or month. My prana seems endless. My productivity has reached another level. All I had to do was find my natural rhythm and follow its lead. It already knows what and when I should be doing things, I just need to listen.
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