Menopause as Enlightenment
(Source: Susun Weed)
There are many similarities between the “awakening” of our “kundalini” and menopausal symptoms. Kundalini is usually represented as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine, but women’s mystery stories locate it in the uterus–or where the area of the uterus was. During both puberty and menopause, a woman’s kundalini is difficult to control and may cuase a great number of symptoms. When the kundalini is awakened and enlightenment is achieved, a surge of super-heated energy goes up the spine throughout the nerves, dilating blood vessels, and fueling itself with hormones. As kundalini continues to travel up the spine, it changes the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Not just in yogis, but in any woman who allows herself to become aware of it.
Before puberty kundalini is primarily outside the body. As puberty commences, a two-valved energy “gate” in the root chakra opens and kundalini circulates up from the earth and pelvic tissues until it is released, usually during menstruation. As much as ten days before bleeding commences, the stored kundalini can intensify emotions and sensations, expose powerful feelings, trigger creative outpourings and generate a house-cleaning frenzy. If pregnancy occurs, kundalini is retained for the duration of the pregnancy and is used in the act of birth.
At menopause, one valve of the gate closes. The open valve allows kundalini to enter; the closed one prevents it from leaving. Now kundalini, unable to return to earth, builds up in the pelvic tissues, leading some women to say that menopause is PMS that never stops. If this intense energy collects in the uterus for too many weeks, cramps and flooding may accompany the delayed menses. If it sits in the pelvis for many years, it can dry out the vagina, erode the integrity of the hips, contribute to bladder weakness, and depress sexual desire. But kundalini naturally, and guided by hot flashes, goes up the spine, conferring enlightenment, not incontinence. But not all at once.
As the kundalini rises, it passes through six chakras. If a chakra is resistant to being activated, symptoms relating to the chakra may occur; some painful and distressful, awakening shamanic abilities and perhaps causing the menopausal woman (or her family and friends) to think she’s going crazy. She has never been more sane. After kundalini awakes it becomes impossible to continue believing that external reality is the sole reality. No wonder old women are honored and feared throughout the world.
Menstrual pain, bloating, indigestion, heart palpitations, thyroid malfunctions, headaches, and memory loss are all associated with the movement (or resistance to movement) of kundalini through the chakras. When menopausal symptoms are understood as energy movement a woman feels more at ease, instead of feeling victimized by her body. Quiet time alone in nature or listening to soothing music allows throughts and feelings to arise and opens the way for the flow of kundalini. Yoga and Reiki are especially beneficial. After several years of practice, kundalini moves freely up the spine and out the crown, symptoms gradually subside and overall energy increases.
I recommended drinking Maggie’s Medicinals Menopause Ease to relieve the uncomfortable symptoms associated with Menopause. This formula has phytoestrogens and loads of minerals, especially iron to balance yourself without the need of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Our ovaries stop producing estrogen and other hormones after menopause, but they are still functioning on much deeper levels. Through our ovarian wisdom, we gain intuition and knowledge of our truth. Our seeds of creation lie within. The same hormones that give us intuitive wisdom during menstruation, flow constantly during menopause. This enables a menopausal woman to continually be in that creative flow and to receive prophetic dreams and channel guides. She is now, even more connected to spirit as she recognizes the divine within herself.