Your cycle has four seasons
Menstrual, preovulatory, ovulatory and premenstrual: four moments that come round every month, like the seasons of the year. Getting to know them is a way of listening to yourself.
Every month your body makes a complete journey. It isn't a straight line, it's a circle: it begins again, similar but never the same. That's why we like to think of the cycle as the seasons of the year.
Menstrual phase · winter
It begins on the first day of your period. Energy tends to drop and your body asks for warmth, rest and less noise. It's a good time to slow down, to write, or simply to be with yourself. A hot water bottle, a cup of tea and permission not to get everything done.
Preovulatory phase · spring
Your period ends and something wakes up. Many of us feel more like starting things, going out, moving. It's a good phase for planning, learning and trying something new.
Ovulatory phase · summer
Around ovulation, energy is usually at its highest. You may feel more like talking, meeting people and caring for others. It's the most outward-facing moment of the cycle.
Premenstrual phase · autumn
In the days before your period, your gaze turns inward. There's more sensitivity, and also more clarity to see what isn't working. Whatever bothers you in this phase is often telling you something important.
A guide, not a rule
Every cycle is unique. There are 24-day cycles and 35-day cycles, phases that stretch out and months that look like nothing else. The seasons are a map to help you find your way, not a rule to follow.
We invite you to try something simple: for three cycles, write down each day how you feel, your energy and what your body is asking for. One word is enough. After a few months you'll start to recognise your own seasons.
On the website there's a page for each phase, with plants, food and yoga poses. And if you'd like to know what your body is asking for today, visit How are you?.