Menopause as an Initiatory Rite of Passage
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In our society, menopausal women are pathologized. There is little dignity around the process, and there are no instructions for how to navigate the sometimes volatile transition. But in truth, menopause is an extraordinary rite of passage. An opportunity to reevaluate who we are and awaken to our true nature.
Alexandra Pope is the cofounder of Red School and the coauthor of Wild Power: Discover the Magic of Your Menstrual Cycle and Awaken the Path to Feminine Power. On this episode of Daring to Rest, Alexandra joins me to explain how menopause serves as a rite of passage, connecting us to our calling and uncovering who we really are. She describes the physical and emotional suffering many women experience in menopause and challenges us to carve out a little time and space to do the inner work of waking up.
Alexandra shares her personal experience with menopause, discussing what we can do to prepare for the ego death and subsequent rebirth that happens through the transition. Listen in for insight on the language of menopause and learn how to honor the process with rest and recognize menopause as an opportunity to step into your authentic self.
Key Takeaways
How menopause can serve as an extraordinary rite of passage that reveals who we really are
The physical and emotional suffering women experience around menopause
How our hormonal system acts as an early warning system re: our overall health and wellbeing
Alexandra’s experience of perimenopause and menopause in her 40’s and 50’s
What we can do to prepare for the ego death and subsequent rebirth that happens during menopause
Alexandra’s insight around the magic, intuitive power of being connected to your calling
Alexandra’s advice on making the time and space to do the inner work of waking up
The process of shedding the relationships, jobs, ideas and material things that no longer serve us
How women thrust into menopause by hysterectomy can give the process sacred meaning
The deep rest and healing work we need to do to step into our authentic self
The self-acceptance that characterizes the Revelation Stage of menopause
The parallels between yoga nidra’s five koshas and the menopausal transition