Perimenopause: A Journey of Rest, Reflection and Reconnection
Perimenopause is meant to slow us down. It’s a period which is inviting us to redirect our energy in a different way.
Menopause is a profound transition in a woman’s life, often spanning one-fifth of our lifetime.
For many, it begins with the subtle shifts of perimenopause, sometimes starting as early as the late thirties. This period is not just a time of physical change but a significant life transition that invites us to pause, reflect, and reassess our path.
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause marks the beginning of the transition to menopause, characterised by gradual hormonal changes and shifts in menstrual cycles. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months. Women may experience a range of symptoms, from irregular periods and hot flashes to mood swings and sleep disturbances. While these changes can be challenging, they also signal a time of deep personal and spiritual growth.
Shedding Outdated Patterns
Perimenopause is meant to slow us down. It’s a period which is inviting us to redirect our energy differently. After spending decades focused on directing our energy outwards—whether that’s building a career, raising a family, or pursuing other goals—this period is about refinement. It’s a time to pause, reflect and reassess. The constant drive to ‘do’ and ‘achieve’ is often the product of living in an overly masculine and patriarchal world, one that values productivity over presence, action over stillness. But perimenopause is a reckoning. It’s asking us to confront all the ways we may be out of balance in our lives. It’s a quiet but powerful shedding of outdated patterns and beliefs that no longer serve us, preparing is for the next phase of our lives. What got you here won’t get you there. Our bodies, our minds, and our spirits — they’re all evolving, and what once worked for us may no longer be aligned with who we are becoming.
The Emotional Aspects of Letting Go
As we approach the end of our fertile years, complex emotions often surface, especially for those who do not have children. As someone who has consciously chosen to be childfree, there’s a grief that comes with letting go of my fertility. It’s a complex feeling, one which I’ve had to sit with and process over time. When you don’t have children, for whatever reason, it can stir up deep questions about your contribution to the world, about legacy, and about what it means to live a meaningful life.
Reconnecting with the Divine Feminine
In today’s world, the divine feminine—characterised by compassion, nurturing, and intuition—is undervalued. Perimenopause offers an opportunity to reconnect with this energy, not just for women, but for the healing and balance of the world. Embracing this transition means honouring the divine feminine within and acknowledging the crucial role it plays in our lives and society. Perimenopause and Menopause invite us to embrace a different kind of creation. This period is not just about physical changes but about birthing new ideas, new ways of being, and new ways of relating to ourselves and others. It’s an invitation to contribute to the world in ways that resonate with our true selves, beyond traditional notions of motherhood and fertility. By embracing perimenopause, we step into a new phase of power, wisdom, and purpose. This time allows us to redefine what it means to be a woman and to live fully. It’s a moment to contribute meaningfully to the world, aligning with our deepest selves and the divine feminine within us.
Curious to dive deeper? Join me on my next Women’s Rewilding Retreat.
Photo by Mert Kahveci via Pexels