Cyclical Self-Care
Self-care is all the rage. For good reason. We’ve realized the benefits of preventative healthcare. We know more about physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social well-being than ever before. However, with this comes the overwhelm of endless information and screens. So, we’re looking for simplicity and clarity in the cyclical wisdom of nature.
If you’ve sipped Traditional Medicinals tea you may already know… ”Nature never hurries, yet everything is accomplished.” - Loa Tzu
Nature works in cycles and we are cyclical beings. By surrendering to the cycles around you and within you your self-care routines are simplified and enhanced.
Once we understand the biological rhythms that govern our human behaviours, we can work with them for optimal vitality. Of the five listed below we will focus on the monthly and yearly cycles.
Ultradian - cycles within a 24 hour day
Diurnal - daily + nightly cycles
Circadian - daily cycles
Infradian - monthly cycles
Circannual - yearly cycles
Around you exists the circannual cycles of nature. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, there are different organs and energetic principles that are more active during specific seasons. These ways of nature should inform how we exist in the world during each season. Here are the seasonal self-care basics:
Spring - liver, gallbladder, cleansing, movement, new beginnings
Summer - heart, small intestine, joy, peak energy, connection, community
Fall - lungs, large intestine, release, routine, breathing practices, strength
Winter - kidneys, spleen, restoration, planting seeds, creativity, inward focus
Within you, and all biological females, exist the infradian cycle. We are changing week to week and how we take care of ourselves should be changing too. Within this cycle there are four phases. Here are the cyclical self care basics for each phase:
Follicular phase - spring energy, planning, creativity, intention setting, newness, upbeat movement, fresh light foods
Ovulatory phase - peak energy, connection, conversation, community, high intensity movement, high fiber foods
Luteal phase - fall energy, task oriented, completion, slow strength training, B vitamins, calcium and magnesium
Menstrual phase - winter energy, rest, reflection, analyzing, yin yoga, walks, naps, nutrient dense foods, high protein
So, if we can move away from our 24 hour conditioning we may reap the rewards of living in tune with the strengths of each of these phases. If we can use cycles to govern the way we show up in the world we may find ourselves feeling more at home in ourselves, more of the time.
