This month’s Fierce Woman is DeAnna L’am, and she couldn’t be a better Fierce Woman for the Maxim Hygiene blog. As a pioneer in Menstrual Empowerment, DeAnna helps women and girls make coming-of-age easier, and womanhood richer. She has helped numerous women overcome their negative PMS symptoms and to reclaim menstruation as a source of inner guidance and spiritual renewal. As author of Becoming Peers – Mentoring Girls Into Womanhood and creator of the M.A.D.E.N. Acts – 5 Steps To Making Coming Of Age Easier, And Womanhood Richer she is an incredible resource and we’re delighted to know her and to share her teachings with you. Please read the following words from DeAnna to understand why she is so fierce:
Do you truly believe nature intended women to suffer monthly?
This is a rather absurd idea, when you think of it this way, since menstruation is an essential component of women’s ability to birth life. Without it, women will not be able to conceive…
So how did this happen?
How did a natural process become such a problem?
Lets look at how menstruation is held by the culture at large.
In western cultures women seem to be doomed when they do, and doomed when they don’t (bleed, that is). Women are considered to be out of control when they are “on the rag,” and out of control when they are in menopause…
Imagine how out of control one might get when their body is tired, their mind fatigued, their emotions exhausted… when every ounce of their being wants to go to sleep, yet they are not allowed to do so…. not only are they denied sleep, they are expected to go to work, be productive, cordial, efficient, and social…. wouldn’t you go berserk?
Well, women often do, if we buy into the cultural expectation of having “every day of the month be the same”, and push ourselves to prevent menstruation from interfering with our work and life.
On top of this, we are also fed a diet of negativity about our menstrual cycle, from a very young age. A cultural taboo, often not mentioned by name, menstruation is referred to as a “necessary evil,” a nuisance, or “the curse.”
Now imagine again how you would feel if you were so tired that all you could think of is sleep, yet you were told that your state is “a curse” and you must get over it and get on with your work… Or if you were offered medication to overcome your tiredness, and expected to perform at top notch?
Wouldn’t you snap?
Indeed, this is what happens to many women all over the world, in response to years of internalized negativity about menstruation.
This is coupled with the unacknowledged, ignored (and often unconscious) deep yearning to go inward, rest, replenish, and renew, during menstruation.
Not being taught to honor our monthly need for regenerating our emotions, and renewing our spirit (while our body renews itself) we not only loath our menstruation, but start developing symptoms, which will make us slow down, stay in bed, rest…
This whole chain reaction could have been prevented in the first place, had we slowed down and took time out, monthly, without our body having to scream at us via painful symptoms…
Like many women, I struggled with PMS and for many years viewed my period as a bother and a nuisance. In 1992 I began a personal journey toward embracing her monthly cycle, which led me to “reverse the curse!”
Having already been a trained coach and facilitator at the time, I called my first Menstrual Empowerment circle in 1994. The response was overwhelming, and the journey embarked upon — profound.
In 1995, I coined the term ‘INNER MAIDEN’ as a result of recognizing the deep need in all women for soothing, healing, and reclaiming the adolescent girl within, who may have never been welcomed into womanhood.
Traveling to Israel/ Palestine, my country of origin, I was able to help Jewish and Palestinian women surpass political, religious, and cultural differences by deeply bonding as cycling women.
I have been speaking, teaching, and writing nationally and internationally for over 20 years, and I am deeply passionate about my work, helping women and girls around the world embrace their cycle as source of inner guidance and spiritual renewal.
You are warmly invited to browse my site for free gifts and resources at: http://www.deannalam.com/
