In our Western culture, menopause (and peri-menopause) is typically seen as a time to be feared; something that’s an inconvenience, something that means you are ageing, and a time full of symptoms to dread (although for those who have battled with pain associated with their cycles all of their lives, they may even feel a simultaneous relief that they will no longer bleed on a monthly basis).  

It can feel that menopause is a “problem” - and, often, that we have arrived at a dead end - the words “meno” and “pause” literally translate to “month” and “stop” in Greek - pointing to our cyclical nature ceasing.  And so, typically, older women have been conditioned in our culture to believe that menopause is a burden which means they will become unattractive, unhappy, and useless - ‘without purpose’.

And yet, when we explore other cultures - and particularly indigenous ones - we begin to see that they view menopause as a sacred time of transition into our deeper wisdom; they see menopause as the time when we become Wise Women, and a time when women should be honoured as sacred.  In Japan, menopause is commonly seen as a period of renewal and regeneration.  In shamanic cultures – for instance Mayan women - they believe we enter menopause to access our healing powers - that it is a time of retaining our “wise blood” and we cross the threshold into wise womanhood.  It is a time where women become healers, and spiritual leaders in their communities.

What’s particularly interesting is that, in these cultures - where they honour the menopause as sacred renewal, and have respect for their elders, whose truth and wisdom is seen as essential for survival - there are very few struggles with menopausal symptoms.  This suggests that when we view menopause as a “medical” problem to treat as a disease - rather than a time of initiation into our wisdom and power - it becomes a time that is feared - and this fear can influence our experience of menopause.

So, today, we thought we would explore menopause as an initiation into your deeper inner wisdom - and how it can be harnessed powerfully as exactly that - as a way of connecting to transitioning into your Wise Woman.  Essential oils are a powerful way to begin that journey, by connecting more deeply to your natural healer, and the wisdom of the earth, via using plant oils as medicine.

The Wise Woman

I recently interviewed Alexandra Pope, of Red School, who - along with Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer - has written Wise Power: Discover the Liberating Power of Menopause to Awaken Authority, Purpose and Belonging.  Their new book is all about menopause as a conscious initiation and right of passage into the Wise Woman and is a powerful exploration around how menopause can be experienced so differently.

And the Wise Woman - according to psychologist, Carl Jung’s, archetypes - is seen as a woman with compassion and love, and magic, mystery and nature - she is the spiritual in human form and embodies the spiritual power and wisdom within all of us.  And what this means, is that as we approach menopause, it is a time when we are actually coming into our wisdom and power - rather than a time to fear.

The Wise Woman is typically the one who is a healer - so, especially if you’ve been the woman drawn to essential oils, throughout life, or you’ve been the one that’s been drawn to healing naturally, then it’s likely that this particular initiation into your wisdom will be a powerful one for you.

Essential oils as nature’s medicine

And, of course, as Wise Women were the traditional healers of their village, they would use nature’s medicine for that healing.  Plants and their medicine would have been - and in the cultures who value Wise Women, still are - one of most potent ways that healers harness their power and heal themselves and their villagers.

So, it’s even more synchronistic and powerful if - as you enter the initiation into menopause and beyond - you really support yourself though this transition with essential oils.  A Wise Woman would have (and still does) see essential oils as nature’s medicine, so by supporting your own menopause with Aromatherapy, you truly are embodying the significance of this initiation in all the ways.  You are becoming your Wise Woman already.

How to support your initiation into menopause

Consciously reclaim your menopause as an initiation

One of the first things I’d recommend as you are entering menopause, especially if you are the type of woman who is drawn to essential oils - is to do it consciously.

This time is sacred, and it’s time to see it as such, rather than a time to fear.  So, my first invitation to you is to create a ritual, using essential oils, to firstly release your fears about this time of transition - and secondly to celebrate and honour your menopause as the sacred portal it is into the Wise Woman you really are.

Firstly, get out your box of essential oils, if you have them - or perhaps buy one of our Starter Kits so you can begin - and create a little altar for your ritual - this might be a space where you can sit on the floor with your oils, with some cushions, blankets, etc - and you could light a candle, have a photo of yourself as you begin the journey into menopause, you might have a special stone, or something that represents your journey - or whatever feels right for you.

Diffusion blend:  Mix 3 drops Myrrh, 3 drops Frankincense and 2 drops Yuzu into some water in an aromatherapy diffuser or candle burner and diffuse as your create this ritual.

Next, take your journal and a pen and write out all your conditioned fears about your journey with menopause.  What do you fear?  What is your experience so far?  Turn this into a statement of release.

And then, when you’ve done that - write out how you’d like to create it, instead, as you consciously integrate your medicinal Wise Woman.  What’s your vision for who you will become as you journey through menopause as a Wise Woman?  What would menopause look like for you, if it was sacred and honoured?  What wisdom would you like to share with the world? Turn this into a decree of who you are becoming.

When you’ve completed this, create the following ritual blend and declare your conscious honouring and reclamation of menopause as the initiation it is.

Ritual blend: Light a charcoal disk and put some incense on it - perhaps some rose petals or sage, or whatever feels aligned.  Gather two of your favourite, most special, essential oils that mean something about your initiation: I’d recommend Jasmine or Ylang Ylang for releasing your old way of being and Clary Sage for embodying your Wise Woman. The invitation is to speak out what you are letting go of - all the fear - and then speak out your decree of who you will become through this journey.  As you speak out your release, drop one bit of Jasmine or Ylang Ylang oil onto your charcoal disk and watch the smoke dissipate your fears.  And then drop one drop of Clary Sage onto your charcoal disk to speak out your decree.

Not denying your experience 

Of course, the important thing to know is that our bodies will show us all the places where we haven’t been listening to our own deep wisdom within the cells of our bodies.  So, when you’ve done these rituals, the invitation isn’t to deny your experience of any symptoms, but to begin to embrace and heal them as messengers; what do they want you to know?

Any initiation requires us to go into it fully - and so, the deep invitation is to connect to your symptoms (which are essentially a manifestation of the beliefs our culture holds about menopause) and allow yourself to be in them - and begin to work with them in a healing way with the deep wisdom of essential oils.  What do they want you to know?

Here are some potent blends for some of the common symptoms you may experience, which we’d recommend using daily whilst experiencing symptoms:

Spritz Blend for Hot Flashes

In a spray bottle mix 15 drops Clary Sage, 10 drops Peppermint and 5 drops Geranium into 100ml of Orange Flower Hydrolat and shake well. Spray over yourself whenever you’re in the midst of symptoms

This is a beautifully scented spritz for naturally helping one of the common menopausal symptoms of hot flushes.

Massage Blend for Chills

Mix 3 drops Sweet Marjoram, 2 drops Bay Leaf and 1 drop Cinnamon in 15ml of Grapeseed Carrier oil and massage into your skin across your whole body.

Although hot flushes are common, some women can also feel cold and shivery. This blend is a wonderfully balancing warmer - and Bay Leaf is said to be the oil of wisdom, too - so it couldn’t be more perfect.

Massage Blend for Night Sweats

Mix 3 drops Lavender, 2 drops Frankincense and 1 drop Vetivert in 15 ml Grapeseed oil and massage into your skin before bed.

This is a beautifully relaxing blend for use before bed - especially if you have night sweats, and it is balancing for more mature skin, too.

Body Oil Blend for Vaginal Dryness and Loss of Libido

Mix 3 drops Patchouli, 2 drops Rose and 1 drop Ylang Ylang in 15ml Grapeseed oil and massage into your skin each morning after your bath or shower.

This is a beautifully balancing Feminine blend - so can be used to support all the hormonal changes in menopause - and Ylang Ylang is especially known for its capacity to be an aphrodisiac.

Diffusion Blend for Sleep Struggles

Mix 3 drops Lavender, 2 drops Valerian and 1 drop Vetivert in water in an aromatherapy diffuser (or candle burner - but make sure you don’t fall asleep leaving your candle lit) and diffuse for 30 minutes before bed.

This is an excellent blend for those whose sleep is being impacted by menopause - try it each night, whilst lying in bed relaxing. For a pre-blended option try our Sweet Dream pure essential oil with Lavender, Chamomile, Valerian, Cedarwood and Mandarin.

Diffusion Blend for Mood Changes 

Mix 3 drops Rose Geranium, 2 drops Sandalwood, and 1 drop Rosewood in water in an aromatherapy diffuser or candle burner and diffuse during the daytime.

One perfect for daytime diffusion to settle your mood and release any emotions that surface as you journey into your Wise Woman, this blend helps support the wide range of emotions that you may journey through. Rose-Geranium is especially mood-boosting and balancing, and a great one for supporting hormonal changes.

Spritz Blend for Anxiety

In a spray bottle mix 15 drops Bergamot, 10 drops Sweet Orange and 5 drops Rose in 100ml Chamomile Hydrolat and spritz as needed in times of stress, anxiety and high-emotion.

These calming oils will have you feeling much calmer in your initiation into Wise Woman - and help you release any emotions that surface to be loved as you journey through menopause too.

If you'd prefer a ready-to-use solution try our Balance Spritz with Neroli, Bergamot, Sweet Orange and Petitgrain.

If you don't have a large collection of essential oils why not try our Menopause pure essential oil which has been expertly blended with many of the oils mentioned above to help soothe the emotional and physical imbalances that you may be experiencing.

Invite in more to be revealed 

As you journey through this portal, you might find that, following this ritual and using these blends, you will begin to go deeper in this initiation.  This might mean that more wants to be revealed about your Wise Woman and her deep purpose in this world, so, the final invitation is to be open to receiving more downloads.  

What does spirit want you to know about this portal in your life?  What is the deep wisdom you are here to relay into the world?  What is your deeper purpose as a Wise Woman?  The invitation is to allow more be revealed about your new role as a Wise Woman in the world, now you’ve begun this transition.

Overall, the key thing to see is that menopause doesn’t have to be a struggle - it can actually be a powerful and sacred portal more deeply into yourself and into the wisdom of nature.  Enjoy!

Nicole Barton
Consultant Aromatherapist

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