To Dismantle Power Structures, We Must Reconnect with Our Bodies

In the height of a world-wide health crisis, cancel culture, social outrage, unjust power structures, emotional turmoil, and economic strife, we must talk about how we can also claim our own power by understanding and nourishing ourselves.

It’s easy (and sometimes important) to call out unjust systems for our poor self-image, personal problems and worldwide issues, but I believe that only once we learn to connect with ourselves (despite the deep rooted pain these systems may have inflicted), will we find ourselves enveloped in a loving and tolerant world.

Why is climate change a problem? Its not because your neighbors are still eating factory-farmed meat and using single use plastic. It’s because your neighbors aren’t connected to the earth or their bodies and are therefore still eating factory farmed meat and using single use plastic. 

Why is women's health so underfunded and under researched? It’s not because the world doesn't respect women. It’s because women aren’t connected to their own bodies, pleasure or power.

Sure, we can blame our parents, the patriarchy, capitalism etc. for being responsible for our lack of connection to the earth, our bodies and other serious issues in the world. However, it remains our responsibility to create new patterns that begin to honor our lives.

Why do we expect systems to care about us before we care about us?

I find it strange that the very systems we are begging to change (government, media, education, Pharma) are the same systems we seem to put all our trust and faith into.

There is an abundance of well researched books, podcasts, articles etc. that put knowledge and power into our own hands. If you have access to the internet, you can be your own researcher.

It’s a wonderful thing that the mainstream is finally beginning to embrace self-help books, meditation, yoga and other practices that connect us with our bodies, our intuition and our power.

However, the average woman is cycle illiterate, contributing to a systemic form of disempowerment amongst us all. This is then reflected in a medical system that does not honor or respect women's pain, pleasure, or power, 

If you are a cyclical bleeder, I challenge you to really research the history of birth control, the side effects of your current birth control, fertility awareness based methods and why they are so taboo (despite being 99.4% effective).

Educate yourself and use that education to educate the people in your life.

Did you know that it is only possible to get pregnant 6 days per cycle?

Did you know that your brain chemistry and physical energy is different each day of your cycle because of your hormones?

Did you know that hormonal birth control does not cure (or even CLAIM to cure) any hormonal imbalances, but merely masks the symptoms?

Did you know that most cleaning products, cosmetics and plastics contain xenoestrogens, causing and perpetuating hormonal imbalance?

Did you know that your menstrual cycle parallels the creative process and physiologically supports you to realize and manifest your authentic desires?

As a cyclical bleeder, the menstrual cycle is a biohacking tool. It’s about time we stop suppressing this power source and begin to embrace the wisdom, guidance and structure for empowerment that lives within this biological system.

Yes, it is important to call your government officials, to vote, to protest injustices -  but are you also working on your own mindset daily? Are you actively engaging in various ways to empower yourself? Are you continuously developing your self awareness practices?

We need to stop expecting the patriarchy to change before we change our own patriarchal values. Why would a profit driven system care about the an unethical process if we, on the individual level also value profit over process?

“The Zara dress, factory farmed meat,  conventional produce, chemical cleaning product etc was so cute/easy/affordable, I had to buy it!”

It’s easier to blame others. It’s easier to believe that these oppressive systems are why we have to support fast fashion, Big Ag, Big Pharma, Big Corporations etc.

And yes, it does take more effort (and likely a shift in priorities) to make our own cleaning products, to support our local farmers, to educate ourselves on health and wellness but I believe this is a worthwhile effort.

When we choose quick-fix solutions for our own problems, and when we choose entertainment and consumerism over our own health, we are paralleling and propelling the quick-fix, for-profit solutions that have become the pillars of the very structures we are trying to dismantle.

Why do we expect the larger systems to do the work to help us heal on the collective level when we aren’t prepared to do our own work to help us heal on the individual level?

How do we heal on the individual level? We reestablish our connection of trust to our authentic self.

In other worlds, we learn to love ourselves. We learn to understand, accept and approve of our whole self exactly the way we are. The rest takes care of itself.

Obviously, depending on privilege (in all areas) and personal experiences, the effort, time and commitment it will take to reestablish and nourish the connection to self varies. This is the most challenging work of all and it will be easier for some than for others.

However, I believe this is the most important work of all. And I believe every oppressive system will shift towards tolerance and love when, on the individual level, we are able to tolerate and love ourselves.

If you can read, you can educate yourself. If you have ten minutes a day to give yourself, you can begin to create more loving patterns in your life.

In addition to protesting unjust power structures, it is just as vital to reestablish our connection to self, as a way to dismantle them. And of course, if I do say so myself, learning menstrual cycle awareness is a great place to start.