Maiden, Mother, and Crone

Archetypes of the Menstrual Cycle

Our 21st-century understanding of periods largely boils down to standing in the pharmacy trying to pick the least sickeningly pink and floral box of tampons from the shelf. That is, of course, if we are privileged enough to afford such products. What we are much less connected to is the entirety of our monthly cycles — the ways our bodies wax and wane. In neo-pagan traditions, this “fertility cycle” was organized into three parts, or blood mysteries: menarche (the first monthly flow of blood), childbirth, and menopause when a woman’s “wise blood” was said to remain inside of to give her wisdom. The cycles that occurred inside women’s bodies were thought to reflect those cycles experiences in nature, the seasons and the phases of the moon, and. the realms of earth, the underworld, and the heavens.

The Maiden

During the Follicular Phase, your body is undergoing a process of development and growth. This part of your cycle is likely to feel imbued with the same energy of springtime — a sense of expansion and new beginnings, or birth. This phase of your cycle is embodied by the Maiden archetype — playful and childlike, delighted in the wonder of pleasure and sexual exploration. This enchanting archetype reminds us to focus on our relationship with our intuition and bodily wisdom. With the…