every phase #28 - ovulatory - the 10th cycle

WHEN THE WATER BREAKS

when the water broke

there were choices we made and

pain became freedom

I recently had the privilege of photographing one of my oldest friends, Shannon, giving birth to her son.

What struck me most about this experience was not only the phenomenal witnessing of another life entering this world but the love that brought that child in.  The partnership and love I felt between her and her husband Mike was pure magic.

To love is to take something as a part of yourself.  It is an experience & way more than an intellectual concept.  It was beyond beautiful to see their love for each other, to see how they pull each other closer and include each other and others they love (even those who couldn't physically be there).  I could feel the oneness of the experience, of all of us there, our power, because we love.

No one achieves anything alone.

The entire process of the delivery relied on support.  Her own internal support, our support, and the support of the body.  It was beyond rewarding to be even a fraction of that team for that amount of time to help bring in baby Owen.  She told me one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me that I will always remember. She said, "I love you so much, I'm so glad you were there.  Not just because of the photos though, I'm glad you were there because you made me feel like I could do it."  There is nothing else I would want anyone to feel (especially another woman) and this touched me deeply.  I take it as the highest compliment and am filled with gratitude. 

The oneness between all of us. What else is there?

When she decided she was going to deliver, it just happened.  She was in control and she decided.  No drugs, nothing.  Just her and her decision.  It was so quick past that point and so gracefully controlled, she made one of the most difficult and painful processes look like an elegant and decisive moment.

I started to think about this attitude in my own life.  When the water breaks, making a decision and having the discernment to continue on the course of action best for you.  This is a perfect theme for the ovulatory phase--the playful, social & fearless phase.  And of course, the most fertile phase.  It's when we have the energy to have important conversations, due to the surging estrogen increasing synaptic connections, boosting our sharpness and our ability to use our voice to express what we want, and what we don't want.

She kept repeating, "It's not pain, it's pressure."  And that, it is.

The majority of our lives is all about choosing what pressure we want.  What you can step up to and what you would prefer to say no to.  This creates what uniquely defines us--our boundaries.  Physical, spiritual & emotional.

In moments of surrender to my pain with endo, I would imagine the pain as ice being squeezed.  It was a technique a chiropractor told me: "From ice, to water, to air, to nothing."  This helped me to really 'eat' & 'digest' the pain and the trauma--to fully face it and integrate it.  The only way out of it is through.  This requires immense bravery and courage.  It isn't for anyone choosing to live in denial or under the thumb of fear.  My experience with Shannon and her badassery is a shining reminder of that.

Enjoy a few photos of the experience below.  See you in May. 💌

key supplement for the ovulatory phase...

The science from floliving.com >>>

DIM stands for 3,3′-diindolylmethane, and it is a powerful health-promoting compound derived from cruciferous vegetables. One of its key functions in the body is to help moderate and enhance estrogen metabolism. In other words, it helps the body efficiently process and eliminate used-up estrogen, which is important during the ovulatory phase when estrogen is high. 

 Estrogen dominance is a condition in which levels of estrogen are high relative to the amount of progesterone in the body, and it is one of the most common conditions in women with hormone imbalances and period problems. The liver is the body’s main organ of elimination and it processes and eliminates excess estrogen. DIM helps the liver do its job more effectively, which helps prevent estrogen dominance and related symptoms like acne, PMS, and heavy or irregular periods. Research also suggests that DIM may help protect against certain estrogen-fuelled cancers.  

DIM is found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and rutabaga, and prioritizing these foods in the diet is profoundly good for hormone health and overall health. DIM can be taken as a supplement as well, and it may be especially beneficial to take as a  supplement during ovulation, when the liver is working hard to eliminate the high volume of estrogen produced during this time. Like all the phase-based supplements I recommend, there is no wrong time to take DIM, but you may get the most benefit by taking it during the three or four days in the middle of your cycle when ovulation occurs. 

More info on the Ovulatory phase here

More info on infradian rhythm + hormonal health: Womancode + In the flo