Women's Health Is Shifting... And Not In The Ways One Might Fear

Women's bodies are miraculous. To house our spirits in such phenomenal ways, move through the world with grace and power, bleed for days while maintaining our life, cycle with lunar celestiality, nurture a seed into life, and be portals between the spirit world and earth... miraculous. Insecure and ignorant men fear this greatness. They have attempted to control, manipulate, and regulate these incredible bodies and the souls within them for centuries. Yet, women's health is shifting. And not in the ways one might fear.

I recently left my midwife appointment, got to my car, and sobbed. It wasn't that the ultrasound of my uterus and ovaries had found anything to be terribly concerned about. It wasn't from the unknown pelvic pain itself that had been plaguing me. I was shedding tears of relief and gratitude from finally feeling so fully seen and cared for with empathy and compassion.

For the last few months my cycle has been hell.

This may sound dramatic, but for any woman who has experienced ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, uterine prolapse, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, womb trauma PTSD, uterine fibroids, pelvic floor dysfunction, hormonal imbalances... or any number of additional painful experiences these miraculous bodies may journey through... you understand. You understand what it's like to have no capacity beyond laying in bed with a heating pad glued to your abdomen. You understand how unfortunate it feels to be unable to show up as your best (or even average) version of yourself for your family, work, or community. And you likely understand what it feels like to be invalidated or dismissed by a friend, family member, employer or medical provider.

In this particular visit, my midwife took the better part of an hour to truly hear me without rushing me out the door. She acknowledged that the ultrasound didn't help us to identify why I was experiencing such intense pain, nor energetic and emotional fluctuations. She also shared something I'd never heard in an office of modern medicine.

"Western Medicine is great at heroics. If you chop off your arm or need brain surgery, we've got you and insurance should take care of it. But the intricate dynamics of women's wellness... especially the subtle energetic things... it's just not always the best available. We'll do some testing to see if any clues are to be found there, but sometimes a different approach can be helpful. Have you considered looking into Ayurvedic wellness, herbal remedies, Eastern medicine traditions... even acupuncture or dry needling if you're open to it?"

I grinned through dampening eyes at hearing what I already knew to be true.

These ancient healing arts that women have been using for centuries... I was receiving yet another reminder to return to them. This time the call wasn't coming from women I was supporting. It was coming from my own body.

She had no idea that I'm deep in the world of holistic healing, that I guide Somatic Yoga and Meditation, nor that my garden was about to spring to life with some of the very herbs that would be most helpful for self-healing. We then ventured in our discussion beyond the physical, as she empathized with my exhaustion of being a mother of children who have sleep issues. She recollected her own journey of a similar experience and we shared in the belief that our bodies were never meant to live in a society such as this. Women and mothers weren't meant to exist with so little support. She shared a few beneficial resources, suggested that I return to pelvic floor physical therapy, and we discussed which day of my cycle I should return for tests to be run. We talked about community, rest, and our need for support during such uncertain times before sharing a hug as we parted.

At my physical therapy appointments the following week I was cared for in a similar fashion. We chatted about the things women should know about our bodies but are too rarely taught. I discovered the common experience of a c-section scar healing more tightly on the right due to the surgeon typically finishing on the right side (finish the stitch, pull tight!) and that my scar tissue on this side was in serious need of remobilizing. Despite practicing and guiding breathwork regularly, I'd been unknowingly modifying my breathing to protect the painful area. Again, emotions flooded over me as I was guided to breathe... this time as I felt a PTSD flashback rise up to be released from my body. I was safely held and encouraged, and given the generous gifts of time and space to process, and shared in yet another meaningful hug.

Alongside these positive physical therapy appointments I was thankful to be supported in healing from a mental and spiritual perspective as well. Once again, I was met with compassion and wisdom of a local holistic practitioner as I sought support through hypnotherapy. This mind-body connection was fostered once again as I was guided to begin releasing the childhood wounds, spiritual trauma, and PTSD from abuse experienced as a young adult... coming home to who I truly am beyond these experiences that required my body to hold that which I'd not yet been able to fully process. I reconnected with beauty of visualizing my future self and felt her radiant glow in living a life of ease and joy.

This safety in sharing and feeling supported carried through with women who checked in or shared of relatable experiences. I dropped by a nearby friend's home and was nurtured with tea, sourdough, and care as our children played. Another came to our own yard to spend time with one another and we found ourselves singing the praises of the same physical therapists, who we'd both had the pleasure of receiving care from. A beloved neighbor and I chatted over the fence with dirt on our hands, pausing our gardening to connect about women's health and our daughters. Still others texted or messaged to check in, and each reminding me of what a necessity our village is as we heal and grow.

For such is the cycle of womanhood. We heal, we rise, we turn to help another in their own phase of healing, and we uplift the woman who is rising.

While still in the midst of healing and with some days better than others, I share my own experience not for want of pity or sympathy. I share the reminder that even those who spend their time supporting and caring for others need that same kind of support and care. I share to encourage us all that while we may see terrifying things happening throughout our country in regards to our bodies and women's health, the landscape is changing positively to combat it. While out-of-touch male legislators who lack basic understanding of biology attempt to control our miraculous bodies, on the ground level good movement is happening.

Knowledgeable women who genuinely care are making up more and more of the women's wellness professions. Holistic modalities that have been passed down for generations are seeing a resurgence. Women, the original healers, are rising up to support one another with honesty, connection, and love. Communities and little villages are returning in new ways, healing just as we do.

The incredible thing about our bodies, minds, spirits, and communities is... we heal. We may have to produce some extra scar tissue woven together with time and the love of those who care... but we heal.

My friend, we are healing together.

If you're local to the Cedar Valley, I invite you to join us for Somatic Yoga + Meditation every first and third Thursday of the month at 6:30pm at the Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. If you're not (or these classes don't work in your schedule, you're welcome to enjoy the meditations and videos created to support your wellness found on my free channel here.

Healing & Peace,

Ashley Kay