Honestly, I can't even remember my summers of 20s and 30s but my summers of 40s and 50s have been the worst part of my cycle at least physically. I have to do a better job of checking in on the other areas of your chart. In perimenopause I feel like everything just blurs together.
I don't remember my summers of my 20s and 30s either! Im referencing the 20s and 30s as the summer life phase in general. The over-riding lens of the mother phase during those years.
My inner summers(ovulation) didn't start to get harder until maybe just this last year.
Im thankful that I had a few good years while knowing about cycle awareness to really explore the inner summer phase.
Sometimes I think I'm part man. I didn't have the mother phase during those years. That's only come recently. I had male energy of build and conquer. Of course, I was a mother to my children but it's only recently that I felt as a mother to the community and society.
My "real" summers of my 20s and 30s are vividly remembered 🤣.
I have spent a couple days reflecting on what you shared here about your 20's and 30's not being in the mother phase.
Of course these are archetypal phases and don't reflect every woman's lived experience. That probably should have been my bold disclaimer in the first sentence.
But, I am now more curious about how you experienced your 20's and 30's.
I probably should have also mentioned that the teens and 20's are the Spring Maiden warrior archetype and I wonder if you were experiencing this archetypal phase for a longer season as you were building and conquering?
Also, remember the mother phase is about building. You mention that you were a mother, but didn't 'feel' the mother phase until recently. As a mother to your twins did you feel motherly towards them? You don't have to answer these questions here but might help in your own deeper reflection of your life phases.
The mother archetype that protects, grows children, and meets their needs definitely fits the life phase.
I am also exploring the concept that women may have a dominant archetype to their personality that has a common thread throughout their lives, or one that shapeshifts with the changing life phases.
If I were to analyze myself in this way, I tend to lean toward shapeshifting into each life season. But, I know many women who are very dominately in the Spring/Maiden/Warrior phase no matter their cycle phase or life phase. The 'go' switch never gears down. And then I know women who from early childhood have always had loads of children around them, perpetually Summer/Mothering their entire lives. And then I have known the wild woman, the untamed wild horse that is unpredictable, yet highly creative, reflective, and says NO and means it. She vasilates from scattered to organized, from emotional to cool and above all she needs lots of space. And no matter her age, she has always been this way.
And I have known the forever grandmas. The Wise women from their youth. Of course there is a more detailed description but, like I said, I am exploring this conceptual perspective of these more dominate phases within personalities.
I think your comment is a great addition to this post (but no disclaimer needed. Anytime we're talking about generalizations it's always understood that some people may see differences). I had to look up the archetypes you mentioned because I'm not as familiar with them. The Spring Maiden Warrior sounds about right with a heavy emphasis on the Warrior side.
I think Warrior has been my thread through life and with parenting twins I took a mother warrior approach if I were to combine the two. It wasn't about letting things be, it was about actively moving things forward in a determined and purposeful way. Reaching a place now where I can extend that "let it be" graciousness without being so tied to the outcome to the external world is what's different.
I appreciate this bonus information in the comment as it's always fun to reflect back and figure things out. I have always felt I had some masculine energy but knowing that this can also be a part of being female is comforting. I love being a woman with all of it's depth and nuisance. 🩷
When I was becoming a woman, I didn't want to be so different from men. I resented parts about me that were so feminine.
I didn't know anything about what I know now and I absolutely love getting to know myself this deeply. Women are absolutely amazing. And the more I understand me, the more I appreciate my husband's complimentary half that makes us whole.
This feels like either a podcast topic or another post in the making. 😆
I’m feeling very summery today, day 12, actually at the beach too, and it’s a feeling I want to hold onto and wish I could have every day, but as I’ve started recognizing I’m in perimenopause, these days are not as frequent and although that saddens me, I need to start respecting myself during the other days and not searching for ‘what is wrong with me?’ and know these days will come back around and to live in the moment when they do ✨
Honestly, I can't even remember my summers of 20s and 30s but my summers of 40s and 50s have been the worst part of my cycle at least physically. I have to do a better job of checking in on the other areas of your chart. In perimenopause I feel like everything just blurs together.
I don't remember my summers of my 20s and 30s either! Im referencing the 20s and 30s as the summer life phase in general. The over-riding lens of the mother phase during those years.
My inner summers(ovulation) didn't start to get harder until maybe just this last year.
Im thankful that I had a few good years while knowing about cycle awareness to really explore the inner summer phase.
Sometimes I think I'm part man. I didn't have the mother phase during those years. That's only come recently. I had male energy of build and conquer. Of course, I was a mother to my children but it's only recently that I felt as a mother to the community and society.
My "real" summers of my 20s and 30s are vividly remembered 🤣.
I have spent a couple days reflecting on what you shared here about your 20's and 30's not being in the mother phase.
Of course these are archetypal phases and don't reflect every woman's lived experience. That probably should have been my bold disclaimer in the first sentence.
But, I am now more curious about how you experienced your 20's and 30's.
I probably should have also mentioned that the teens and 20's are the Spring Maiden warrior archetype and I wonder if you were experiencing this archetypal phase for a longer season as you were building and conquering?
Also, remember the mother phase is about building. You mention that you were a mother, but didn't 'feel' the mother phase until recently. As a mother to your twins did you feel motherly towards them? You don't have to answer these questions here but might help in your own deeper reflection of your life phases.
The mother archetype that protects, grows children, and meets their needs definitely fits the life phase.
I am also exploring the concept that women may have a dominant archetype to their personality that has a common thread throughout their lives, or one that shapeshifts with the changing life phases.
If I were to analyze myself in this way, I tend to lean toward shapeshifting into each life season. But, I know many women who are very dominately in the Spring/Maiden/Warrior phase no matter their cycle phase or life phase. The 'go' switch never gears down. And then I know women who from early childhood have always had loads of children around them, perpetually Summer/Mothering their entire lives. And then I have known the wild woman, the untamed wild horse that is unpredictable, yet highly creative, reflective, and says NO and means it. She vasilates from scattered to organized, from emotional to cool and above all she needs lots of space. And no matter her age, she has always been this way.
And I have known the forever grandmas. The Wise women from their youth. Of course there is a more detailed description but, like I said, I am exploring this conceptual perspective of these more dominate phases within personalities.
I think your comment is a great addition to this post (but no disclaimer needed. Anytime we're talking about generalizations it's always understood that some people may see differences). I had to look up the archetypes you mentioned because I'm not as familiar with them. The Spring Maiden Warrior sounds about right with a heavy emphasis on the Warrior side.
I think Warrior has been my thread through life and with parenting twins I took a mother warrior approach if I were to combine the two. It wasn't about letting things be, it was about actively moving things forward in a determined and purposeful way. Reaching a place now where I can extend that "let it be" graciousness without being so tied to the outcome to the external world is what's different.
I appreciate this bonus information in the comment as it's always fun to reflect back and figure things out. I have always felt I had some masculine energy but knowing that this can also be a part of being female is comforting. I love being a woman with all of it's depth and nuisance. 🩷
When I was becoming a woman, I didn't want to be so different from men. I resented parts about me that were so feminine.
I didn't know anything about what I know now and I absolutely love getting to know myself this deeply. Women are absolutely amazing. And the more I understand me, the more I appreciate my husband's complimentary half that makes us whole.
This feels like either a podcast topic or another post in the making. 😆
Looking forward to reading this!! Summer will be here again before you know it 😁.
Oh I love the summer days of my cycle! It's the equivalent of the long, lazy days that aren't filled with appointments or stressful in the least. ✨
Yes! Life takes on a more relaxed quality to it. As it shifts in peri, I gotta enjoy those easy breezy days while I have them.
Me too as they are few and far between!
Happy summer Jess ☀️
I’m feeling very summery today, day 12, actually at the beach too, and it’s a feeling I want to hold onto and wish I could have every day, but as I’ve started recognizing I’m in perimenopause, these days are not as frequent and although that saddens me, I need to start respecting myself during the other days and not searching for ‘what is wrong with me?’ and know these days will come back around and to live in the moment when they do ✨
Beautifully said. Enjoy the beach in your glowing summer vibes.