Tantra and Menopause

The word Tantra comes from the ancient word for loom, specifically the word for the warp, the continuous unbroken thread that holds the fabric together. In  the same way, Our spiritual experience is woven onto the warp of bodily experience, and the integrity of our lived experience depends on the unity of warp and weft.  Our cultural habit is to consider the spiritual or sacred as separate from the physical, and to consider the desire and pleasure of the body as something ‘lower,’ to be subdued by the ‘higher’ desires of the soul. But the habit of a sensually emancipated woman is to know that her health and well being depend on the integrity of the sacred and the mundane, of her spirit and sexuality, her desire and self-love, her body and soul. That integrity, to me, is Tantra.

As women, we live so closely to the body--through menstruation, pregnancy, birthing, motherhood, and then menopause. Each of these transitions changes a woman in a multitude of ways, most of which are celebrated. Yet menopause often causes women to feel despondent, as if our bodies are broken or deficient, especially when it comes to sex and intimacy However, menopause has many hidden gifts to offer if we learn to embrace rather than suppress the changes this natural transition brings.

A woman who is totally at home in her body, who knows her pathway to pleasure and is comfortable with her desires is a force to be reckoned with. Our sexuality is changing. Menopause can be a time of expansion rather than contraction of our sexual energy – it can be a time to redefine what it means to be a positive sexual, sensual woman living a vibrate and abundant life.

Menopause is a significant rite of passage. Similar to the adolescent transition, where a girl enters womanhood with her first bleed, when a woman stops bleeding, it is both the end of the reproductive phase of her life and a significant entrance into the second half of her life. For some women the passage can be smooth sailing. For others is can herald a time of great change. Regardless of our individual experiences with this inevitable journey, self-care is absolutely critical during this time.

At her first period a girl meets her wisdom, through her menstruating years she practices her wisdom, and at menopause she becomes her wisdom – Native American saying

Menopause as the “mother of all wake up calls” whereby anything that a woman has “swept under the carpet” will surface as an opportunity to heal and resolve. Menopause to shine the light on what is no longer working or is no longer aligned with a woman’s truth. It can be a turning point where we re-evaluate the first half of our life, looking to choose how we will live the second half. This manifests differently for each woman. I have known women who started to see their relationships break down either to end or to transform into deeper levels of intimacy; women who suddenly recalled childhood sexual abuse; women who have suddenly found their careers to be unappealing and move on to a more meaningful journey; and many women after years of prioritizing others start prioritizing themselves, their self-care and their interests.

Before puberty our hormonal levels are cruising at level which gives rise to a champagne like joy and pleasure in many varied ways. Once puberty hits, hormone levels are jacked up by nature to make us ready to get pregnant and nurture the growing infant for 9 months in the womb, to raise this child and perhaps have more children. This is a huge strain on the entire body, emotions and psyche of a woman, and as a reward, nature gifts us with abundant libido and drive for sexual ecstasy.

After menopause, our hormone levels return to a normal state, as we were in before puberty. We retain a bubbling champagne like quality throughout our body and if we desire to take this into sexual enjoyment, we have abundant resources to do so. It was found in studies on women’s sexuality that a woman is capable of multiple orgasm into her 90’s and beyond.

Once the fear of pregnancy leaves and the menopausal hormones are under control , the

world of sexual freedom is open to us Feeling our oats, we know how to get what we want. We no longer live in fear that all men want younger women, because the truth is men want

confident, women —women who are smart and self-secure. Flexibility in mind and spirit. By this age, we've seen enough of life to know our beliefs change, right, wrong thinking is not attractive and having unreasonable expectations leads to disappointment. Wisdom to know when to let little things go is very attractive to men.

Meditation The role of meditation in vibrant health is of utmost importance. When we meditate we are tuning our body / mind to the cosmic heartbeat. By so doing, we lose the addiction to stress and discover the eternal, beyond time and mind.

Sexual Health After menopause, if you don’t cultivate your sexuality, it will gradually diminish and you will not feel much in terms of sexual pleasure. It is wise to maintain a regular boost of sexual ecstasy. If you don’t have a lover, you can do a lot through self-pleasure rituals.

Radiant Fulfillment There are so many resources out there to help us move into our wise woman phase of life, easily and gracefully. And the good news is, it is never too late nor too early to begin. Use your intelligence and your intuition to find the correct path for you, nurturing inner and outer beauty and radiant fulfillment at any age.

Mother Nature's Treatments

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh, also known as black snakeroot or bugbane, is a medicinal root. The roots and rhizomes were used in traditional medicine by Native Americans. It is used to treat women's hormone-related symptoms, including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual cramps, and menopausal symptoms.

Black cohosh contains potent phytochemicals that have an effect on the endocrine system.

Dosage 40 mg of standardized herb per capsule to guarantee 2.5% tripterpene glycosides I-2 times per day.

Red Clover

Like peas and beans, red clover belongs to the family of plants called legumes. Red clover contains substances called isoflavones. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens—compounds similar to the female hormone estrogen.

Dosage 40-80 mg/day of standardized herb per capsule.

Chasteberry tree

It’s been used for centuries and has proved itself effective time and again in scientific studies. I’m talking about a small but medicinally potent brown berry about the size of a peppercorn known as chasteberry or vitex. This fruit has a long history (over 2,000 years) of use as an herbal medicine. For women, it increases luteinizing hormone, modulates prolactin and aids in the inhibition of the release of follicle-stimulating hormone, which all helps balance out the ratio of progesterone to estrogen, slightly raising the levels of progesterone.

Dosage 160–240 milligrams daily of standardized herb per capsule

Evening Primrose Oil

Native Americans and European settlers used evening primrose, a wildflower that grows in eastern and central North America, for food. The oil is high in essential fatty acids — which provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.

women around the world take evening primrose oil to naturally treat PMS symptoms because of its essential fatty acid content. Getting enough omega-6 fatty acids, such as LA and GLA, is shown to support overall hormonal function within the body.

During a woman’s premenstrual period, she may experience breast tenderness, bloating, water retention, acne, depression, irritability, foggy thinking and headaches.Evening primrose oil menopause use is also quite common because, again, this natural oil can help to balance hormones and improve unwanted menopause symptoms.

Dosage two 500 milligram capsules daily of standardized herb per capsule

Flax seed

Flax seed and flax seed oil may help some women with mild menopause symptoms. It's a good source of lignans are polyphenols found in plants , which tend to balance female hormones.

Dosage 40 grams per day of ground flax seed

Ginseng

Women entering menopause will often feel physically low because some symptoms, such as hot flashes, zap energy. Sleep is often interrupted as a result of menopause, especially thanks to hot flashes. Ginseng may come to the rescue on this front, possibly supporting healthy sleep cycles by aiding relaxation.

Dosage Panax Ginseng tends to be taken in doses of 200 to 400mg daily

Green tea

Green tea is considered one of the world's healthiest drinks and contains one of the highest amounts of antioxidants of any tea. Natural chemicals called polyphenols in tea are what are thought to provide its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects. Green tea is approximately 20-45 percent polyphenols by weight, of which 60-80 percent are catechins such as EGCG. Catechins are antioxidants that are said to help prevent cell damage.

Dosage Green Tea Extract Supplement - With EGCG Antioxidant, Polyphenol Heart Health, Energy Complex Vitamins For Women, 500mg Capsule Pills 2 capsules per day

Ginkgo biloba

Known as one of the oldest trees on the planet, ginkgo biloba has been long revered for its many medicinal uses Although it has been popularly utilized in Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years, it is only recently that researchers are uncovering what components account for ginkgo biloba's many uses and benefits.

Dosage 120-600 mg taken orally two times daily

Hops

Hops are the dried, flowering part of the hop plant. They are commonly used in brewing beer and as flavoring components in foods. Hops are also used to make medicine. Hops are commonly used orally for anxiety, sleep disorders such as the inability to sleep (insomnia) or disturbed sleep due to rotating or nighttime work hours (shift work disorder), restlessness, tension, excitability, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nervousness, irritability, and symptoms of menopause among other uses.

Dosage 300- to 500-milligram formulations take 2 capsules 2 to 3 times daily, preferably with meals

Lemon balm

Lemon balm is a perennial herb from the mint family. Used since ancient times to calm the heart and the body, lemon balm with its delicate lemony flavor uplifts the spirit and any culinary dish it is added to. The leaves, which have a mild lemon aroma, are used to make medicine.

Dosage 600 to 1,600 mg 2 capsules per night

Licorice

Licorice is sometimes taken by mouth along with the herbs Panax ginseng and Bupleurum falcatum to improve the function of the adrenal glands, especially in people who have taken steroid drugs long-term. Steroids tend to suppress the activity of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce important hormones that regulate the body's response to stress.

Dosage 150-300mg daily chew (2) tablets 20 minutes before each meal and before bedtime.

Red raspberry leaf

is the leaf of the raspberry plant. Also known as “the woman’s herb,” it is naturally high in vitamins and minerals we need for female health specifically: magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamins B, A, C, and E. The high level of B vitamins in particular makes it useful for relieving nausea, soothing leg cramps, and improving sleep.

Dosage 450 mg Take three capsules three times per day with water at mealtimes.

Sage

The health benefits of sage are attributed to flavonoids, such as apigenin, luteolin and diosmetin, which are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.8 Sage can also provide your body with rosmarinic acid, a polyphenolic compound with unlimited health potential. Due to the popularity of “sage the savior” as a home remedy

Dosage 500 mg Four capsules per day

Siberian ginseng

For centuries, healers from Russia, where it originated, to Asia and other Eastern countries and beyond have used it extensively to remedy colds and flu. One of the most effective aspects of Siberian ginseng is that it’s an adaptogen, which means your body is better able to adapt to stressors, whether physical, mental or emotional.

Dosage Standardized Siberian Ginseng Root extract 520 mg one to three capsules daily preferably at mealtime

Wild Yam

Pills and creams made from certain species of wild yam are popular alternatives to hormone therapy for menopause. Some of the natural compounds in these yams appear similar to estrogen and progesterone a “natural alternative” to estrogen therapy, so you will see it used for estrogen replacement therapy, vaginal dryness in older women, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), menstrual cramps

Dosage 850 mg capsule Take 2 capsules daily, preferably with food

Valerian root

Valerian root is often referred to as "nature's Valium." In fact, this herb has been used since ancient times to promote tranquility and improve sleep. Flowers from the valerian plant were used to make perfume centuries ago, and the root portion has been used in traditional medicine for at least 2,000 years.

Menopause: One study in menopausal women found significant reductions in hot flash severity and modest reductions in hot flash frequency during eight weeks of treatment

Dosage 500mg of valerian twice daily

THIS IS YOUR NEW PHASE OF LIFE