This article is written in partnership with Moon Mother Hemp—they’re dedicated to organic, sustainable farming practices and providing the purest CBD wellness products possible. May it be of benefit! ~ ed.

Crimson Tide, Girl Flu, Shark Week, a visit from Aunt Flo…whatever we call it, the nicknames we have for our periods usually aren’t pretty.

According to the latest WaterAid survey, 20 percent of women dread their period each month, which is roughly 52 days a year and 14 percent of our time on Earth!

And it’s no wonder, considering most of us experience side effects like anxiety, moodiness, fatigue, cramps (raises hand), and skin problems during our periods. Every. Single. Month.

But with a little help from Mother Nature and her abundant plant medicine, we can learn to create mindful rituals around our cycles.

According to traditional Chinese Medicine, menstruation is a reflection of our overall health and can provide a lot of information about our physical bodies.

When used correctly, plant medicine can be a powerful tool to support our minds, bodies, and spirits.

Clinical herbalist, Jessica Bates was initially skeptical about the CBD (cannabidiol) hype, which exploded seemingly overnight into the mainstream around two years ago. Hemp was suddenly everywhere—and most companies in the market were not as legitimate or natural as they were claiming, with many portraying their products as some kind of miracle cure.

But after testing and using the hemp plant herself, the benefits blew her away: she was impressed by the gentle power of CBD and how it offered relief to those who suffered from chronic pain, insomnia, or anxiety.

That was when Jessica decided to transition her botanical skincare line, Moon Mother into a CBD wellness company using organic, fairtrade hemp in all their products. As a passionate plant medicine advocate, it’s important to Jessica that natural products like this are not sold as a shortcut to happiness or some kind of one-size-fits-all band-aid.

For her, CBD is the people’s medicine. At best, it can offer us a portal or plant a seed for us to come back to ourselves—honoring our true nature. But understanding natural formulas is key. Moon Mother’s full spectrum CBD formulation is a result of a thoughtful process. Jessica combines Colorado-grown, full spectrum, organic hemp extract with tested and true plant essences for a synergistic effect that reaches beyond just CBD.

As a woman in a male dominated industry, Jessica has also prided herself on creating herbal CBD products that address women’s health directly. The properties of hemp are particularly beneficial during our menstrual cycle, when our bodies need extra soothing and nourishment.

3 ways we can honor our feminine power during our cycles, naturally

Inspired by Moon Mother, here are three wonderful ways to incorporate herbs, essential oils, and simple ritualistic practices to honor our own menstrual cycles in a synergistic way:

1. Practice Self-Love.

Instead of hating what your body is putting you through once a month, try practicing acceptance, softening, and tuning in. Listen to your body’s messages and needs (beyond the chocolate bar, though nothing wrong with that either).

Try to be aware of when you’re expecting your period each month, mark it on the calendar, and do what you can to avoid any additional stress. Instead, plan activities that will wind down your body and mind.

For some, this means avoiding physical things like sports and sex—for others, maintaining movement is key to maintaining mood. Every cycle is unique.

If you suffer from cramps, there are natural ways to soothe the discomfort. Give yourself a soothing massage with Moon Mother’s Wise Woman Comfort Balm which contains carefully sourced organic anti-inflammatory herbs, as well as the soothing, pain-relieving properties of CBD.

2. Unleash your Inner creator.

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Moon cycles and menstrual cycles are both associated with fertility, the feminine energy, creativity, and change.

Menstrual cycles can offer a chance to tap into our authentic artistic capacity. As our bodies quite literally ride the creative tide of the universe, we can harness this energy more consciously and perhaps gain new insight or inspiration.

A few ideas for how to do this: pick some of your favourite flowers and herbs and create a personal period bouquet, write in your journal, draw, dance, recite poetry, paint, knit, or cook delicious meals—let the creative juices flow! There are no nos here.

3. Practice Mindfulness.

The intention here is to find something that works for you and return to it each month with love, care, and attention. The spiritual master and self-help guru Eckhart Tolle describes menstruation as a chance for enlightenment and an ideal time to practice letting go of our pain-bodies.

Add a little self-massage as part of your meditation routine with balms and essential oils. Take a hot, soothing bath with Moon Mother’s Wise Woman Ritual Soaking Salt while listening to a yoga nidra, visualization, or guided meditation.

Harnessing the Power of the Moon

Paying attention to the lunar cycle in relation to our periods can help us understand our sacred female bodies.

The words “menstruation” and “menses” come from the Latin word “mensis,” which means “month” and relates to the Greek word “mene” which means “moon.”

Thinking of our menstrual cycles as our bodies’ inner tides helps us reframe our experience of our periods and grounds us back in Nature. It helps us honor this cycle that gives us the potential to create and sustain life, in the same way the natural tides are led by the phases of the moon.

Wherever your stand with your views, it’s time to reframe our periods and step fully into our creative, life-giving feminine power.

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