HYDERABAD : Imagine this: Radha has to submit her project report within an hour, or find some innovative explanation to provide to her male boss. She does not want to reveal the real reason behind the delay in submission. Relatives from her husband’s side are coming over to her house at night and she has to supervise the cooking. The child needs to be picked up from the karate class too. But all Radha wants to do is to lie on bed clutching a hot water bag. The painkiller was not potent enough to ease her periods cramps, and her mood swings due to hormonal changes made her miserable. As she rested her head on her work desk, she wondered if there was some way to manage these few days of the month without popping painkillers.
If you are a woman facing a similar situation every month, a little help from a corporate employee-turned-yoga trainer and the moon can help you manage the stress on those days. Yes, the moon. According to B Prameela Jyothi, who founded Rainbow C Spirits eight months ago to advocate ways for holistic wellness, says that menstrual cycles follow moon cycles.
“Before electricity was invented, menstrual cycles were in line with moon cycles. During full moon, the sky is full of light and those were the days to ovulate and be fertile. During the new moon, the darkest sky, the days were to menstruate, shred and release. In modern lives due to electricity and technology, menstrual cycles are unnatural and not in line with the natural moon cycles.
Through meditation and yoga, I guide women how to align their cycles with nature and manifest health. I want women to use the cycles for empowerment at individual and collective levels every day of the month. This process is called Womb Healing,” she says.
After experiencing several issues herself trying to strike a balance among her aspirations, her body cycles and other responsibilities, Prameela sought the path of spirituality for help. A former HR executive and a certified yoga trainer, Prameela Jyothi has been into the path of holistic wellness, spirituality, meditation and ancient wisdom from 1998. Since then, she has been associated with various spiritual activities including organising spiritual workshops, camps, reading, understanding and sharing various spiritual literature and philosophy of the East and West.
She has worked with students, homemakers, corporate and government employees. She wants women to remember that their bodies are sacred and there is nothing to be ashamed of their natural cycles. “Menstruation is a divine and sacred process. Every single month body is preparing itself to have a child. Value and respect the process we go through every month,” she adds.
Speaking about her methodology, she says: “Womb Healing is not a popular concept, but these practices are not new. There have been ancient practices in India, China and Mexico. Nowadays, women face a lot of challenges, both at home and at workplace. The deliverables for a woman are different from what it used to be 20 years ago.
Women are fighting for her own dreams too apart from looking after their families. These struggles affect our body, mind, hormones and reproductive organs. I promote a spiritual lifestyle that will help women deal with these challenges. I have designed a course which talks about our biological processes and how they impact our aspirations, our decision making, environment and family life.”
Prameela believes that understanding the body cycles goes a long way in managing them. “This is for women who are looking at alternative ways to manage their mental and physical health better. Through meditation, yoga, diet and emotional management, I guide women on how to listen and respond to their bodies better during their cycles. Many women face pre-menstrual syndrome characterised by severe mood swings and physical discomfort. Her well-being at this time depends on how much support she receives at her home or workplace. I want women to come out and talk about their issues. I also want to create awareness among everyone regarding how to support a woman during these times,” she says.
Stressing on how these natural processes need not make women let go of living her dreams, she adds: “Not every woman will undergo cramps and have fertility issues. If you look at the bigger picture, our lifestyle choices and emotions are the factors that might play a role in whether a woman faces these discomforts. But it does not mean a woman should let go of her aspirations due to these difficulties. They need to know how to benefit from their cycles as well and manifest health and fertility. Planning and scheduling as per the cycles is empowerment.
We don’t have equal amount of energy all the month. Instead of planning the month consistently, know when the energies are high or low and plan accordingly. Planning and scheduling mainly depends on the lifestyle of the woman and on whether she is a student, working professional, housewife, a mother, or all rolled into one.”
Finally, the former corporate employee is trying to build a sisterhood where women are heard. “Women don’t know where to go to be accepted fully. They are often shamed if they are unable to manage the stress of both office and family. For e.g., women are made to feel guilty if they choose to have children later in life. I aim to empower women to feel aligned with their decisions and tap into their divine femininity.”Prameela conducts workshops for various sections of people including students, corporate employees. She can be contacted through her website.
kakoli_mukherjee@newindianexpress.com @KakoliMukherje2