Hello friends 
,
I don’t know if this is true, but I have heard that a woman’s power is heightened during the menstrual cycle. If this is correct, I wondered if there are spells/rituals related to this idea? It would be amazing to practice specific spells dedicated to menstruation as something to look forward to / enjoy during this otherwise unpleasant time hahaha 
Thank you
xoxoxo
Have a blessed night 
Hi there avery!
This is a great question and one I’ve seen floating around in different online spaces recently. It can be tough for those who menstruate to find any joy or magic in their cycles, but it’s all about how we can approach it.
First, I do want to say that there isn’t anything inherently “more powerful” for those who menstruate during their cycle. It is a natural bodily function, and not everyone who has a uterus experiences it the same way. Some don’t experience it at all!
So, I’ve gathered some ideas on what I might do personally if I was connected to my cycle. I’m not and have never celebrated my cycle, so these are just ideas with no personal experience behind them.
rest, self-reflection, and journaling; all can be ritualistic and center on yourself and thinking about things in your life that aren’t working or are no longer useful to you
fertility magic if that’s your jam
honor the body’s ability to create
collect the menstrual blood and use it in magic and ritual
There are a lot of books and resources available on Amazon that I found just by a quick Google search, too. Overall, I really recommend thinking about why you want to celebrate your cycle, what your personal connection is to your cycle and body, and what your cycle means for you.
As a side note, I just want to mention that it isn’t only women that bleed. We honor our trans friends as well, and some women don’t have a uterus.
This is such a great topic, @avery- thank you so much for opening up this discussion! 
Menstruation has, unfortunately, been used throughout history against women’s empowerment- in some ways, it echoes how women who went against expectations could be labeled as “witches”, whether they practiced or not. I think it is so wonderful that we can now talk about this natural and healthy process here in an open and respectful way! 
As someone who often has a pretty rough time during my time of the month, I’ve found that my practice has really helped me see menstruation in a more positive light. Being more accepting of it (rather than being ashamed and scared of it) has really helped me to manage it in healthier ways.
While I don’t have any spells in mind that are best during menstruation (and am really excited to hear what others post! 
), I do have a related spell that I’ve used with great results that I’m happy to share here!
Spell to Start Menstruation When It Is Late
Note that this spell is most helpful when lateness is due to stress/anxiety. It does not overpower the value of a visit to your medical professional- if your period is late, please consider checking with a trusted doctor about possible medical reasons!
Cup of warm Raspberry Leaf Tea, brewed for 15 minutes (Not “raspberry” tea- it needs to be Raspberry Leaf!)
Carnelian stone- put under the person’s pillow before sleep
Gentle massage of the lower stomach and hips in a downward motion, while wishing for blood flow to beginThis has worked wonders for me and the one other person I’ve shared it with so far- I hope it can help someone else too! 
Thanks again for this discussion, Avery! Sending good thoughts and solidarity to all the fellow folx who deal with menstruation, whether you hate it or embrace it! 
I’ve heard that too; that magick is amplified while one is on their period. This may be a coincidence, but ever since I started practicing, my period starts on or around the full moon! If that’s the case, my magick should be strong, but I’ve never noticed anything different. 
Of course, I’ve noticed that this year, the full moons will gradually be earlier in the month, so that likely won’t be the case anymore.
I usually don’t do any spell work for the first two days since I feel iffy, but that is a great time for some tea meditation!
Thank you for your insight and advice! I appreciate it! And thank you for bringing it to my attention that I mean no harm or offence to the fellow trans practitioners/ people with and without uteruses / people who don’t get a period! 
I think the reason why I want to celebrate my cycle is because I dread it and I have always had issues. I have frequently wished that I could no longer have it, so I was hoping that I could find ways to honour it/ feel more empowered to lessen the unpleasantness of it all. Would there be any danger using menstrual blood for a ritual?
Thank you! You are so kind I agree we should shift the narrative on menstruation into something that isn’t shameful or gross because that perhaps perpetuates the negativity surrounding it. The spell sounds very helpful and I will for sure use it when needed 
take care!
Oh I know! I just like to put that note there 
I myself had an ablation in June when I had my tubes tied so I pretty much can’t have a period anymore.
The only thing I would say about using menstrual blood in ritual is that it is a direct tie to you. It’s what we call a taglock, so any spellwork you do with the menstrual blood would be directly connected to you. I wouldn’t recommend doing baleful magic or magic against others period.
You could use it in rituals for growth and abundance as a celebration if life’s cycles. You could also use it in releasing rituals since the blood shed during menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining.
This is my own personal experience with menstruation, I mean no offense to anyone. When I did have my period (haven’t since 12/24/2009), it was very heavy (with clots)& painful, but very short-lasting. After my last pregnancy, which was also my hardest, I had my tubes tied & an ablation. So I can sympathize with @MeganB in that respect.
I never had a positive experience with menstruation. I didn’t have my first period until I was 16. I distinctly remember my Nana & my Mom being so excited when I did get it, they said they were ready to drag it out of me. It wasn’t ever really pinpoint regular, one day it was there & a day & a half later it was gone. Hard & Fast really. But thick & heavy & almost pasty brownish… the doctor said it was all built up & finally started, but that much longer & I would have gotten sick from the old blood being there for however long. She actually didn’t think that it would continue to be so heavy, painful, & fast. Well, up until January 2010 that’s exactly how it was every time.
All of that being said, if I had kept practicing & learning my craft through my teens & 20’s, I also would have considered something to help me through or ease the discomfort. (I was sent home from school & work due to the pain it would cause or the heaviness or both)
I do get cramps every once in a while in the same area, I’m not in tune with my cycle but never was, I know when it would be happening if I hadn’t had my procedures done.
I do know that rice pillows or those heat therapy… things… you put them in boiling water & when it comes out, it can be positioned & placed where you need it. I have a pink 1 shaped like a heart & I have an abundance of rice pillows. You never know when all of your joints are going to need to be loved & comforted with EDS Type 3. Especially in cold weather.
@BryWisteria, I think I am going to try this tea when I have discomfort in my hips, SI, & lower abdomen area. I’ll probably use a rice pillow or my heart while I drink it.
I don’t know of any other helpful tactics or spells or rituals. I would like to see what others do or have ideas for though. 
Hi @avery, I studied with a medicine woman and I could not participate in ceremony, when I was on my period. So she certainly thought a woman was more powerful at that time. So interesting! Thanks for starting this topic.
Congratulations on a successful surgery! 
In the future I hope to have that procedure as well. The taglock makes sense, I assume it would be a similar situation with other aspects of your body like your hair. I will keep this in mind if I begin to work with menstrual blood, I haven’t decided yet. Thank you for your help!
I’m sorry to hear about your difficult time with your cycle! While you started “late” I started early, I got it when I was 11 turning 12 and was a very shameful experience for me. When I get horrible cramps I also use heating bottles, however starting a new hormonal contraceptive have helped with my cramps. I hope the @BryWisteria 's tea recipe works for you! I will also be trying it 
Wow that sounds like it was an incredible experience! Thanks for sharing
I have done some research and if your period starts around the full moon it means you have a red moon cycle, meanwhile getting your period on the new moon is called a white moon cycle. I haven’t looked too much into it but there’s different meanings for both. I agree with you the first two days are the worst, I’ll keep in mind tea meditations for that time. Thanks for contributing
That is new information to me too! I am a Red Moon girl. 
I am excited to learn more about that.
This is interesting! Mine always starts on New Moon and I ovulate around Full Moon 
I would be interested in this, I wish I had found out about it sooner. I’ll see if I can pay attention to my body itself as for when it feels like it should be doing the menstruation thing. Although it’s been 12 years, so I’m sure it will take some time to find my rhythms again.
You’re very welcome, Avery, and I agree! For those of us who menstruate, it can be really empowering and freeing to learn to accept this natural part of us, rather than try to hide or be shamed or even terrified of it, as I was for years. We’re strong- go us! 
I hope the tea recipe helps you! Lots of love to you! 
I hope the recipe helps! Raspberry Leaf Tea was recommended to me by an herbalist when I was studying under one out in Western MA. Not every store carries it, but if you look in the tea section you can often find it at the grocery store (Market Basket in Plymouth has it in the organic tea section!) 
Here is the one I have- it actually has a note about menstruation on it (but not all of them do!):
As with all herbal products, please try them carefully- read the warnings on WebMD and don’t hesitate to contact a medical professional and/or herbalist for more personal advice
That is really interesting! 
I’m neither of those- I wonder if they have names for those whose periods come in line with other moon phases (first quarter, last quarter)?
Thanks for sharing this info- I’ll remember it! 
@Susurrus this could be a long shot, but are you able to remember any significant events that occurred while you were menstruating? As an example, I distinctly remember the very fun anniversary trip my husband and I accidentally planned on the week of my period. You could use that date you remember to go back and look at the moon phase. 
@LadyAuld.ofChico girl you must have been reading my mind, but I was a bit of a different approach.
My last period was 12/24/2009 (Christmas Eve). I know that somewhere I used to keep track of it, but I never compared it to a moon phase or even thought of that actually. Anyway, I was thinking of either finding those journals or figuring out the moon phase that Christmas & going from there.
I’m also going to mention that this morning I am having cramps like the start of menstrual cramps. I do still get those at times. So I’m going to try to put it together sometime today. Then look into other moon phases related to menstruation.
In theory, you should line up with the moon because we are on a 28-day cycle too. So the moon phase that you have your period during, wouldn’t necessarily change all that much.
@Susurrus cramps are uncomfortable and I wish you to feel better - makes me smirk that we are all talking about this and you are feeling menstruation symptoms. Looking into your moonstration history could be a fun project for a rainy day. 
