The Inner Seasons — How Cyclical Living Transforms Women’s Health
Our cycles are not an inconvenience to be managed or silenced — they are a mirror of nature itself. Just as the earth turns through winter, spring, summer, and autumn, so too does the body of a woman move through her own inner seasons each month.
For thousands of years, this rhythm was honored as a source of wisdom, vitality, and creativity. In Chinese Medicine, the menstrual cycle is seen as a dance of Yin and Yang, Qi and Blood — a continuous ebb and flow that shapes not only fertility but also emotional balance, energy, and overall well-being.
Yet in our modern world, we are often encouraged to live as if we were the same every day: constantly productive, outwardly focused, and disconnected from the natural shifts of our inner landscape. This disconnection can leave us feeling burnt out, imbalanced, or even at odds with our own bodies.
Cyclical living invites us to return to harmony. To align our choices, our self-care, and even our creativity with the natural phases of our cycle. When we do, we begin to see menstruation not as a monthly burden, but as a compass — guiding us back home to our own body’s wisdom.
The Wisdom of Cyclical Living
Cyclical living is the art of moving with, rather than against, the natural rhythm of your body. It means recognizing that your energy, emotions, and physical needs shift throughout the month — and allowing yourself to respond with presence and care.
In many ways, this is not a new concept, but an ancient remembering. For much of history, women lived in harmony with the moon, the earth, and the seasons. The menstrual cycle was understood as a source of power, a rhythm that shaped community, fertility, and ritual.
From the perspective of Chinese Medicine, the cycle is a dance between Yin and Yang, Blood and Qi. Yin — cooling, nourishing, inward — gathers and ripens, while Yang — warming, activating, expansive — rises to its peak and returns again to rest. Just as nature is never static, the body too thrives when it honors flow and change.
In modern life, however, we are often taught to ignore these shifts. We push through fatigue, override the need for rest, and expect ourselves to show up with the same energy each day. Over time, this disconnection can lead to imbalance — irregular cycles, PMS, fertility challenges, or simply a sense of being out of touch with the body’s wisdom.
By returning to cyclical living, we create space for balance, self-trust, and ease. It becomes a way of caring not only for our reproductive health, but also for our creativity, relationships, and vitality.
Your menstrual cycle is more than a sequence of hormones — it is a seasonal rhythm moving through you each month. By learning to live in harmony with these inner seasons, you begin to see your cycle as a source of guidance, rather than something to endure.
The Four Inner Seasons
Inner Winter — Menstrual Phase
When bleeding begins, you enter your inner winter. Just as the earth rests beneath a blanket of snow, your body asks for stillness and retreat. Blood flows outward, releasing the old, and your energy naturally turns inward.
Body & Energy: Yin is strongest here, and the Kidneys — the root of vitality in Chinese Medicine — are deeply nourished. The cycle begins again with renewal.
Support Practices:
Prioritize rest and warmth (early nights, cozy blankets, hot teas).
Nourish with simple, grounding foods like soups, stews, and root vegetables.
Gentle reflection: journaling, meditation, or ritual practices of release.
Inner Spring — Follicular Phase
After bleeding, the body awakens. Energy rises like seedlings breaking through the soil. This is a time of renewal, curiosity, and fresh beginnings — a natural moment for growth and new ideas.
Body & Energy: Yin and Blood are building; estrogen rises. The Liver and Spleen work together to prepare fertile ground for ovulation.
Support Practices:
Move your body in playful, light ways — walking, dancing, stretching.
Eat foods that build Blood and Qi: leafy greens, whole grains, seeds.
Let creativity flow: vision boards, planning, starting new projects.
Inner Summer — Ovulation Phase
Ovulation is the peak of your inner cycle — like midsummer, when everything is in full bloom. Your energy is magnetic, your body is fertile, and your heart feels expansive. This is a time for connection, joy, and outward expression.
Body & Energy: Yang rises. The Heart, Liver, and Kidney energies flourish to support ovulation and fertility.
Support Practices:
Socialize, collaborate, share your ideas and creations.
Move in ways that feel energizing and expansive.
Enjoy vibrant, colorful foods — fruits, fresh vegetables, plenty of hydration.
Nurture intimacy — with your partner, friends, or community.
Inner Autumn — Luteal Phase
After the high energy of summer, autumn arrives. Energy begins to turn inward again, inviting discernment and slowing down. Just as the trees release what no longer serves, this phase calls for letting go and preparing for rest.
Body & Energy: Progesterone holds the warmth of Yang; the Spleen and Liver need extra care to keep Qi and Blood flowing smoothly. If imbalanced, this is when PMS often arises.
Support Practices:
Choose grounding movement: yoga, walking, slow strength-building.
Nourish with warm, earthy foods — pumpkin, squash, warming spices.
Honor your need for boundaries: say no, simplify, create space.
Creative inward practices: journaling, nesting, finishing tasks.
Together, these four inner seasons create a map — one that shows you when to rest, when to rise, when to shine, and when to release. Living in rhythm with this map can transform not only your cycle, but your relationship to your body and your life.
How Cyclical Living Heals
When we begin to honor the natural rhythm of our inner seasons, something shifts. What once felt like struggle — PMS, exhaustion, irregular cycles, painful periods — can soften as the body finds space to breathe, rest, and move in alignment with its needs.
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, imbalance often arises when Yin and Yang fall out of harmony, or when the smooth flow of Qi and Blood becomes disrupted. Ignoring our cyclical rhythms — pushing through fatigue, suppressing emotions, living in a constant state of Yang/activity and not prioritising cultivating our Yin — places strain on the body and Spirit. Over time, this can manifest as stagnation (pain, PMS, mood swings), deficiency (fatigue, irregular cycles, fertility challenges), Yin deficiency or heat patterns (irritability, skin breakouts, insomnia).
Cyclical living offers a gentle antidote. By respecting the inward pull of winter, the rising energy of spring, the vibrancy of summer, and the slowing down of autumn, we support the body in restoring balance. Each phase becomes an opportunity to nourish Yin or Yang, to smooth the flow of Qi, and to build and replenish Blood.
The healing potential is profound:
PMS symptoms often ease when the Liver and Spleen are supported through seasonal practices.
Fertility is strengthened when Yin is nourished in spring and Yang is protected in summer.
Energy becomes steadier when we allow deep rest during menstruation instead of pushing through.
Emotional balance is restored as we learn to listen, rather than override, the body’s cues.
On a deeper level, cyclical living reconnects us with the sacredness of being embodied. It transforms the cycle from something to “manage” into a rhythm of self-trust, creativity, and vitality — a lifelong dialogue with the womb.
Practical Ways to Begin
Reconnecting with your cycle doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. It begins with awareness — small, intentional steps that bring you closer to the rhythm of your body.
1. Track Your Cycle
Use a journal, an app, or a moon calendar to note the start and end of your bleed, how you feel each day, your energy levels, emotions, and physical changes.
Over time, you’ll begin to see patterns that reveal your inner seasons.
2. Create Simple Rituals for Each Season
Winter (menstruation): Light a candle, drink warming tea, and allow yourself extra rest.
Spring (follicular): Begin a new project or write down fresh intentions.
Summer (ovulation): Plan social activities, connect with loved ones, or express yourself creatively.
Autumn (luteal): Journal, declutter, or set boundaries to conserve your energy.
3. Nourish with Seasonal Foods
Eat in a way that mirrors your cycle:
Winter/menstruation → warm soups, stews, root vegetables.
Spring/follicular → fresh greens, seeds, whole grains.
Summer/ovulation → juicy fruits, vibrant vegetables, plenty of hydration.
Autumn/luteal → grounding foods like pumpkin, squash, and warming spices.
4. Honor Your Energy Levels
Give yourself permission to rest during menstruation without guilt.
Embrace your natural rise in energy after your bleed.
Use ovulation for your most outward and creative work.
Slow down during the luteal phase to avoid overwhelm and irritability.
5. Sync Self-Care with Your Cycle
Skincare rituals, herbal teas, gentle movement, or meditation practices can all be tailored to your current phase.
Even small acts of honoring your body help create trust and balance.
Remember — cyclical living is not about perfection. It’s about awareness, presence, and compassion. Every time you choose to listen to your body, you strengthen the relationship with your womb and bring yourself closer to balance.
Your menstrual cycle is not a burden to endure — it is a compass, a rhythm, a source of wisdom that lives within you. When you begin to honor your inner seasons, life starts to feel less like a constant push against yourself and more like a flowing dance with your own nature.
By listening to the quiet call of your inner winter, rising with the freshness of spring, opening fully in summer, and softening into autumn’s embrace, you reclaim the sacred rhythm that has always been yours. This is the heart of cyclical living: a return to harmony, balance, and self-trust.
If you are ready to reconnect with your body, to explore the wisdom of your womb, or to receive support through acupuncture, doula care, or women’s health guidance, I would be honored to walk alongside you.
(Pre)order my ebook on how to Harmonize Your Menstrual Cycle with Chinese Medicine here, where I dive even deeper into how our menstrual cycle takes in such a central place, how to learn and connect more deeply with you own rhythm, and practical tips and tools on how to do so.
With gratitude,
Juliette Eleonora Zoë Weersink
(Founder Essence of Juji — Acupuncturist and Birth Doula)