Period Pain & Its Relation to the Feminine Archetypes

Each female archetype corresponds to a different season, a different phase of the Moon, and a different phase of our menstrual cycle. Everything is connected. Women have a deep connection to the Moon since the beginning of time, which mirrors their own internal rhythms.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a regular cycle—which lasts around 28 days—or if you’re infertile, or you no longer bleed — you still cycle, all women are cyclic beings. And this means the Moon and the archetypes are always available for you to work with.

Some of us go through long phases in our lives where we embody and express only one archetype, and don’t create room for any others to emerge. Other times, we can cycle through all four archetypes in a single day or in a week.

Understanding the female archetypes inevitably leads to understanding your menstrual cycle. You’ll be able to understand and tend to yourself in a way you never have before.

There are 4 main female archetypes, along with their corresponding Moon and menstrual phases and seasons.

🪶 Maiden: Waxing Moon & Follicular Phase (Spring)
🪶 Mother: Full Moon & Ovulatory Phase (Summer)
🪶 Wild Woman: Waning Moon & Luteal Phase (Autumn/Fall)
🪶 Wise Woman: New Moon & Menstruation Phase (Winter)

It’s helpful to know which archetype relates to which phase and season to gain better understanding of the energies that are most potent and available to you at any time.

The Maiden is tied to the Waxing Moon & Follicular Phase or the season of Spring.

She is young at heart, full of optimism, energy, and is care-free in nature. She embodies independence, strength and confidence.

The Maiden is also known as the Virgin, because of her pure state of mind. But don’t confuse the word ‘virgin’ with the definition we know it nowdays. Tthe word virgin never used to mean sexually chaste; rather it meant a woman who was free, sexually independent, and not owned or tamed by anyone.

The Maiden stands firmly, rooted in her own power. She’s able to magnetize all she desires towards her with ease; people, opportunities, and projects.

A woman embodying the Maiden archetype will appear to sparkle, as she communes with the Universe, always being held and guided by Her.

Out of all the four archetypes, the Maiden is the most “masculine” in the way she acts and approaches life.

🪶  Be assertive – ask for what you want, calmly but firmly
🪶  Make plans and be social
🪶 Surround yourself with inspiring messages, people & vibrations
🪶  Invest in self development and growth
🪶 Discover your unique gifts
🪶 Celebrate other women’s success & strength
🪶  Join an online group or get involved in your local community – this could be taking up a new hobby, investing in a cause you believe in, or doing charity work.
🪶 Dress in ways that make you feel powerful and active
🪶 Don’t forget to pause and take a breath

The Mother archetype is linked to the Full Moon & Ovulatory Phase (Summer).

She embodies creativity, nurturing (of the self and others), and attention.

Our society has reduced her to no more than birthing and raising children, but she is so much more than this.

The Mother learns to nurture, but not control. She supports and gives when needed for care and growth, and takes a step back to allow separation and freedom.

She is also deeply connected to the earth, and all of life. Plants, animals, and the elements. She believes that when we nurture and care for ourselves, and replenish our well, we in turn fill Mother Earth’s cup, too. We help nourish, honor, and heal her with our energy. So she is devoted to taking care of all beings, knowing that we are all connected.

Many women fall into the habit of devoting all their Mother archetype energy outward; to their kids, families, and communities; while largely ignoring themselves, and their own needs. But we cannot give from an empty cup. This is why prioritizing yourself and self-care is a foundational need.

🪶  Make time for yourself and your desires
🪶  Be in nature often
🪶  Explore creativity (write, sing, cook, play, dance—whatever you want to do)
🪶  Decide what you want to prioritize in your life, and simplify things
🪶 Clear out any distractions, so you can create space for more of what you really want
🪶 Integrate in community
🪶 Weave tradition/ceremony into your life (celebrate the new and full moon, the wheel of the year sabbaths, or give thanks before you eat a meal)
🪶  Wear clothes that feel cozy and comfortable

Also known as Medicine Woman, the Witch, or the Enchantress.

As the Moon begins to wane, our energy turns inward – Wild Woman shows up. She is tied to the Waning Moon & Luteal Phase (Autumn/Fall).

Towards the end of this menstrual phase, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is common. Headaches, mood swings, irritability, lethargy, shame, irritability, food cravings and cramps…

When a woman displays any emotion that isn’t deemed rational or feminine, it is blamed on her cycle—”it must be her time of the month.” The reason we experience these dark and destructive behaviors is only because we’ve learned to repress and bury these natural emotions and energies.

We’re battling against our inner Wild Woman, and that is what causes us so much pain . she wants to be seen and heard.

Wild Woman asks us to feel our pain, and address the root of where it comes from, below the surface – this is the only way we can begin to truly heal. She asks us to stand still, reflect, accept, and alchemize our experiences. This is how we learn our life lessons, grow, and move forward.

🪶  Allow all your feelings, and value them—because each one is a teacher
🪶  Explore your shadows, and bring them to the light
🪶 Support yourself, and reach out when you need to
🪶  Spend time alone, and reflect
🪶  Create a sacred space or altar in your home
🪶  Set clear boundaries between yourself and other people
🪶  Unplug (less screen time, more stillness)
🪶  Practice acceptance & forgiveness (of the self, and of others)
🪶  Nourish your body (have a spa session, get a healing treatment, run a bath etc.)

Wise Woman also has more of an internal focus, and is linked to the New Moon & Menstruation Phase; the season of Winter.

She is also known as the Crone; another word which has lost its original meaning over time. Crone used to be a term for a wise, older woman, or community leader. But today, we think of an old, haggard woman, or spinster.

The Wise Woman represents loss of fertility, external beauty, activity, and youth; the only things that our patriarchal society values in women. She feels a need to slow down – physically and mentally. She becomes introspective, and sometimes more sensitive. This shows up during our bleeding days each cycle. Our energy is low, we need more rest, and in time comes renewal. It’s the continuous cycle of life, death, and re-birth.

The Dark Moon symbolizes the end of one phase, while the New Moon that follows marks the beginning of a new one.

If we fully embraced and learned the lessons during our Wild Woman phase, all of the wild can now be transmuted into wisdom. But we must slow down, be patient, and wait for the wisdom to emerge.

Wise Woman does not align with our patriarchal societies’ expectations of how a woman should be, which is why many of us don’t allow her to emerge in our lives.

Wise Woman is deeply connected to the other world, and the divine. She offers us intuition and wisdom that will guide us into the next phase or chapter of our lives; allowing us to elevate and evolve.

And in turn, we can offer compassion and guidance to those around us; particularly to other women.

🪶  Rest on the first day or two of your bleeding days (if you bleed)
🪶  Learn to love and embrace your menstrual cycle, and harness its’ potent power
🪶  Have a New Moon ritual for yourself, or attend a New Moon circle
🪶  Set new intentions for the coming moon cycle
🪶  Meditate
🪶  Journal & reflect on what you’ve learned over the past cycle and beyond
🪶  Work on strengthening your intuition (through meditation, oracle readings, and channeling your personal guides)
🪶  Give yourself plenty of time to retreat
🪶  Let go (physically, mentally & energetically)
🪶  Practice self love (and learn to love any physical signs of ageing)
🪶  Share your wisdom with others

🪶  Which archetype do you think shows up most for you?

🪶  Are there any archetypes you’ve been ignoring, or repressing?

🪶  How can you embody and embrace all four female archetypes in your life?