Magic Time

Once a month every female on earth from age 10 to age 50, give or take some years on both ends, is united in a single physical cycle. In everyday English most people call it their period. Some other labels are: Monthly Visitor, Monthly Friend, Courses, the Curse, being on the Rag...mostly Western, American labels. Apparently in Korea the label for this cycle is Magic Time. At first when my friend said this, Magic Time, I scoffed. It doesn't feel like magic when I am bloated, feeling nauseated, my knees feel like they can barely hold me up and I am light headed. But it really made me think. Magic Time. The names given to the menstral cycle usually focus on the end days of the cycle but there are actually alot of days, 12 to 14 to be exact, when there are other things going on.

When I was going through a really bad break up I found that there were times when the night terrors were worse and I was barely able to keep my sanity due to all of the emotional poison I was carrying. It was my mother who called it to my attention that I should start paying attention to my cycle. I realised that my most vulnerable times were right before the end of my cycle. I had never experienced such an obvious connection between my emotional state and the cycle going on inside my body. I was able to prepare myself mentally for the onslaught.

Many people speak of PMS, PreMenstralSyndrome, with disdain and make it the reason that any woman is upset or voices her opinion. "Oh, she must have PMS" "Don't mind her, she is Premenstral". PMS is a curse word to me in that it is a word that allows others to invalidate what I maybe feeling. There is so much mystery, shame, and avoidance of the topic of menstration, I think, because it involves blood. I honestly didn't realise until my mid-20s that I should start taking note of these times.

Magic Time is my new choice of words. It embraces the ENTIRE cycle. I feel more spiritually aware at these times. More aware of where I am weak or vulnerable spiritually. Once a month I can potentially be given a glimpse of my soul. Everything is heighted and takes on a new light. Sometimes the cycle is more intense than others. Like this time is more intense. I can't sleep and my mind is racing. As I am starting to take this a bit more seriously and no longer ignore the sadness I might feel or happiness I might feel, I am able to be more in control of how I interpret what is the reality of the state of my soul. I know that at the end of this Magic Time I am feeling malnourished spiritually so it is time to get an IV going and get myself on a healthier diet.

If you made it through this, espeically if you are a guy, I am grateful. You have just validated one person's human experience which is shared by millions of others.