Periods, Menstruation, That time of the month, The curse…

whatever you call it, most girls start around the age of 13 (An unlucky number. huh? We’ll see about it in the upcoming posts). Some sooner or some later. Having your period can really be a curse. That spot on your favorite jean, or on your bed sheets, or the hassle with pads (or tampons…) make a girl wish she was born a boy rather than a girl. Adding fuel to the fire are certain superstitions that prevail around. Let’s see what they are and what they actually imply.

Common superstitions followed:

  • Menstruating girls should be kept in isolation. They are impure and anything they touch becomes impure.
  • Menstrual blood is impure.
  • Menstruating women should not enter temples or attend any holy gatherings. It is better if they stayed away from crowded places.
  • Cooking or touching food can spoil the food.
  • No sex during your period
  • No strenuous activities during menstruation because you lose a lot of blood and therefore no exercise.

Periods

Scientific/Logical reasons behind them:

  • Long back, people lived in groups. The smell of blood from the women could have attracted predators. So, to avoid danger to the clan, they isolated the menstruating women and kept them in huts called ‘moon huts’.
  • Back then, menstruation synced with the lunar cycle. The moon’s forces combined with the energies of such women resulted in very good vibrations. This made people think such women had special powers and they made such women perform prayers for the good of the village (Of course, they performed them outside the village!)
  • For those who say menstrual blood is impure, just remember where you were before you were born.
  • Actually, menstrual blood is so powerful and potent that it was used in rituals and in brewing magic potions.
  • This blood is the reason why the color red is considered auspicious even now.
  • Now to the most common myth of all these: MENSTRUATING WOMEN SHOULD NOT ENTER TEMPLES. IT WILL MAKE THE PLACE UNHOLY.

Why is that so? The reason behind this is that menstruating women constantly dissipate energy from their bodies and most of the religious chants are in such a way as to balance the energy and chakras in your body by eliminating negative energy. But these also prevent positive energy from leaving the body. Also, the copper plates buried beneath the main idol give out positive energy using the Earth’s magnetic waves. During menstruation, a woman’s body has to dissipate positive energy, or else there will be an excess energy build up. So as not to interfere with nature’s ways, women are not allowed to go to temples or holy gatherings.

  • Menstruating women’s bodies are always open to energy transfer. Thus being in crowded areas can transfer others’ negative energies into her body and cause her harm. So, avoiding crowded areas was good for HER.
  • The same energy transfer affects the processes when cooking or touching food in general. There is no such thing that you make something unholy by touching it when you are on your period.
  • Sex during your period is absolutely OK if you and your partner are ok with it. As most people are disgusted (Including women) by blood and then a few more, are scared by it, people tend to avoid having sex during menstruation.
  • No exercising? The fact is that exercising during your period can actually help you a lot with the cramps and no! you don’t lose a LOT of blood. It is usually around 4-5 tablespoons but yes, it looks a lot more than that.

You now know…