the wisdom of menopause

there's a great bestselling book on menopause entitled "the wisdom of menopause" by dr. christiane northrup (2006).

i was desperate with symptoms last summer and asked my handsome prince who bears all things to check it out of the library for me. i began perusing and taking notes thru the book. i'd heard of it for several years but stubborn me wouldn't take a look-see until i was desperate enuf that i needed HELP!

i found some things to be true for me. i thot i'd share a few things in bullet points (ok, asterisks) like bubbles did on her saturday, jan 31 blog re: the marriage conference. 

when i left work last august a client gave me a pretty green plaque that said:

when i stand before God at the end of my life i would hope that i would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, "i used everything You gave me." erma bombeck 

it was as if my client sensed there were some changes a foot and knew there was more to me than counseling. northrup's ideas made me think that too - that there are other parts of my brain that God's given me that don't have anything to do with counseling. 

when i began blogging in october, i thot: this is what dr. northrup was talking about. i've always wanted to write and so i am. there's other things that i want to do OR YOU MAY WANT TO DO but haven't done yet (the all important yet).

here's some of my fav ideas in the book:

*you're not getting alzheimers, you're rewiring your brain for a whole new way of thinking 

*part of our adaptation to the hormonal changes as our biology focus switches from procreation to personal growth

*it's like the logical side of the brain goes to sleep...to force us to become more intuitive...in tune with emotions and inner wisdom

*problems are signals regarding the need to renegotiate habitual relationship patterns

*begin to....establish an entirely new and exciting relationship with my creativity and vocation

*circuits are being re-wired, circuitry update

*it was a warning coming from deep within my spirit:  "grow...or die."

*voice beckons...explore aspects....dormant during years of caring for, focusing on the needs of others

*(don't laugh at this one) she's preparing to give birth to herself

*diseases of postmenopausal women: heart disease, depression, breast cancer

*bodily symptoms...often contain a message (msg) for us about our lives - if only we can learn to decipher it

*we attract precisely the illness or problem that best facilitates our access to our inner wisdom...your body's msg to you will be in the language that best breaks thru your particular barriers and speaks most specifically to the issues you need to change in your life.  the wisdom of this system is very precise (i love this one!)

*goal: heeding my inner voice, listening to what the illness is trying to teach me

*guilt about doing something we love is always a clue that points to blocked energy (i like this one too)

*correlation between pms and difficult peri-menopause with symptoms can't be ignored

*first half of life, caring for others, birthing others

*second half of life, caring for self, birthing me

*the last, best chance of body's inner wisdom shining light on aspects of a woman's life that needs work (menopause is)

*signals from our mind and body that we have reached a new developmental stage - an opportunity for healing and growth

*underlying susceptibility to distress in the first place....hormonal swings bring that to the surface

*urged biologically to work on yourself (i like this one)

*ASK: what is out of balance that needs to be changed? (she sounds like a shrink)

*no matter what else you do (exercise or take meds) it is your attitude, beliefs and daily thought patterns that have the most effect on your health (this is biblical, setting your mind, etc.)

*if you take hormones, she talks about importance of bio-identicals 

*breakdown to breakthrough

*midlife teaches us a liberating truth - aspects of our lives are simply not under our control (is this true or what????)

*some symptoms are the result of unprocessed and unresolved emotions (yuck, i don't like this one) (ex: upset about adult child, don't sleep well)

*before HRT and SSRI's (antidepressants), we saw women who negotiated the change by closing their door, taking to their beds, leaving the families with the rest of details. months later, many emerged from the chrysalis of depression rejuvenated. (hummm....)

*like all symptoms depression is one way your body's inner wisdom tells you something in life is out of balance

ps:  happy 24th b-day to favorite son, born 59 minutes (and a few years) after his granny's b-day