The Power of Persuasion

Over the last year I have been consuming as much as I can on the topic of menopause.  I am deeply fascinated by this particular transition in life.  I see it as an important initiatory threshold in a woman’s life, one she is fortunate to reach.  Menopause marks a time when a woman’s body asks her to reevaluate priorities and boundaries, to lovingly tend to past hurts and traumas that may resurface for processing, to consider new ways to nourish and tend to the body, to release the guilt of putting herself first and to learn comfort and acceptance through rest.

For many women, menopause is a time when the body asks for surrender of what once felt familiar, an invitation to nourish oneself physically, mentally and emotionally, and to care for oneself in ways never previously required.  For some, it carries a spiritual dimension, a coming back home to oneself, remembering desires and needs. It is often a time that calls for tenderness, grace and honor.  

I believe deeply in the intelligence of our bodies and in the natural cycles of this world.  I do not believe that menopause is inherently a disease or something universally in need of fixing.  At the same time, I recognize that for some women, medical support is necessary and life-changing.  Both truths can exist.

What I began to notice, however, was how much of the information available frame menopause primarily as a problem.  Much of what I read suggested a woman’s body is broken, that menopause isn’t natural or that intervention is always required to navigate this change.  I consumed information that normalized numbing women’s feelings, continuing at unsustainable speeds, and reducing menopause to just the end of reproductive capability.  I encountered narratives that implied inevitable decline, loss of vitality and diminished sexual worth.

I almost started believing these things.  Other women in my life already have.  The power of persuasion is strong, and the stories we consume shape how we experience our bodies.  

What I am choosing to consume now feels better in my body, my mind and my spirit. Outside of a patriarchal framework, many traditions view menopause as a spiritual initiation, a time of personal power, and the emergence of crone wisdom; a revered & honored archetype. Many Indigenous cultures continue to recognize menopausal and post-menopausal women as wisdom keepers, elders and spiritual leaders.  I am learning to see menopause as a rite of passage, not an ending, but an evolution.  While it can come with real challenges, it is not always or only a medical problem.  

This way of seeing menopause is not just personal, it shapes how I work with women.  

I create spaces through yoga, rest and shared reflection where women can explore menopause, midlife and their changing bodies as a meaningful transition and with curiosity rather than something to endure, override or fear.  These spaces are not about answers, but about permission to slow down, to listen and to trust the wisdom that emerges when we are given time, support and care.  

The power of persuasion is powerful.  What stories do you believe about your changing body?