To follow is some ‘collective wisdom’, stories and potential ways you can use Chakra Balancing techniques to ease some of the symptoms you may be experiencing. Or if you’re not quite there yet – give you a gentle heads up on what might be coming your way and how to get ahead of the game!
Before we begin…
Disclaimer – I am very aware that I am not a doctor, hormone therapist or expert on the perimenopause (apart from my own!), so this blog is intended to be a heartfelt sharing of information – to impart some loving support to anyone who is struggling, and maybe give you some ideas on how you can move forwards on your journey.
I used to coach women with anxiety, using the Chakra System as a guide, and one question I was always asked was:
“Which Chakra is responsible for my anxiety?”
There is no ‘one answer’ to this as every individual is different, experiences anxiety in different ways and with different energies.
And the same goes for women going through perimenopause. There are probably as many symptoms as there are women on this planet! So, I am not going to try and cover them all here…
What I have done, is pick three common symptoms reported to GPs in the UK and come up with some (mostly) Chakra-related ways you could try to manage them. As always, please, please seek help from your GP if your symptoms are causing you distress, discomfort, or any level of pain or upset.
So, buckle up, grab your handheld fan, and let’s get started!
Let’s talk about anxiety…
It’s kind of my wheelhouse, having dealt with my own anxiety since childhood and then going on to help other women with theirs.
Perimenopausal anxiety can be linked to sudden feelings of insecurity, feeling like you don’t know who you are anymore, or what’s coming next – these are all classic triggers for anxiety related to changes in our lives and how we perceive ourselves.
One thing I used to do with clients to identify where in the Chakra System their anxiety was trapped was to take them back to a time they felt particularly anxious. I’d ask them to safely and vividly ‘relive’ it and feel where in the body they feel it – really feel it.
For me, anxiety starts deep down inside with a building tingling sensation that grows and pushes up through my body.
It starts in my Root Chakra.
The Root Chakra is the Chakra of safety, security, and our right to be, and exist. This could come from any number of experiences (I don’t have the space to go into all the causes of Root Chakra blockages here!), but supporting your Root Chakra could ease any feelings of insecurity, of not feeling safe or seen, or the fear of the unknown.
As a very general guide, I believe anxiety can manifest in different ways depending on where in the Chakra system it starts:
- ROOT – very strong feelings in the body, anxiety around physical/financial safety and security
- SACRAL – anxiety around feelings of guilt and blame
- SOLAR PLEXUS – anxiety around feelings of shame and judgement
- HEART – anxiety around fear of emotional pain or hurt
- THROAT – anxiety around fear of speaking/being heard/losing control
- 3RD EYE – anxiety around fear of being seen/standing out
- CROWN – anxiety around fear of being alone/disconnected/what is the point?
Try the exercise for yourself and see where your anxiety is stuck. Then check out my Shine Soap Selector for a much deeper dive into how you can support your affected Chakra.
Your sex drive is MIA!
Ah, suddenly you’re no longer interested in something you used to find super fun! It’s hard enough to make time for ourselves, and our partners when life is so full of responsibilities and pressures. But add all the hormonal changes, exhaustion, lack of self-esteem, and the fact pretty much everything hurts and you do not have a recipe for scintillating seduction!
This one could benefit from a two-pronged approach…
Sex drive for women sits in our Sacral Chakra – the Chakra of joy, sensuality, and creativity – and supporting this Chakra is so important for our general vitality, enthusiasm, desire, and love for life, including all the pleasures it can offer – sexy or otherwise!
So, start with making time for yourself. Do something you love. Put yourself first. Indulge your senses. Engage your creativity. Dance, sing, be silly, and embrace your joy.
The second Chakra we can work with is our Heart Chakra – our Chakra of love and compassion. This is not just romantic love (although that is part of what we are trying to address), but about self-love and self-care too. When we love and care for ourselves, we are able to open up and allow others to love and care for us too.
Try a healing Heart Chakra meditation – Metta (Loving Kindness) meditation is particularly powerful and you can find lots on YouTube or Insight Timer.
The Heart and Sacral Chakras are ‘feminine’ Chakras and very closely linked, so strengthening them both can be magical and uplifting.
Hot flushes
Ah, this one is my particular nemesis! Sometimes, I feel like I’m training for the SAS – I’m freezing cold, then boiling hot – burning from the inside out. It’s a weird sensation! I’ve always been ‘hot’ – literally! I even suffer from an auto-immune called Urti Caria, which literally means ‘Boiling Blood’, so I guess I had it coming!
This one can be debilitating – in the night it stops you from sleeping leaving you feeling exhausted all day, and in the day – it can be embarrassing as it’s pretty visible and obvious when it’s happening, and can go on to create a series of knock on affects – panic, tearfulness, profuse sweating – all the good things.
There’s the obvious stuff – wear easily removable layers, carry a fan always, and try to get out of your head when it hits – panic and overthinking will only make it worse. I know – that’s easier said than done!
So, Chakra-wise, this is a toughy. All hormonal ‘stuff’ is supported by our Sacral Chakra, so supporting that should help all symptoms.
But our good old fiery Solar Plexus Chakra could help here too! It’s represented by the element of Fire and is felt in the body as heat. It is responsible for our feelings of personal power, energy, and will. I like to use a visualisation exercise to support this Chakra, especially if I know I have something which is going to be challenging, coming up:
- Take some deep calm breaths to anchor yourself and imagine a small, gentle, golden-yellow flame in front of your Solar Plexus Chakra (the soft area below your breastbone).
- Sit with this image for a few moments. You are totally comfortable; the flame is not hot and will not hurt you.
- Remember to breathe!
- As you relax imagine the flame getting bigger with each exhale, as if your breath is fanning it.
- You are totally safe and comfortable.
- As the beautiful, captivating flame gets bigger, imagine a confident feeling of positive excitement in your tummy.
- As the flame grows to cover your whole body, it takes this wonderful tingly feeling all over your body – down into your legs, feet, and toes. And into your arms and fingers. Feel them tingle with the energy.
- Ask the flame to burn away anything you don’t need and feel the wonderful positive energy flow all through you.
- When you’re done, just make the flame smaller and smaller until it flickers gently in front of your Solar Plexus.
And finally, the Throat Chakra – which is closely linked to the Solar Plexus Chakra and shares its masculine energy. Our Throat Chakra Soap for Communication & Truth is a great one to keep in the shower for everyday cooling!
Packed with clarifying Tea Tree and cooling Peppermint essential oils, this has an instant cooling effect on the skin and the mind, and if you can stand turning your shower down a few degrees, you can make your shower a much ‘cooler’ experience all round. Set your intention for the day and affirm you will stay cool, calm, and confident as you go through your day.
This too shall pass…
I know it sounds trite, but it is true. I am focusing on having a positive perimenopause and looking forward to all the wonderful freedoms and new experiences which lay on the other side!
And, thank God for Davina and all the other amazing women who have made it OK to have conversations, talk about what’s going on with us ‘in the moment’, and even laugh at the whole situation!
There are loads of amazing resources online to help you and your GP will support you too.
Click here to find out more about your Chakras, but if you’re after a deeper dive – click here to download the Shine Soap Selector which goes into much greater detail about which of your Chakras might be blocked and what to do about it – starting with Chakra Soap, everyday obvs!
Bringing a little more balance to your whole system might be just what you need to give you the strength and determination to push through to the other side. If you enjoyed this blog and found it useful, please share it and let me know if you would like a Part II (and III and IV!) and what other symptoms you would like me to cover.
So, there you have it…
I love taking every opportunity to support my Chakra energy and that’s why I created Shine Body & Bath – to support everyone looking for a powerful, but accessible, way to strengthen their energy, raise their vibration, and live a more harmonious life – and enjoy using luxurious body and bath products while they do it! It’s a win-win!
So, if you fancy going a little deeper, download our Shine Soap Selector and find out which of our Chakra Soaps is perfect for you – indulge in this unique and mindful way to support your energy from Root to Crown.
But if that’s not your thing? No problem – they’re also great for washing!
