Why Cyclical Living Might Just Be the Secret to a More Easeful Life
"Cyclical living isn't about finding a one-size-fits-all solution. It's about honouring the unique rhythm of your own life."
~ Alisa Vitti
How easy is it to live cyclically?
I get asked this question a lot. And the answer is, it depends.
Cyclical living is, at its core, an awareness practice. It involves paying attention to where we are in any given cycle, whether that be our menstrual cycle, our circadian rhythm, or any other type of cycle that is relevant to our lives. By doing so, we can gain a better understanding of our experiences and use that knowledge to support ourselves and navigate the world with more ease.
Everything about us and our world is inherently cyclical.
One of the things that I love about cyclical living is that it provides a framework for understanding myself and my experiences. It doesn't tell me what I should be feeling but it can help guide my actions. In the luteal phase of my menstrual cycle, I might be more likely to prioritise rest and self-care, knowing that my energy levels may be lower during this time. Similarly, if I know that I tend to feel more alert and focused in the morning, I might schedule my most challenging tasks for that time of day.
Cyclical living also helps me feel more connected to my body and my natural rhythms. In our modern world, it's easy to lose touch with these rhythms, especially when we're constantly bombarded with stimuli from screens and devices. By tuning in to our cycles, we can reconnect with the natural world and honour our own rhythms. This can lead to a sense of groundedness and stability that is often missing from our busy lives.
There's something about it that feels effortless. Cyclical living is a structure I can relax into. Any cycle awareness practice is an invitation to become more intimate with your reality so that you can make more informed choices about how to honour yourself and honour your commitments in the world. Cyclical living has made my life feel infinitely more easeful and graceful.
That doesn't mean it always feels easy, especially in a linear world. I often experience tension when I bump up against my own expectations and patterns, expectations of others, or external structures. Of course I do because the world doesn't revolve around my needs and wants, nor can I have the perfect plan that aligns fully with my cycles because my cycles are rarely uniform. Firstly, because I'm human and messy and secondly because cycles are fractal so even if my menstrual cycle was exactly the same length each month, I would still experience it differently in relation to the seasons or other cycles in my life.
Cyclical living isn't about the perfect execution of a cycle. It's about paying more attention to where you are and making the 1% shifts that allow you to tend to yourself and tend to the world around you.
The archetypal cycle.
I try to plan for more opportunities to rest and slow down when I bleed, for example. But if I have a project deadline or client calls, rather than beat myself up for not resting (hello, inner critic!), I ask myself what it would be like to move 1% more slowly and gently in the work I am doing.
I'm not sure it's really about whether cyclical living is easy or difficult. It can be both. But either way, it does require practice and attention, intention, focus, and discipline.
It requires a different type of effort than what recovering perfectionists and overachievers are used to.
It requires tender discipline. Part of my menstrual cycle awareness practice is daily journaling. I make a few notes about what day I'm on, how I felt that day, my focus, and my energy levels. There are plenty of times I just want to go to bed and I can't be bothered with my journaling. This is where I need tender discipline to gently keep showing up for myself.
Read more about tender discipline here.
Cyclical living should not be another stick to beat yourself with. As soon as I notice myself using the word "should" around my cycles, I know I'm back into an old perfectionist pattern. It's important to show up for this practice and be as kind to yourself as possible. Cyclical living is an awareness practice, not a performance practice. It's all about being with yourself wherever you're at and however you're feeling, and that is okay. That's what it really means to embody cyclical living.
Approach the practice of cyclical living with curiosity and openness. There almost certainly will be challenges along the way. Be gentle with yourself; keep encountering yourself. Cyclical living is not rigid adherence to a set of rules. It's another opportunity for awareness, flexibility, and honouring your own unique rhythm.