Meno - PAUSE!

Embracing the Menopause Journey: From Crisis to Awakening

For many women, the word “menopause” can spark feelings of dread, fear, and confusion. It’s often framed as a “midlife crisis,” a period of decline or something to battle through. But what if we shifted our perspective and saw menopause not as an ending, but as a transition - a powerful spiritual awakening that calls us to reconnect with our deeper selves?

As someone who began my own menopause journey earlier than expected after a hysterectomy at 40, I’ve lived through the emotional, physical, and mental rollercoaster that often accompanies this phase. Now, at 49, I can tell you this: for me menopause is no crisis - it’s an invitation.

The Challenge of Resistance

At first, like many, I fought it. I wanted to feel “normal” again, to be who I once was. But fighting menopause is like trying to hold back the tides; it only leads to frustration, exhaustion, and a deeper sense of loss. The harder I resisted, the more I felt disconnected from myself and my body. It wasn’t until I started to listen - really listen - to what this transition was asking of me that I began to experience a profound shift.

Menopause isn’t about decline. It’s about transformation. Our bodies, minds, and hearts are urging us to let go of outdated patterns and stories that no longer serve us. The challenge? It’s blooming hard work when we resist! But when we stop fighting and start flowing, a new world opens up.

From Fixing to Feeling

Throughout my 30 years as a therapist, I’ve had the privilege of listening to thousands of women’s stories. I’ve witnessed firsthand how deeply ingrained it is in us to fix, to make everything okay - for others, for ourselves. But the truth is, none of us are broken. The sacred journey of menopause reminds us of that truth. It calls us to step out of the endless cycle of “fixing” and into the embrace of feeling, and that is not pretty. For many of us have been through some shitty times in life, and we survive them by shutting down, numbing out the feelings, the old phrase of “i’m fine” when anyone asks us how we are doing, because we don’t want to be a ‘burden’ to anyone, so we do life alone. We learn not to feel, and the pause part of menopause, urges us to slow down, and in the deeper listening to know the pause. The part of us that begins to awaken to the truth in our bodies, our emotions, our feelings, and for me, once that door was opened, and the tap of tears was finally allowed to flow, I thought I was never going to stop. But with each out pouring I begin to see how much I have stored up, the inability to let go, to feel safe, to know that all I need do is to stop abandoning myself by putting everyone else’s needs first.

In the Sacred Sister Community, we work on healing old wounds not by repairing ourselves, but by reconnecting to the wisdom and strength that’s always been within us. When we come together, without judgment, fear, or the pressure to fix each other, something magical happens. We are seen, heard, and held, just as we are. And in that space, healing naturally unfolds.

Rediscovering the Wild, Sacred Heart

Menopause, for me, has been a call back to my wild, sacred, and precious heart. It’s a return to a more authentic, raw version of myself - the one that existed before society told me how to act, feel, and look. It’s a reclamation of my power and my purpose.

This transition isn’t just about managing symptoms or making it through. It’s about awakening to the next phase of life with grace, wisdom, and a deeper connection to ourselves and others. It’s a time to celebrate the knowledge we’ve gained, the lessons we’ve learned, and the strength we’ve built. It’s an opportunity to live more fully in our truth.

Yet, we have been led to believe this time is one that should be medically treated, don’t get me wrong I am no hypocrite, I have been on HRT since having my surgery. Almost 10 years on bio identical oestrogen, every once in a while I try to come off it, and I am cranky, my body hurts, I am exhausted, and my turkey neck takes on a mind of it’s own! So for now, I am sticking with it, but alongside that, I am doing the work, taking the time, watching my diet, nutrition, exercise, mental and emotional wellbeing, it isn’t just a cure all and make it go away, it is the sticking plaster that allows me to go about my purpose and my duties as a mum, wife, leader, whilst healing whats moving under the surface.

There is also something else I want to share that we don’t talk about enough, my daughter is 13, in her teen years, puberty, boobs, periods etc……years ago, we would have had our children younger, we were all off her hands when my mum went through menopause! but as we are choosing or circumstantially having children later, it means we are hitting differing times in our lives at the same time, and that can be tough to manage. SO, embrace the PAUSE anytime you can, this is so important.

The Beauty of This Transition

Menopause can feel overwhelming, no doubt. But it can also be a time of profound beauty. It offers us a chance to shed old identities, release societal expectations, and step into a new chapter with confidence and clarity. The more we lean into the process, the more we see that this is not a crisis, but a beautiful spiritual transition. It’s an awakening to who we truly are beneath the layers.

At Sacred Sister, we hold space for each woman to navigate this journey at her own pace. We remind one another that we are not alone, that none of us are broken, and that together, we can heal. With support, love, and understanding, we can all move through menopause not just with survival in mind, but with the intention to thrive.

Embracing Menopause: An Invitation

If you’re struggling with menopause or feeling like you’re in crisis, I invite you to take a step back and reframe this time as a sacred transition. Instead of fighting it, ask yourself: what is this phase trying to teach me? How can I embrace this change as an opportunity to grow?

You are not alone on this journey. And you are certainly not broken. Menopause is your invitation to reconnect with your wild, sacred heart and to walk forward into the next chapter of your life with grace, strength, and community. Together, we can heal and bloom in the ways we are meant to.

With love,
Laura
Founder, Sacred Sister Community