The Medicine Wheel is a sacred symbol used by many Indigenous peoples across North America to represent the interconnectedness of life, balance, and harmony. It is often depicted as a circular diagram divided into four quadrants, each representing fundamental aspects of existence: the four directions (North, East, South, West), seasons, elements, stages of life, and spiritual principles. The wheel serves as a tool for understanding relationships between the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of life, emphasizing the importance of balance and unity within oneself and the world.

According to the Native American Medicine Wheel, on the day of the Winter Solstice, we turn from the West (introspection and gathering) to the North (stillness and wisdom).

We can see these same patterns reflected in perimenopause and our passage through menopause. Perimenopause is a time for contemplation, assessing, thinking, and going within. Put simply, it’s the time to “do the work”. So, it is safe to say that when we are in perimenopause, we are standing in the West.

Today, as we turn to the North, we honor wisdom and wise elderhood. The North is a time of stillness and knowing. It is also a time of “the give away” where we share knowledge that we have accumulated on our path.

If we do the work of perimenopause and don’t try to repress it, we stand in the North when we go through menopause. This is a place of wisdom that we won’t know until we get there. It’s magical, self-possessed, still, and powerful.

Whether you are in perimenopause or have passed through menopause, these cycles should be reflected upon. Rather than conform to the patriarchal view of women's life cycles, which need to be corrected with medication, facial fillers and fear, we can reflect and appreciate the beauty of the cycles of our lives and the wisdom that each phase holds.

A Winter Solstice Ritual

Take a blank piece of paper. Sit down, go within, and be still. On this paper, write down any lessons that have come to completion for you this year. Take your time and let it flow out of you.

Take this piece of paper and gather any other items symbolic of things you want to discard that you are willing to get rid of. Go outside and connect to the land that your on. Take of your shoes if you can. Bury your list and items in the ground. Feel yourself burying the past as you give it back to the earth.

Now, go inside. Light a candle in the spirit of the Winter Solstice. Think about how you will bring your light, wisdom, and knowledge to the world for the year ahead. Write it down and share below if you feel called.

I hope you find your light in the darkness this winter.

Take care and be well,

Françoise